Free Republic

Critics are blasting a "rain tax" Toronto is proposing to charge homeowners, Newsweek reported. City officials are proposing to hit homeowners with a "stormwater charge" according to how much their properties' water runoff would impact the storm sewer system, the magazine said, adding that it's an attempt to encourage citizens to keep grass and plants on their properties rather than paving outdoor square footage. Newsweek, citing Toronto city authorities, said the charge would be based on each property's hard surface area, including roofs, driveways, parking lots, and other concrete landscaping. "Stormwater is rain and melted snow. When not absorbed into...

Every time it rains, it could be raining pennies from property owners if Gov. Phil Murphy signs legislation that could end up taxing stormwater runoff.  The Assembly last week passed a bill that would allow for the creation of local or regional stormwater utilities. The utilities would have the power to collect fees from properties with large paved surfaces such as parking lots.The state Senate version of the bill passed in June. Both bills advanced along party lines, with most Democrats in favor. State Sens. Christopher "Kip" Bateman, R-Somerset, a sponsor of the bill, and Sam Thompson, R-Middlesex, were the...

If the left can’t get around the First Amendment one way, it will find another way around it. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley made national news last year when he fought to pass and signed a tax bill that levied a tax on Marylanders, businesses and churches for the amount of “impervious surface” they have on their property.Though the O’Malley administration calls it a “fee,” it is commonly called the “rain tax” throughout the state. It is wildly unpopular and the promise to fight to repeal the tax was a large factor in Maryland electing Republican Larry Hogan governor this...

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley made national news last year when he fought to pass and signed a tax bill that levied a tax on Marylanders, businesses and churches for the amount of “impervious surface” they have on their property. Roofs, driveways, sidewalks, and parking lots qualify for the “rainwater remediation fee” to “protect the Chesapeake Bay.” Though the O’Malley administration calls it a “fee,” it is commonly called the “rain tax” throughout the state. It is wildly unpopular and the promise to fight to repeal the tax was a large factor in Maryland electing Republican Larry Hogan governor this month....

State-mandated stormwater remediation fees were implemented July 1 in nine Maryland counties and Baltimore City, costing some parishes thousands, and others nothing. The wide range of fees is a result of a state law requiring each of the state’s 10 largest jurisdictions to set its own fees, which fund efforts to comply with federal environmental regulations. Baltimore City’s fees are the highest in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, costing religious non-profits $12 per 1,050 square feet of impervious surface annually. Baltimore County is charging $20 per 2,000 square feet for institutional properties, including nonprofit organizations. At the other end of the...

Maryland made national news recently for a "rain tax" to start July 1. The tax, an unfunded mandate originating with the Environmental Protection Agency and cemented by the state legislature and governor last year, means homeowners, businesses and nonprofits in certain counties will pay a fee based on the amount of "impervious surfaces" on their property. It is supposed to raise about $482 million annually. Satellite imagery will help counties comply with the law, designed to reduce runoff into the Chesapeake Bay. Call it the 'Drones for the Bay' program. The "Free State" is a Petri dish for progressive causes...

A "storm management fee" will be imposed on Maryland residents by Gov. Martin O'Malley — meaning that Maryland is essentially going to tax the rain that falls on people’s property. The bill apparently stems from an order from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up the Chesapeake Bay estuary. The rationale is that since "roofs, driveways and carparks create more potential for drainage problems and water contamination," a fundraising fee will be assessed based on the size of the building and surrounding paved surfaces.

- FrontPage Magazine - http://frontpagemag.com - Homeowners Targeted With “Rain Tax” for Rain that Falls on their PropertyPosted By Daniel Greenfield On April 11, 2013 @ 1:30 pm In The Point | 22 Comments The rain in Maryland falls mainly on the taxpayer.King Canute may have ordered the tide to halt and King Xerxes may have ordered his men to whip the waters of the Dardanelles strait for bringing up a storm, but Only King Hussein and Lord O’Malley would contemplate taxing the rain. If you thought they ran out of ways to tax us you badly misjudged our lawmakers’...