0860 State Board of Equalization
Program Descriptions

15 - COUNTY ASSESSMENT STANDARDS PROGRAM

The objective of the County Assessment Standards program is to ensure that taxable properties are assessed, allocated, and enrolled by county assessors in full conformity with the law.

20 - STATE-ASSESSED PROPERTY PROGRAM

The State-Assessed Property program is responsible for valuing and assessing inter-county pipelines and properties owned or used by railroads, regulated telephone companies, companies transmitting or selling gas or electricity, and private railroad car companies.

25 - TIMBER TAX PROGRAM

The objective of this program is to administer the Timber Yield Tax Law by (1) collecting revenue, (2) establishing timber harvest value areas and the immediate harvest values for species of timber used to determine tax liability, (3) developing a standard method of timber measurement and conversion factors where the standard cannot be used, (4) controlling and auditing the reporting and self-assessment of the yield tax liability, and (5) providing the data for allocating revenues to the county of harvest.

30 - SALES AND USE TAX PROGRAM

The program objective is to administer the Sales and Use Tax Law and the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law. The program also collects and distributes district transactions (sales) and use taxes on behalf of voter-approved special tax districts. The Sales and Use Tax Program ensures that all sales and use tax revenues are collected in an equitable and effective manner through the timely reporting of tax liability, detection and correction of errors in self-assessments, and the prompt collection of amounts determined to be due and economically recoverable.

35 - HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES TAX PROGRAM

This program collects fees for the Department of Toxic Substances Control from generators of hazardous wastes, hazardous waste facilities, and certain corporations as identified by statute. Revenues are deposited into the Hazardous Waste Control Account and the Toxic Substances Control Account.

40 - ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TAX PROGRAM

This program collects excise taxes imposed on the manufacturing, importation, and sale of alcoholic beverages.

41 - TIRE RECYCLING FEE PROGRAM

The Tire Recycling Fee program collects fees that pay for recycling and reclaiming used tires and tire components in order to reduce landfill waste and tire stockpiles.

45 - CIGARETTE AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS TAX PROGRAM

The objective of this program is to collect the tax on cigarette products to provide revenue for the General Fund, the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Surtax Fund, the Breast Cancer Fund, and the California Children and Families First Trust Fund.

46 - CIGARETTE AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS LICENSING PROGRAM

The objective of the program, established by the California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003, is to reduce tax evasion, smuggling, and counterfeiting of tobacco products and tobacco tax stamps. It requires that manufacturers and importers of cigarettes, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers of cigarettes or tobacco products be licensed.

50 - TRANSPORTATION TAX PROGRAM

The objective of the Transportation Tax program is to collect revenue for the Transportation Tax Fund, the Aeronautics Fund, the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund, the Off-Highway Vehicle Trust Fund, and the Department of Agriculture Fund. Responsibility for this program is shared with the State Controller who collects delinquent taxes and makes refunds to consumers who use tax-paid gasoline in an exempt manner. Additionally, this program addresses the collection of excise taxes on diesel fuel.

53 - NAFTA PROGRAM

The objective of the NAFTA Program, which is funded with federal monies, is to temporarily maintain International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) accounts for Mexican carriers that will operate in the state pursuant to NAFTA. The IFTA is an agreement among the 48 contiguous states and several Canadian provinces that simplifies the payment of taxes on fuel that is used in more than one state or province.

56 - OCCUPATIONAL LEAD POISONING PREVENTION FEE PROGRAM

The objective of the program is to collect fees from employers in industries that the Department of Health Services has determined to have a potential for lead poisoning. The fee revenues fund the Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program administered by the Department of Health Services.

57 - INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

The objective of this program is to administer the collection of fees on all solid waste disposed of at solid waste landfills. These fees provide funding to respond to potential health and environmental problems at on-site and off-site solid waste landfills. In addition, these fees support state and local landfill permit enforcement programs.

58 - UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK FEE PROGRAM

This program collects a fee for each gallon of petroleum placed in an underground storage tank. This revenue provides funding to monitor and regulate underground storage tanks containing petroleum and to protect human health and the environment.

59 - OIL SPILL PREVENTION PROGRAM

This program collects two fees on all crude oil and petroleum products received in California via marine pipelines and terminals. The prevention and administration fees provide funding to implement oil spill prevention programs and to reimburse the member agencies of the State Inter-agency Oil Spill Committee for costs arising from the implementation of this program. Funding is also provided to implement, install, and maintain emergency programs, equipment, and facilities to respond to, contain, and cleanup oil spills.

60 - ENERGY RESOURCES SURCHARGE PROGRAM

This program administers a surcharge on consumers of electrical energy to provide revenue for support of the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission.

61 - ANNUAL WATER RIGHTS FEE PROGRAM

The objective of the program is to collect an annual fee from owners of water rights based upon a schedule of fees adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). This revenue is deposited into the Water Rights Fund and supports the activities of the SWRCB's Division of Water Rights.

62 - CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING PREVENTION FEE PROGRAM

This program collects an annual fee from architectural coatings distributors, motor vehicle fuel distributors, and facilities currently reporting releases of lead into ambient air in California. This revenue supports the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program administered by the Department of Health Services.

63 - MARINE INVASIVE SPECIES FEE PROGRAM

This program collects fees assessed upon the owner or operator of qualifying vessels that enter California ports with ballast water loaded from outside California. This fee provides funding to carry out the Marine Invasive Species Program's ballast water management program.

65 - EMERGENCY TELEPHONE USERS SURCHARGE PROGRAM

The objective of the Emergency Telephone Users Surcharge program is to provide revenue to fund a portion of the ''911'' emergency telephone number system by administering a surcharge on intra-state telephone communication services. The Department of General Services administers this program.

66 - E-WASTE RECYCLING FEE PROGRAM

This program provides revenue to fund the Covered Electronic Waste Recycling Fee Program by administrating a recycling fee upon the purchase of a new or refurbished covered electronic device. The BOE is required to collect this fee from the retailers and consumers. The funds collected are deposited into the Electronic Waste Recovery and Recycling Account in the Integrated Waste Management Fund.

70 - INSURANCE TAX PROGRAM

This program assesses taxes on insurance premiums and marine profits of underwriters, and levies retaliatory assessments against ''foreign'' insurers. The Board, the Controller, and the Insurance Commissioner administer the program jointly. The Board is responsible for assessing the tax and adjudicating petitions for redetermination, claims for refund, and requests for relief from penalties.

75 - NATURAL GAS SURCHARGE PROGRAM

The objective of this program is to collect the annual surcharge from public utility gas corporations and consumers who receive natural gas through interstate pipelines in order to provide revenue for the Gas Consumption Surcharge Fund. That revenue is used to fund low-income assistance programs.

80 - APPEALS FROM OTHER GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS

This program reviews assessments of income taxes and corporation taxes and eligibility determinations made in administering the Senior Citizens' Property Tax Assistance Program upon the filing of a written request by a taxpayer.

The program also acts as an impartial tribunal to settle disputes between entities of local government concerning property tax assessments of property owned by one local government entity but located outside its boundaries and within boundaries of another entity. Property owned by a local government outside its boundaries is subject to tax by the entity within whose boundaries the property is located.

85 - ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM

The Administration Program's objectives are to effectively and efficiently implement the policies and directives of the Board Members and to provide direction, leadership, planning, and support services for all Board programs.