Governor Brown's 2013-2014 budget could prove catastrophic to California's property management companies, real estate agents, landlords and employers if passed as currently proposed. The budget includes a "per case" search fee for criminal and civil court records which will create an undue burden on California businesses and increase the threat to public safety in the rental housing community.

The average number of eviction cases filed in California each year is 140,000. At $10.00 per case, that is $1.4 Million in added costs that public records search firms will have to share with their clients (you). That dollar figure does not include criminal cases which will increase that amount many times! The potential cost of screening rental and employment applications may increase in the millions. Individual landlords and businesses in California already burdened with limits for tenant screening fees and high business taxes may elect to forego the screening process altogether rather than pay the increased fees, creating obvious safety issues for their communities and/or workplace.

Please take the time to contact your local legislators. This budget item cannot be allowed to pass!