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Wanting to Pull the Plug on the 'Toilet Tax'
Reuters | 4 Oct 2004 | By Zelie Pollon

Posted on 10/05/2004 10:39:13 AM PDT by Rogle

SANTA FE, New Mexico (Reuters) - Santa Fe's "toilet tax," designed to offset water use by new businesses in the desert town, has some businesses wanting to flush the system entirely.

Two years ago, the city passed a law requiring new businesses to install low-volume toilets, which use 1.6 gallons of water per flush as opposed to conventional toilets, which use 3.6 gallons.

Depending upon the size of the business and its potential water use, the city often makes owners buy $350 "credits" that pay for the installation of low-water-use toilets in other parts of the city, such as older homes or apartments.

Plumbers receive the bulk of the money from the credits to replace the toilets. Santa Fe gets $40 for each credit it processes.

Thousands of new toilets have been installed since the ordinance took effect in 2002 in response to the severe drought conditions plaguing the Southwestern United States.

But Santa Fe (population 62,000) is running out of toilets to retrofit.

Critics argue the so-called toilet tax now serves only to bolster the income for plumbers and the city.

Business owners and developers in the city said the credit system is adding thousands of dollars to their costs and is hurting development.

"They say they want new business here, but they make it very difficult," said Will Adams, who had to spend nearly $18,000 dollars on toilet taxes to open his bar in downtown Santa Fe. "I'm all for saving water, but this definitely wasn't in our budget."

Local lawmakers are thinking of cutting the city's $40 administrative fee, but it appears the broader toilet tax isn't going to disappear anytime soon.

And that's good news for at least one city plumber.

"These credits are like gold," said Mike Calabaza of Cartwright's Plumbing. "If they don't buy them, they don't open their store. And there's only so many credits out there."


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; US: New Mexico
KEYWORDS: santafe; tax; taxes; toilettax; water
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In New Mexico we tax everything toilets and nursing home beds on a daily basis.
1 posted on 10/05/2004 10:39:14 AM PDT by Rogle
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To: Rogle
Two years ago, the city passed a law requiring new businesses to install low-volume toilets, which use 1.6 gallons of water per flush as opposed to conventional toilets, which use 3.6 gallons.

I don't think you can even legally buy a 3.6 gallon toilet any more. I think some people are smuggling them in from Canada and Mexico.

2 posted on 10/05/2004 10:42:39 AM PDT by Always Right
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To: Rogle

Maybe businesses should start paying the tax in brown, smelly "toilet-bucks".....


3 posted on 10/05/2004 10:42:59 AM PDT by Onelifetogive (* Sarcasm tag ALWAYS required. For some FReepers, sarcasm can NEVER be obvious enough.)
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To: Always Right

Yeah. You have flush those stupid things three times too.

What a savings in water!


4 posted on 10/05/2004 10:44:17 AM PDT by fooman (Get real with Kim Jung Mentally Ill about proliferation)
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To: Rogle

Bedrock Bump


5 posted on 10/05/2004 10:44:50 AM PDT by EggsAckley (..........So many vanities.................so little bandwidth............)
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To: fooman
Yeah. You have flush those stupid things three times too. What a savings in water!

And they clog up way to easy. I think they only save when you take a wee wee.

6 posted on 10/05/2004 10:45:42 AM PDT by Always Right
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To: Rogle
Two years ago, the city passed a law requiring new businesses to install low-volume toilets, which use 1.6 gallons of water per flush as opposed to conventional toilets, which use 3.6 gallons.

The problem is that nobody wants to talk about the fact that the old "wasteful toilets only needed to be flushed once, and the new PC ones 3 times.

Which is a good thing. If everyone flushed only once, half the city would be dug up dealing with clogged mains. The quantity of water determines the minimum slope of underground pipes to prevent "settling" and clogging and, trust me, they were not designed for the reduced amount of water.

So everybody loses except the plubers and the moron bureaucrats.

7 posted on 10/05/2004 10:51:46 AM PDT by Publius6961 (I, also, don't do diplomacy.)
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To: Rogle
Business owners and developers in the city said the credit system is adding thousands of dollars to their costs and is hurting development

It won't help. A few days ago an article posted on FR was about a business pulling out, because they couldn't find anyone who would work. The business couldn't get anyone to start on time, stay until the end or even come to work.

8 posted on 10/05/2004 10:58:22 AM PDT by fritzz
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To: Rogle

Let's see - 3.6 gallons times 1 flush = 3.6 gallons

1.6 gallons times 3 flushes = 4.8 gallons

Thus lose 1.2 gallons per "load". Ain't gov't logic wonderful?


9 posted on 10/05/2004 10:59:39 AM PDT by beethovenfan
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To: Rogle

This just proves once again that the government doesn't know S--t.


10 posted on 10/05/2004 11:05:06 AM PDT by Protagoras (When your circus has a big tent, you can fit a lot of clowns inside)
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To: fritzz

Wait for it....the next argument as to why they cannot eliminate the toilet tax is that they must now 'retrofit' the retrofit of the old toilets to install pumps on all the new 1.6 gal toilets so you only have to flush once....and you KNOW the plumbers will be working for that, it's always easier to run your business when it's supported by free money from the government. Now, how about someone out there putting a hornet in the mix, start a push to eliminate the toilet tax and require ALL residents to buy credits for the plumbers [after all, all residents must have toilets, right?]


11 posted on 10/05/2004 11:08:14 AM PDT by Ruth C (learn to analyze rationally and extrapolate consequences..they don't teach that in school now)
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To: fooman
Yeah. You have flush those stupid things three times too.

Not so. New ones work great. We just installed a new Kohler Cimarron toilet, and it works great. No clogs, and not a noisy pressure assist model either. $200 at Home Depot.

12 posted on 10/05/2004 11:08:15 AM PDT by crv16
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To: crv16

your milage varies from most.


13 posted on 10/05/2004 11:11:11 AM PDT by fooman (Get real with Kim Jung Mentally Ill about proliferation)
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To: Rogle

How big of a difference is flushing 3 times with a 1.6 gallon tank and flushing only once with a 3.6 gallon tank?

Small toilet tanks defeat their own purpose. But if NM needs something to tax - have at it!


14 posted on 10/05/2004 11:18:53 AM PDT by hushpad
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To: Ruth C

There are several states and Congress people who are trying to change the law. If they do, then Santa Fe will reverse the process and their plumbers will be paid to replace all the 1.6 gallon 'totos' with 3.6ers.


15 posted on 10/05/2004 11:19:41 AM PDT by fritzz
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To: Always Right

I don't think you can even legally buy a 3.6 gallon toilet any more<<<

Placing among the statements I think I would NEVER hear! ROFLOL!

Imagine being sent to the Big House for buying the wrong toilet!


16 posted on 10/05/2004 11:20:37 AM PDT by hushpad
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To: Rogle

More crappy taxes.


17 posted on 10/05/2004 11:21:09 AM PDT by Raycpa (Alias, VRWC_minion,)
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To: hushpad
Imagine being sent to the Big House for buying the wrong toilet!

Yeap, right next to the most evil criminal of them all, Martha Steward.

18 posted on 10/05/2004 11:29:45 AM PDT by Always Right
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To: Always Right

Yeap, right next to the most evil criminal of them all, Martha Steward<<<

Martha might be able to help out with those toilets! Invent an auxilliary water holder or something. . .it would be beneficial and attractive as well.

And that's a good thing.


19 posted on 10/05/2004 11:32:12 AM PDT by hushpad
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To: Rogle

In New Mexico we tax everything toilets and nursing home beds on a daily basis.

Is that why NM has the fewest number of toilets in the country?


20 posted on 10/05/2004 11:42:07 AM PDT by kaktuskid
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