Maryland will now impose a "rain tax." And yes, it is exactly what it sounds like. Formally dubbed as the "storm management fee" residents will now be subjected to fees calculated on the surface area of a property and interference with water runoff.
The law was passed by the state legislature in 2012, and will go into effect following a decree from Democrat Governor Martin O'Malley.
However, outraged Maryland residents are wondering why?
It all began when in 2010, the EPA under the Obama administration ordered Maryland to reduce storm water runoff into the Chesapeake Bay so that nitrogen and phosphorus level were reduced from current amounts. The issue with reducing storm water runoff is its hefty price tag, staring at a whooping $14.8 billion.
To get the $14.8 billion needed to reduce runoff, Maryland will now tax "impervious surfaces." An impervious surface is anything that prevents rainwater from seeping into the earth thereby causing storm water run off. In simple terms, you will now be ordered to pay a "rain tax" based on a your driveway, patio, roof, sidewalk, deck, or pretty much anything else that covers the ground.
According to the Gazette, the rain tax has succeeded in this order.
"The EPA ordered Maryland to raise the money Maryland ordered its 10 largest counties to raise the money and, now, each of those counties is putting a local rain tax in place by July 1."
The 10 largest counties are Montgomery, Prince George's, Howard, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Hartford, Charles, Frederick, Baltimore counties, and Baltimore city.
Now that there is an understanding of what exactly a "rain tax" is lets figure out how they will implement this new tax.
Metro reports: "Fees will be calculated on the surface area of properties as the theory is that roofs, driveways and car parks create more potential for drainage problems and water contamination."
A council is also in charge of calculating prices for all impervious items, "councils are supposed to determine how much to charge per square foot, but the fee depends on the size of the building and surrounding paved surfaces."
The regulating of what exactly is considered an impervious surface will be determined through more high tech means. Maryland will use satellite imagery to calculate "storm management" fees.
And as if you didn't find this new rain tax outrageous enough, "State lawmakers exempted government-owned property from the rain tax but imposed it on religions and nonprofits."
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