Voluntary taxes. Sounds like an oxymoron, but those contributions on your tax form can go a long way in supporting California’s native wildlife and plant species, says Tish Palamidessi, from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife.
"Every Californian that files their taxes fills out a 540 form and at the end is a voluntary tax contribution section and we happen to have three items on that list," she told KCLU.
"They all work to protect rare, threatened or endangered species, or to rehabilitate injured, sick or orphaned wildlife in this state," she said.
By donating even a few dollars to the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Voluntary Tax Contribution Program (line 403 on Tax Form 540), the California Sea Otter Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund (line 410) and the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund (line 439) you will help conserve and protect our state’s most at-risk species, said Palamidessi.
Contributions to the California Sea Otter Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund (line 410) are split between CDFW and the State Coastal Conservancy to benefit Southern sea otters.
Southern sea otters are the smallest of all marine mammals and once lived in nearshore waters along California’s entire coast and they play an important role in supporting the nearshore marine ecosystem through helping to maintain healthy kelp forests and sea grasses.
Since 1995, the California sea otter population has fluctuated between 2,000 and 3,000, as their numbers have been slow to rebound due to a variety of factors including pollution, boat strikes and parasites from terrestrial animals.
CDFW uses its portion of tax donations to fund research on causes of sea otter mortality. The Coastal Conservancy uses its portion for grants to support research and facilitate sea otter population recovery.
Donations to the Native California Wildlife Rehabilitation Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund (line 439) help support the care provided by permitted wildlife rehabilitation facilities to California’s injured, sick and orphaned native wildlife.
CDFW uses donations to provide funds directly to wildlife rehabilitators statewide through a competitive grant program. Grant awards are used to support activities that include, but are not limited to, innovation in animal care during rehabilitation, veterinarian treatment, dietary and behavioral enrichment, facility operations, post-release monitoring, and conservation education for the public and local communities.
The California state tax deadline for filing your 2021 taxes with the Franchise Tax Board is April 18, 2022.
