Yolo County Considers Retaliation Against 'Crash Tax'

WOODLAND, Calif. (CBS13) -- Sacramento's new crash tax may prompt a neighboring county to retaliate with a tax of their own.

Yolo County Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Rexroad called Sacramento's plan to bill non-residents who cause an accident "bad, bad public policy," and said he is tempted to give Sacramento a taste of their own medicine.

"I'm going to ask my colleagues to consider the idea of charging any resident of the City of Sacramento who gets into an accident in Yolo County," Rexroad said, "and charge them double whatever Sacramento charges."

Sacramento's crash tax would charge any non-residents a minimum of $495 for the cost of the emergency response.

Sacramento Councilman Darrell Fong, who voted against the tax, said City Hall has received a steady stream of calls and e-mails from people upset about the idea.

"I am concerned about the backlash of this," Fong said. "Are we going to charge for police services because we respond, because that person isn't a resident of the City of Sacramento?"

Rexroad said he also fears the crash tax could leave a person who can't afford the fee in an extremely difficult situation.

"It's crazy to think that if you're in a car accident that it would be in your best interest to take somebody who is injured and drive them to West Sacramento, or drive them to Elk Grove, or drag their lifeless body to Folsom so you can dial 911," Rexroad said.

The Yolo County Board of Supervisors meets Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. to discuss the measure. Chairman Rexroad will need two other board members to agree on the countywide crash tax before the idea could move forward.