King George III couldn’t possibly have thought up anything so insidious.
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. We’re guessing Phase 2 of the plan involves literally taking the food out of Maryland residents’ mouths to sell.
Maryland institutes rain tax to raise money for Chesapeake Bay estuary
h/t to John Bogen
I seem to recall something similar being considered here in Australia. In one of the driest continents on Earth, they were going to penalise householders for collecting rainwater off their roofs (in at least one council area; can’t remember which). It was to do with diverting rainfall that would normally clear debris away from gutters and stormwater areas.
I sure hope it didn’t happen.
The were also told they had to destroy their ponds because the ponds were containing to much water, that would run into the rivers. I read about the same thing. I believe there are regions in the US that have similar requirements, regarding collecting rainwater.
Didn’t Utah do that?
Bolivia did it some years back – and they had massive riots from the farmers because of it. They had to repeal it. (See Water Wars)
😉 Noted!
All I can say is a fair number of people must have voted for this idiot get allow him to proposed such a ridiculous bill … how dim are these people ?
” [ … ] voted for this idiot to allow him [ … ] “
All Me’ll say is “Fracked”
Another great regulation by the EPA! Another reason to dismantle the EPA and rescind all their regulations. Some regulations are needed on a local basis, but they should be based on real science.
One of the larger cities here in NC (Greensboro) did that a few years ago. It’s a storm-runoff tax or something like that, but it amounts to the same thing. Raging stupidity.
Pinroot is correct, this reaches beyond Maryland. They are implementing the same thing in the City of Richmond, Va. to save the [Chesapeake] Bay, just like Maryland.
Obamacare is in the same vein; it demands that everyone must pay rent on their own bodies (i.e., buy health insurance, whether they want it or not–and whether they can afford it or not).
So what? It’s not like they tax the air we breathe! 😉
Expect more of this nonsense from large municipalities located along the Susquehanna River watershed–eventually extending to the smaller, rural boroughs that are comprised of property owners with their own private wells and septic systems. The “progressive” mayor of Lancaster, PA is pushing for it (but of course, it’s not a new tax):
http://www.lancasteronline.com/article/local/835711_Lancaster-city-considers-tapping-property-owners-to-help-pay-for–green–improvements.html
As always, this demonstrates the absolute idiocy of the left as they continue to force Americans into compliance with UN Agenda 21–which means to ultimately have everyone live in their utopian, “walkable/sustainable” ecometropoli. America’s King George III is surely on board with the plan:
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/37561
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/37812
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/DCPD-201100431/pdf/DCPD-201100431.pdf
In his article “Why the Founding Fathers Matter,” Tom DeWeese reminds us of the words of Thomas Jefferson, who understood the evils of sustainable development centuries before our central planners coined their new, “feel-good” term.
“When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe.”
http://www.newswithviews.com/DeWeese/tom228.htm
Most jurisdictions already have “storm management” laws on the books; the only exceptions are older residential areas built before storm management was taken seriously.
If a developer, business owner, school district, etc. propose to develop a parcel of land, one of the first requirements will be to hire a Civil Engineer to do a grading & drainage study. The C.E. will calculate the runoff of the parcel in its undeveloped state, and then in the proposed developed state, accounting for decreased permeability and increased run-off from various impermeable hard surfaces. The Owner is responsible for controlling any increase, usually via on-site detention ponds with out-flow metered down to the undeveloped state; sometimes via regional gov’t-owned detention ponds, with the Owner being assessed some pro-rata fee.
Is the governor of Maryland really ignorant of this very basic principle? Seems fantastic, but I’m slowly learning not to be shocked by anything a politician does, no matter how loony. Of course it could also be just another cynical attempt at stealth taxation using one of the Liberals’ favorite sales pitches: “It’s only fair and reasonable; surely no thoughtful person could object.”
Also, the un-elected EPA ordered the state of Maryland to clean up the Chesapeake Bay estuary. In the Reagan era, I believe this was called an “unfunded mandate.”
Let’s hope that the people of Maryland can summon some remnant Yankee rebelliousness and tell Governor O’Malley to fold and fold this proposal until it’s all sharp corners and stick it where the sun don’t shine.