Stormwater Fees To Increase County Property Tax Bill
While the bulk of the $23 million program will come from commercial properties, county homeowners will see an increase of $18-$36 dollars annually.
UPDATED (5:00 a.m.)—County homeowners can expect to see an increase in their property tax bills due to a mandated state fee on stormwater volume.
Homeowners with a standard townhouse lot of about one-fifth acre will see a flat increase of $18. Owners of a single family detached home can expect to see a flat increase of about $36 annually.
"The county executive directed us to keep this as low as possible" for homeowners," said Vince Gardina, director of the county Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability.
Gardina added that the flat fee for residnetial properties satisfied another directive from Kevin Kamenetz meant to keep the formula "easy to understand."
Commercial properties including large shopping centers and apartment complexes will pay a fee of $69 per 2,000 square-feet of impervious surface. A shopping mall of more than 871,000 square-feet of impervious surface would pay more than $30,000 annually, according to figures released by the county.
Gardina said those commercial properties could reduce their fees with credits for mitigating the amount of stormwater runoff from their properties including ponds that collect storm runoff from the property that reduce sediment from entering the bay.
The bill, which was not available Tuesday, is expected to be introduced in the Baltimore County Council on Monday. A final vote is scheduled for April 15—the same day Kamenetz is expected to introduce his third county budget.
Gardina said that while the nearly 80 percent of the more than 283,000 properties in the county are residential, the bulk of the $23 million in stormwater related fees will come from commercial properties.
The county expects to spend about $10 million in related stormwater projects to help decrease the cost to taxpayers, Gardina said.
Baltimore County is the latest county to develop a plan that is required under legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2012.
The purpose of the law, Gardina said, is to reduce the impact of stormwater on the quality of the Chesapeak Bay by setting limits for each jurisdiction for the amounts of sediment, phosphorous and other solids that are washed into the estuary.
Baltimore County estimates the total cost for meeting the state requirements will exceed $33 million annually. About $10 million of that will be paid for through a fee already collected on the property tax bill related to transporting water and waste water too and from county properties.
"We'll get double bang for our buck," Gardina said. "We'll be able to fix the stormwater issue at the same time we're fixing sanitary sewer issues."
The remaining $23 million will be offset from the collection of the new residential and commercial fees.
Gardina said "there's no way [Baltimore County] can even get close" to the state pollution reduction goals without the new fees.
Michael Harrison, a lobbyist for the Home Builders Association of Maryland, said the plan seemed to strike a balance between meeting the needs of the new state law and not placing a heavy burden on new development.
"This is a fee the association supports but we'd like to see the whole [county] plan," Harrison said.
Other jurisdictions such as Anne Arundel, Harford and Howard Counties and Baltimore City all have proposals before their respective councils.
Anne Arundel County estimates its plan will collect a total of $26 million in fees. Harford County's plan could collect as much as $10 million while Howard County estimates its fees will total about $7 million in the first year.
Baltimore County's fees to residential property owners is the lowest of the jurisdictions that have submitted plans.
Gardina said part of the way the county was able to keep the residential rates so low was by taking into account every available credit under state law including those for stormwater management ponds around the county.
There are currently more than 2,900 stormwater management ponds in the county. Most of them are private. In order to claim the full credit, the county will be required to inspect them all every three years.
The county is already required to do the inspections once every three years but Gardina said his agency struggles to complete the inspections on time with the 11 employees assigned to the task. The county will need to hire additional staff in order to meet the new requirements, Gardina said.
Based on a lunch-time briefing for the council Tuesday, the bill would most likely not set the actual fees for residential and commercial properties. Instead, the proposed county law would likely enable the county executive to set the fees by executive order—a move allowing councilmembers to claim they did not vote for a fee that could be interpreted as a tax increase.
Baltimore County has not increased its property tax rate on the assessed value of properties in two decades.
Despite the fact that the new fee will increase the total property tax bill, Gardina and other county officials stressed that the new charge is not a property tax increase. Instead, the fee will be collected much in the same way the county collects charges for the Metropolitan District and the so-called state "flush tax."
But officials in other jurisdictions said the public will likely see little distinction between a fee and a property tax increase.
"You can dress it up and call it different things, but at the end of the day a tax is a tax and this is a tax on the environment," said Robert Thomas, a Harford County government spokesman.
Andrew
2:05 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
what if you don't have storm drains on your street???
buck horowitz
3:43 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
I'm still trying to figure the math on how my assessment decreased by $40k last July 1 and by tax bill went up by $300. ?? Just doesn't add up. Maybe I need a Gub'ment calculator?
MaryAnn Mayhem
9:11 am on Thursday, April 4, 2013
I agree with you Buck----my assessment went down a little over $40k but my bill increased, too. Also, we do not have sewer in my neighborhood, I have septic, but we are charged the flush tax, which ticks me off. Just another tax driving people out to other counties. Baltimore County and the state (thank you owe'malley) is becoming a "Baltimore City" tax wise and I plan on moving shortly myself. I am tired of my small S.S. check having to go for taxes and insurance. Darn good thing I have an IRA to supplement these taxes and someone living with me who pays for all food purchases! And, I thought the IRA would allow me trips, etc. when I retired. Little did I know!!!! LOL
Perry Hall Bob
2:06 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Wasn't there an Owe'Malley campaign slogan about a fee being a tax, or something like that?
CP
2:27 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
That only applied to Ehrlich and Republicans.
Steve
2:28 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
That was BGEhrlich. He thought he could pull the wool over people's eyes by calling taxes "fees". Like the "Flush Fee".
CP
3:51 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Are you serious? If anything Owe'Malley is in bed with BGE.
number9dream
2:19 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
I'm glad I rent now and no longer own.
And to all you suckas out there praying for an upswing in the RE market to save your underwater souls, when are property taxes going to fall in proportion to your property values? Stormwater fees? Sales tax? Toll hikes? Gasoline?
Where's my O'Malleyphone?
CP
2:26 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
You're knocking home owners? Most of us live within our means and will have no problem paying. Why so much contempt for home owners? Probably because you can't afford to own?
FIFA_archived
3:12 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
#9, you don't think your landlord passes on increased costs to his tenants?
Sanchez
4:14 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A "sucka" is someone who pays his landlord and sees nothing of the payments after many years.
Not someone whose payments basically go into the future value of the home to be returned with increased value.
Shawn
11:40 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
Sanchez your reasoning makes complete sense IF the real estate market were still in it's glory days. That said, in this current real estate market it is much more financially intelligent to rent than to own, ESPECIALLY in Maryland. Do not buy into what is being spoon fed to you. It is essential to preform your due diligence if you intend on preserving your wealth.
Elaine Summerhill
10:16 am on Monday, April 15, 2013
You really think you aren't going to pay for the 'rain tax'? Uhm.... When the landlord has to pay it, those costs are passed onto you. Duh....
Jethro
2:19 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Thank you you idiots.
CP
2:23 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
You get what you vote for! Nice job Maryland. Soon you will be taxed on every No. 2 you drop!
Steve
2:28 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
That was BGEhrlich. He thought he could pull the wool over people's eyes by calling taxes "fees". Like the "Flush Fee".
DB
2:35 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A dump tax??
Honeygo Hal
2:35 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
If so, some people won't pay a thing, because they are full of it...
Just Sayin' - ring a bell?
FIFA_archived
3:10 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Ever look at you property tax bill? It is already on there.
CP
3:52 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Steve you are warped!
RG
3:22 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Bryan - I don't understand where this mandate is coming from. Was a bill passed that mandated this state fee? Can you please elaborate about the source of this change?
FIFA_archived
3:33 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
I'll help. Passed in April 2012 by the state legislature. The issue is that a lot of "dirty" water is dumped directly into the Chesapeake Bay. We have all seen the inlets that say "EMPTIES DIRECTLY INTO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY" or similar. When the roads are treated with salt, where does one think that salt water goes. It takes the salt, oil, dirt, and everything else with it to the Bay. Newer developments catch and cleanse the water, the existing road network does not.
Kill the Bay and you kill crabbing and fishing with it, including a whole lot of other stuff. This should have been addressed a long time ago.
Elaine Summerhill
10:20 am on Monday, April 15, 2013
The origin of the stormwater runoff fees aka "rain tax" came down from Obama's EPA. Obama mandated (unfunded of course) that stormwater run of into the Chesapeake needed to be reduced by some 22%. He told the EPA, "Make it so!". The EPA, in turn, mandated (unfunded of course) that the State of Maryland decrease stormwater run-off by that same 22%, with no money coming from the Feds, Owe'Malley instituted his "rain tax" or storm water run-off tax.
So... elections have consequences. All of you who voted for Obama are getting exactly what you voted for... more & more taxes.
RG
3:47 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
FIFA - Thanks for the answer! Do you have the bill number?
FIFA_archived
5:35 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
HB-0987 I believe, in 2012 not 2013
Adam
4:20 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
HB987: Stormwater Management – Watershed Protection and Restoration Program
Sanchez
4:21 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
So effectively the existing homeowners will be charged for the failure of the government to plan for growth and to charge those new developments the fees to support the growth.
C'mon people, its just a measly $36 more a year.
2007 Special “Tax Hike” Session:
• Senate Bill 2 - Real property transfer tax hike: $14.1 million.
• House Bill 5 – “Tip Jar” tax hike, 20-percent “Admissions and Amusement” tax: $8 million
• Tobacco tax hike from $1 per pack to $2 per pack: $133 million
• Vehicle excise tax hike: $36.9 million
• Vehicle titling tax hike (bumped from $23 to $50): $23 million
• Sales tax hike from 5-percent to 6-percent: $603.4 million
• Income tax hike with new rates between 4.75-percent and 5.5-percent: $191.3 million
• State corporate income tax hike from 7-percent to 8.25-percent: $118.6 million
Sanchez
4:22 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
2012 Special “Tax Hike” Session:
• Tax hike on smokeless tobacco and “Little Cigars”: $5 million
• Elimination of Telecom Property Tax Credits (Corporate Income Tax): $7.4 million
• Elimination of personal exemptions (Individual Income Tax): $51.7 million
• Income tax hikes on individuals making over $100,000 and couples over $150,000: $195.6 million
2012 Regular Legislative Session:
• Flush tax hike: $53 million
2011 Regular Legislative Session:
• Highway and Bridge toll increases: $90 million
• Vehicle titling tax hike from $50 to $100: $52.4 million
• Hospital provider tax: $390 million
• Alcohol sales tax hike from 6-percent to 9-percent: $84.8 million
2008 Regular Legislative Session:
• The Millionaires Tax pushes top marginal rate from 5.5-percent to 6.25-perent: $154.6 million
http://atr.org/maryland-governor-martin-omalley-barack-obama-a6907
Sanchez
4:24 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Created or raised by Owe'Malley:
Tax and Fee increases: 24
Annual Impact to Tax Payer: $2.4 billion1
Year Tax/Fee Increase Source Revenues
2012 Special Session Income Tax – personal exemption phase-out – new rates at specified income levels SB 1302 fiscal note p. 4 $247.3 million
2012 Special Session Recordation Tax – indemnity mortgages. Revenue to counties. SB 1302 fiscal note p. 16 $35.7 million
2012 Special Session Tobacco products – increases rate for specified products from 15% to 30% SB 1302 fiscal note p. 4 $5 million
2012 Special Session Death certificate fee – $12 to $24 SB 1302 fiscal note p. 4 $0.7 million
2012 Bay Restoration “Flush Tax” – Doubles fee 90-day report p. K-7 $53 million
2011 Alcoholic beverages – sales tax increase 6% to 9% 90-day report p. B-8 $84.8 million
2011 Hospital assessment2 90-day report p. J-1 $390 million
2011 Vehicle titling tax – $50 to $100 90-day report p. G-1 $52.4 million
2011 Vehicle dealer processing charge – $100 to $3003 90-day report p. G-1 $5.3 million
2011 Vanity plate fee – $25 to $50 90-day report p. G-1 $2.5 million
2011 Birth certificate fee – $12 to $24 90-day report p. A-21 $4 million
2011 Toll increases4 MDTA $90 million
And this is just the past few years.
Sanchez
4:25 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
2009 Speed monitoring system8 Description: SB 277 2011 Legislative Session “Significant Revenue Measures 2008-2011″ p. 37 $11.6 million
2008 Millionaire’s tax – top marginal rate 5.5% to 6.25%5 90-day report, p. B-7 $154.6 million
2007 special session Income tax rates – new marginal rates ranging from 4.75% to 5.5% SB-2 fiscal note $191.3 million
2007 special session State corporate income tax – 7% to 8.25% 2011 Legislative Session “Significant Revenue Measures 2008-2011″ p. 36 $118.6 million
2007 special session Computer Services Tax5 SB-2 N/A
2007 special session Sales tax – 5% to 6% 2011 Legislative Session “Significant Revenue Measures 2008-2011″ p. 36 $603.4 million
2007 special session Tobacco tax – $1 to $2 per pack cigarettes 2011 Legislative Session “Significant Revenue Measures 2008-2011″ p. 36 $133 million
2007 special session Vehicle titling tax – $23 to $50 2011 Legislative Session “Significant Revenue Measures 2008-2011″ p. 36 $23 million
2007 special session Vehicle excise tax increase 2011 Legislative Session “Significant Revenue Measures 2008-2011″ p. 36 $36.9 million
2007 special session Electronic bingo / tip jar tax – 20% admissions/amusement tax 2011 Legislative Session “Significant Revenue Measures 2008-2011″ p. 36 $8 million
Sanchez
4:25 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
2007 special session Real property transfer tax6 SB 2 fiscal note $14.1 million
2007 Captive Real Estate Investment Trusts7 2011 Legislative Session “Significant Revenue Measures 2008-2011″ p. 37, 38 description. p. 36 $10 million
Sanchez
4:26 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
"it is just a penny" they say.
http://www.changemaryland.org/2012/05/fact-sheet-maryland-tax-and-fee-increases-2007-2012/#.UT-O2zeKx8E
FIFA_archived
5:34 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Let's see if our new editor puts an end to copypasta for good. I doubt it, Nick.
Sanchez
10:26 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
In both your replies to me FIFA, you are still an ass.
Steve
4:32 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
ROTFLMAO "Americans for Tax Reform" and "Change Maryland". They are just front groups for the Teapublicans. What did you expect them to say?
Sanchez
4:54 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Stevie, if you deny any of what was posted then please show us where they are wrong, If not STFUAH!
You deny truth as a matter of your daily life. Put up or shut up Jack Hays.
Steve
5:05 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
It's just more copy pasta Tea Party propaganda. We wouldn't expect anything less from you Joe.
Roger
5:10 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Pay your taxes. Your brain washed rants only defend the big boys. GE barely pays 1%, hides the rest overseas and you pick up the slack. Tax reform that.
moe green
5:21 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Vince gardenia, a real piece of work. Well paid water boy for KK
FIFA_archived
6:04 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
I disagree with almost everything that moe says, except this. Vince sold his soul to KK.
Steve
6:37 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Wow! A whole $3 per month! Doom and Gloom! I'm moving to Pennsyltucky!
Michael Middleton
6:47 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
I live in Hillendale Park, which has an inadequate stormwater infrastructure at best. We've been offered curb and gutter by the county, under the caveat that residents pay for it. It's somewhat difficult to get people to sign up to pay for curb and gutter when they keep getting hit on their taxes for something we really aren't going to benefit from.
DARRELL HAMMERBACKER
7:46 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Steve must be a taker Sanchez,if it wasn't for Big Tax Government, Stevie would have to work for a living, as you can see he's totally Left wing, probably Union and Government State Employee.You put it to them in plain Writing of the Facts and they still can't comprehend Sanchez.Good Job on the List Sanchez
Sanchez
10:34 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Steve says he works and has a Fiskar is married and travels to South Africa, Chicago, Mexico, and the Super Bowl but is at his keyboard as many many different people 24/7.
Think, walls, room rubber.
Steve
11:03 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Where did I ever say I had a Fiskar JoeBlob? How many times have you and your buddy BO/Kongo/El Capitan been banned from Patch? Meanwhile
Mr. "Red Raw Wear" Beeker keeps cheering you on.
What does the Senator have to say about this?
El Capitan
11:32 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
How's the Matchbox edition Tesla doing, Stanker Steve? I bet it gets great mileage. ROTFLMAO
Steve
7:52 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
.....and Darrell you would be wrong on all counts.
Sanchez
10:27 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Well Steve I see you couldn't prove anything factually wrong in the tax and fee increases of Owe'Malley. Thank you for your support and admission.
Gene Bertoni
8:10 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Has OMally transferred to the County now, I missed the move.
Scott Sewell
8:11 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Why am I not surprised to read about yet another fee increase? I hate the political environment of this state! Tax & spend, tax & spend. It's been that way for the past 50 years. When will it end?
CAW21227
9:44 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
FIFA tell me what you mean about the new subdivisions cleaning their water before discharging it. I am interested in how that happens.
Sanchez
10:32 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
They clean it by flushing it through his empty head. You see, all new home subdivisions apparently are fully in tune to the environment and none have ever had water discharge problems because of big government regulators and inspectors. Never has an older subdivision complained of the new subdivisions run off and drainage issues years after they were built. Not since they all filter their water right? It couldn't be poor government planning ever could it FIFI? Nahh, not on your life. Couldn't be the developers not paying for remedial work because they donated to the politicians who oversee them could it?
Not in FIFI world.
FIFA_archived
12:16 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Beyond Joe/Sanchez's obvious ignorance and need to show it to everyone, storm water management regulations require "treatment" of runoff by requiring the water to traverse various filtering systems prior to discharge. Thus the water has had many impurities trapped before it is released.
FIFA_archived
7:22 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
CAW - here are the stormwater management regulations for Baltimore County.
http://resources.baltimorecountymd.gov/Documents/Environment/swm/swmcountycode.pdf
Regardless of Joe/Sanchez' apparent ignorance of the subject matter, I as someone who is involved in the industry, SWM regulations are always a contentious subject with government officials as they continually increase the regulations on new development as well as place the financial burden there as well.
The collection of this fee is a new step attempting to clean up the Bay and tributaries by having everyone pay, as the older road networks and commericial centers are the ones primarily responsible for the damage. The funds are supposed to be segregated and the Counties are expected to continue previous funding at the same level. The theory is that this will be new funding on top of old funding.
We'll see how that turns out.
Sanchez
7:53 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Well well FIFI can copypasta but whines like a girl to the Patch when someone else does it! Waaaaaaa FIFI cut and pasted Patch!!! What are you gonna do about it??
Waaaaaa.
As I said FIFI, ask existing developments how the newer ones swm plans worked out. Don't be the fool you show yourself to be.
Darth Kenobi
10:41 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
a dime a day to homeowners to improve their stormwater runoff?? That's actually good governing - which I guess these days IS breaking news.
Darth Kenobi
10:43 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Sanchez - "Owe'Malley" is awesome!!!
Sanchez
9:39 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Just awe inspiring and awesome! Can't wait till he sits in his Oval Office.
Dale
7:59 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
A FIFA..Thank you for a sensible comment.
Brad
10:48 am on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Gardina is bed with Owe'Malley, anything these guys touch it's always higher taxes, and it's supposed to be good for us. These guys are a joke, I said it before and I'll say it again, if Owe'Malley gets into higher office we are in trouble. He's another Obama, been in office going on 8 years and what he's done for Maryland, I have no idea but raise taxes, his so called fees.
MaryAnn Mayhem
9:24 am on Thursday, April 4, 2013
AND, pad his bank account-----
Frank Stuff
2:47 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Forget the $36 dollars.
I want to know why the article talks about collecting $23 million, and only spending $10 million?? WHERE IS THE REST OF THE MONEY GOING?
Is it being stolen again, like OMalley STOLE all the Transportation Fund money and his people are trying to pass a bill to steal more transportation money from us?
DARRELL HAMMERBACKER
8:00 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
All blood suckers ,every damn one of them,1 more year and hopefully we're out of this Godforsaken State
DARRELL HAMMERBACKER
11:34 pm on Monday, April 1, 2013
A Fee is a frickin Tax anyway you look at it and Baltimore Co is turning into a Baltimore City,more Taxes and no money put into the Roads unless you live in a money District.The Council sucks and should be dismantaled they're a waste of Tax payers money
MaryAnn Mayhem
9:24 am on Thursday, April 4, 2013
I AGREE!
Steve
11:39 pm on Monday, April 1, 2013
Not according to BGEhrlich.
Laurie TMV
11:53 am on Tuesday, April 30, 2013
If Mr. Gardenia thinks this is such a great idea, then why did he agree to essentially pave over over 9 acres (including a couple of wetlands that absorbed water) in Towson Manor Village, by allowing a massive increase in housing density, (27 houses, same space now housing an assisted living facility, 150 town homes, with every possible zoning exception to allow less unpaved space between each set of houses)? Oh, the builder was forgiven both the open space requirement and the fine for refusing to leave the open space. The developer is now handing out tax credits to new residents with the money! That space would have absorbed storm water! We're now subsidizing the developer, who has increased storm run off and ruined the peace in our neighborhood. The county is in the pockets of developers.