Issue Position: The Rain Tax

Issue Position

Here a tax, there a tax, everywhere a tax...

The Storm Water Management Watershed and Restoration Program or what it is well known, as "the Rain Tax" is a program that is based on a theory and has literally made Maryland the laughing stock of the entire nation.

In 2010 the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered Maryland to raise $14.8 billion in funds to combat storm water runoff on "impervious surfaces" (hard) surfaces only. This order was based on its findings that Marylanders must reduce its nitrogen levels by 22% and its phosphorus levels by 15%. Maryland then passed the buck down to its 9 largest counties and largest city (Anne Arundel, Baltimore County and City, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George's) and ordered them to solicit the money. Each county then was allowed to determine how much to tax their citizens. "The amount of impervious surface a property owner has will be calculated by square footage using satellite and geographical information system technology," reports Watchdog Wire. The "Rain Tax" went into effect July 1, 2013.

Here is the crux of this program:

The "theory" behind this tax is that hard surfaces collect pollutants and chemicals. If the rain falls on the ground and then runs into the river that water will not be taxed. However, if the rain lands on an "impervious surface" such as a roof, wood deck, sidewalk, driveway, road, or parking lot then it must be taxed.

Think about what is being conveyed in this theory; the EPA is saying that it's okay if those chemicals and pollutants are absorbed into the ground, but it's not okay for those chemicals and pollutants to be piped through storm drains into the Chesapeake.

This "theory" is flawed and this "Rain Tax" does nothing to prevent pollutants from running into the Chesapeake Bay. However, the one thing this program is designed to do is to be a tax collection system to pay for pet projects that elected officials would never ask their constituents to fund because politicians would never get approval from the voters.

Unfortunately, the reality of this program is to only directly fund educational programs for the general public in what they can do on their own private property to control storm water runoff. The Maryland Environmental Agency has publicly stated that the money will go toward, "building and maintaining stream and wetland restoration projects" and also "monitoring, inspection, enforcement, review of storm water management plans and permit applications and mapping of impervious surfaces." In other words, money will be funneled to pay for the salaries of many more bureaucrats to administer this program.

My position on the Chesapeake Bay is that we quit talking about saving the bay, but actually take real concrete actions to clean it up if we are truly serious. I favor:
Work in tandem with special groups such as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and have them (through their generous donor and volunteer base) build a special water filtration system along our coastline.
Offer income tax credits to residents and businesses that build biofilters and bioswales to trap pollutants and silt before they run into our storm drains.
Offer income tax relief to residents and businesses that use new and innovative substances that are fantastic in controlling storm water runoff at its source such as:
Porous substances designed to trap and filter solids and pollutants such as pervious asphalts, porous concrete, and plastic grids.
Better maintenance of storm water drainage systems outflow into a filtration system before runoff enters the bay.
More effort to resupply our oyster population and other bottom feeder fish that are indigenous to the bay.

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