Maryland's "Rain Tax": Difference between revisions
BatesENVR209 (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
+ See also |
||
| (13 intermediate revisions by 9 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Stormwater fee in Maryland, United States}} |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
== Background == |
== Background == |
||
The first stormwater fee nationwide was enacted in Washington in 1974.<ref> |
The first stormwater fee nationwide was enacted in Washington in 1974.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.prlog.org/12276283-marylands-rain-tax-debunked.html |title=Maryland's "Rain Tax" Debunked |location=Ellicott City |last=Cappiella |first=Karen |date=January 31, 2014 |website=PRLog |publisher=Center for Watershed Protection |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref> There are now nearly 1,500 jurisdictions with similar policies to address stormwater management.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.cbf.org/about-cbf/locations/maryland/issues/stormwater-fees.html |title=The Facts About Polluted Runoff and Maryland's Stormwater Utility Fees |author=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=[[Chesapeake Bay Foundation]] |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref> Numerous counties in Maryland have implemented fees and programs to address polluted runoff since the 1980s.<ref name=":0" /> In 2010, the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|U.S. EPA]] ordered the states in the [[Chesapeake Bay watershed]] to reduce [[stormwater runoff]] through independent funding methods.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=https://mksh.com/does-the-rain-tax-affect-you/ |title=Does the "Rain Tax" Affect You? |last1=McIntyre |first1=Lee |last2=Ahmed |first2=Nawaz |date=January 30, 2014 |website=MKS&H |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref> Maryland voted to use stormwater fees to cover the $14.8 billion cost.<ref name=":1" /> |
||
== The "Rain Tax" == |
== The "Rain Tax" == |
||
The "rain tax" raised revenue to improve the [[stormwater management]] system while creating a financial incentive to minimize the construction of and replace current [[ |
The "rain tax" raised revenue to improve the [[stormwater management]] system while creating a financial incentive to minimize the construction of and replace current [[impervious surface]]s.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.vox.com/2014/11/6/7159239/rain-tax |title=How did Democrats lose Maryland? Meet the rain tax. |last=Yglesias |first=Matthew |date=November 6, 2014 |work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]] |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref> Collection of the stormwater fee on impervious surfaces varied from annually on the property tax bill to quarterly on the water bill.<ref name=":1" /> The rates and number of square feet used to calculate the Equivalent Residential Unit were set by local officials across the ten jurisdictions to adequately finance the work needed to meet the targets of the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint.<ref name=":2">{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbrown/2014/01/03/when-it-rains-it-pours-tax-dollars-in-maryland/ |title=When It Rains, It Pours Tax Dollars In Maryland |last=Brown |first=Travis |date=January 3, 2014 |work=[[Forbes]] |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref> The revenue collected was used to maintain and repair the stormwater infrastructure to reduce pollution, improve [[water quality]], and enhance the livability of these jurisdictions.<ref name=":0" /> |
||
== Outcomes == |
== Outcomes == |
||
Frederick County adopted an annual tax of one cent in protest, while Carroll County refused to impose any tax. |
Frederick County adopted an annual tax of one cent in protest, while Carroll County refused to impose any tax.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |url=https://taxfoundation.org/marylands-rain-tax-mandate-washed-away/ |title=Maryland’s Rain Tax Mandate Washed Away |last=Walczak |first=Jared |date=April 14, 2015 |work=[[Tax Foundation]] |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref> Government agencies sited on properties with impervious surfaces, including the Department of Navy, declined to pay the stormwater fee.<ref name=":2" /> State and local governments and volunteer fire departments were exempt whereas churches and non-profit organizations were not.<ref name=":1" /> Residents and businesses had the opportunity to participate in stormwater remediation projects to lower their fees.<ref name=":1" /> In 2015, revisions eliminated the tax mandate and allowed each jurisdiction to determine whether to impose the tax.<ref name=":3" /> These jurisdictions are still required to clean up stormwater pollution and must demonstrate that they have adequate funding and plans to address the issue.<ref name=":0" /> Funding must be assigned to a dedicated fund, now financed from the stormwater fee or general revenues.<ref name=":0" /> Jurisdictions, including Baltimore City, have chosen to continue to fund stormwater pollution cleanup through the fee.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/stormwater |title=Stormwater Management |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=Baltimore City Department of Public Works |publisher=City of Baltimore |access-date=December 3, 2020}}</ref> |
||
==See also== |
|||
* [[Stormwater fee]] |
|||
==References== |
|||
{{reflist}} |
|||
[[Category:Stormwater management]] |
[[Category:Stormwater management]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Environmental tax]] |
||
[[Category:Chesapeake Bay |
[[Category:Chesapeake Bay watershed]] |
||
[[Category: |
[[Category:Water resource management in the United States]] |
||
[[Category:Environment of Maryland]] |
|||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maryland's Rain Tax}} |
|||
Latest revision as of 03:07, 13 May 2024
Maryland's "rain tax" was implemented in 2012 through the Watershed Protection and Restoration Act to fund stormwater management aiming to reduce the level of pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. This bill, HB 987, utilized a stormwater fee in the ten most urban jurisdictions in Maryland.
Background
[edit]The first stormwater fee nationwide was enacted in Washington in 1974.[1] There are now nearly 1,500 jurisdictions with similar policies to address stormwater management.[2] Numerous counties in Maryland have implemented fees and programs to address polluted runoff since the 1980s.[2] In 2010, the U.S. EPA ordered the states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to reduce stormwater runoff through independent funding methods.[3] Maryland voted to use stormwater fees to cover the $14.8 billion cost.[3]
The "Rain Tax"
[edit]The "rain tax" raised revenue to improve the stormwater management system while creating a financial incentive to minimize the construction of and replace current impervious surfaces.[4] Collection of the stormwater fee on impervious surfaces varied from annually on the property tax bill to quarterly on the water bill.[3] The rates and number of square feet used to calculate the Equivalent Residential Unit were set by local officials across the ten jurisdictions to adequately finance the work needed to meet the targets of the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint.[5] The revenue collected was used to maintain and repair the stormwater infrastructure to reduce pollution, improve water quality, and enhance the livability of these jurisdictions.[2]
Outcomes
[edit]Frederick County adopted an annual tax of one cent in protest, while Carroll County refused to impose any tax.[6] Government agencies sited on properties with impervious surfaces, including the Department of Navy, declined to pay the stormwater fee.[5] State and local governments and volunteer fire departments were exempt whereas churches and non-profit organizations were not.[3] Residents and businesses had the opportunity to participate in stormwater remediation projects to lower their fees.[3] In 2015, revisions eliminated the tax mandate and allowed each jurisdiction to determine whether to impose the tax.[6] These jurisdictions are still required to clean up stormwater pollution and must demonstrate that they have adequate funding and plans to address the issue.[2] Funding must be assigned to a dedicated fund, now financed from the stormwater fee or general revenues.[2] Jurisdictions, including Baltimore City, have chosen to continue to fund stormwater pollution cleanup through the fee.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Cappiella, Karen (January 31, 2014). "Maryland's "Rain Tax" Debunked". PRLog. Ellicott City: Center for Watershed Protection. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "The Facts About Polluted Runoff and Maryland's Stormwater Utility Fees". Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e McIntyre, Lee; Ahmed, Nawaz (January 30, 2014). "Does the "Rain Tax" Affect You?". MKS&H. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Yglesias, Matthew (November 6, 2014). "How did Democrats lose Maryland? Meet the rain tax". Vox. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ a b Brown, Travis (January 3, 2014). "When It Rains, It Pours Tax Dollars In Maryland". Forbes. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ a b Walczak, Jared (April 14, 2015). "Maryland's Rain Tax Mandate Washed Away". Tax Foundation. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ "Stormwater Management". Baltimore City Department of Public Works. City of Baltimore. Retrieved December 3, 2020.