Fees Were Discussed At 22:24 Minute Mark
Call it a "fee" or by any other name-- it's still a tax. Anyone who believes for one minute school property taxes aren't going to reflect these increased costs to the ASD are delusional. I realize a bunch of other cities have already taken advantage of this new way of raising revenue. But to my way of thinking storm water drainage should always be part of the city budget. Itemizing city expenses like they are some bill from the hospital stinks.
How long before we start charging extra fees for specific streets swept by machines, extra for pickups on tree lined streets, repaving and a host of others I can think of?
Once we start divvying up city services--once considered the overall costs of running a city--we begin down a never ending slippery slope. This is all about politicians being able to claim they haven't raised taxes when in fact they did. I call bullshit on this kind of nonsense. This is a tax increase--plain and simple.
Storm water "fees" beginning to be imposed around the state in municipalities are due to these municipalities being REQUIRED to adhere to the MS4 regulations and the NPDES Permit process.
ReplyDeletePollution Reduction Plans are REQUIRED by law. I know that in the borough of Pen Argyl, we must know where our storm water comes from and where it goes and it MUST be mapped. There must be a plan in place to reduce sediment 10% for any "impaired" (whatever or however DEP determines that to be) bodies of water.
This is the beginning of Pen Argyl's PRP:
"The submission of this Pollution Reduction Plan (PRP) is in accordance with the requirements as defined in the General Permit PAG-13 Authorization to Discharge Under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
This general permit, issued by the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), grants municipalities the authority to discharge its storm water into Waters of the Commonwealth under a Storm Water Discharges from Small Municipal Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permit. Pen Argyl Borough discharges storm water into the Waltz Creek, which has been listed by DEP as being impaired for sediment (See Appendix A). In accordance with Pen Argyl Borough’s MS4 permit, this PRP has been developed to address water quality initiatives within the drainage areas of this impaired stream."
That's just the beginning of Pen Argyl’s 25 page PRP. This is an UNFUNDED MANDATE which flows downstream. (I couldn't resist.) EPA to DEP to YOU. Municipalities not prudently able to budget for these UNFUNDED MANDATES are forced to either raise taxes or create an authority to bill their residents for these improvements. Much like a sewer bill. I agree that you may call it a "fee", but it is, in reality, just another tax. Another way to increase revenue, locally. This is just one. The "rules" are made up as we go. The definitions can be ambiguous. There are no official formulas. There are made up formulas to try to figure out how to measure levels of impairment, how much sediment needs to be reduced, how to accomplish that and how to measure that. They are subject to change. The municipalities pay engineers to come up with these plans. These firms are happy to oblige. $$$$$$$ It is a five-year plan. In five years the measurements, techniques, obligations, requirements are unknown at this time and subject to change at any whim or wish. I know that LVCI does not believe in trickle-down economics. However, this is a case where the impacts of trickle-down government or trickle-down regulation are quite apparent. Other things do indeed seem to "trickle down".
I agree when you're a small berg it becomes a big problem Matt Dees did a good job explaining this on his "West Easton Pa" blog back in July.
DeleteHere's Part 1
Here';s Part 2
This appears another way for agencies of the state and federal government to raise cash because of budget cuts they've gotten. Permits, fines and fees will likely offset those reductions.
Every time the state or federal government decides to make cuts to their budgets the shit begins to roll down hill onto the locals. It's occurring more and more with increasing frequency. Guess who gets blamed--local politicians. This is nothing more then a game of 'hide the weenie" being played by state and federal officials on local taxpayers.