Bureaucrats Run Amok

The Collard family of Glendale, California received a notice from the Fire Department ordering them to trim foliage from oak and sycamore trees around their house to lessen fire danger. The Collards agreed that their trees needed a trim and hired a tree service to do the work for $3,000. In the midst of the trimming operation, the city's urban forester stopped by and ordered them to stop work as the Collards had not obtained a tree-trimming permit. They didn't know one was needed and the tree service had told them no permits were required.

The Collards were warned that they faced a fine for this violation and a week later an arborist from the city visited to assess the damage. A few weeks later they received a letter from the city informing them that their fine was $347,600! Really too much to believe. RTWT.