The Ireton administration is planning to propose that the City Council authorize a new “stormwater utility” fee to generate a “revenue stream” dedicated to funding projects to manage stormwater and perform street sweeping, etc., based on the “stormwater runoff impact” of each property, including all existing homes. In a memo to the City Administrator, the public works department has proposed a fee structure that would, in its example, charge $10 per year for each home; most non-residential properties would pay considerably more under the fee structure being proposed.
However, the basis for the calculation is not fully disclosed, so we can’t really tell if it is realistic or simply a theoretical “example”. Nor is there any guarantee that the fee would not be increased in the future, after it is initially imposed, just like the City’s other fees and taxes have been increased steadily for many years now.
Because funding for stormwater projects and activities such as street sweeping is now provided from the City’s general revenue, which is mostly generated by taxes, this so-called “stormwater utility” fee is essentially a cleverly disguised tax masquerading as a fee – just like the City’s trash collection fee. Such “fees” are devices to obtain revenue without having to face the heat that comes from raising the tax rate.
If Ireton can blow this one by the Council, what will be next? How about a “street utility” fee based on the number of vehicles at each home? Or maybe a “PAC 14 utility” fee, based upon TV sets? Then there’s the potential for “possible impact” fees – for example, because of the potential for fire, there could be a “fire utility” fee to pay for more engines and fireboats. And don’t forget about police,
Anyone out there wanna bet that the City’s tax rate will be reduced to reflect the new “fee” to create a “revenue stream” of money into the City’s coffers? And when will Salisbury residents start coming to the Council meetings if only to say: “I’m mad as hell” and then do something to keep this clandestine tax increase from taking place?
Ireton is a tax and spend liberal who will use any device to get money to spend. Let's hope that the Smith-Comegys-Shields coalition will "just say no" to this scheme to increase our taxes by imposing yet another "fee."
ReplyDeleteI am sick and tired of being fooled by local wannabe politicians like Jim Ireton. He screwed myself and many of the tax paying citizens recently. I am all for a recall petition on that idiot. I would love to see him lose his full time job as a school teacher.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I look in the news, there is ANOTHER "fee", or "tax", or newly thought of "revenue stream". It makes me wonder where all of the taxes we already pay are going....oh yeah...I think I know --- to pay the SALARIES of the already overblown government workforce who seem to spend the majority of their time figuring out more ways to fine us, levy new fees, and create more revenue streams....talk about a vicious cycle, theres ONE for ya...
ReplyDeleteWe don't want taxes to go up and we don't want fees for services.
ReplyDeleteHmm, maybe "we" all should move to the backwoods?
Wait a minute! There are no backwoods.
11:20 --
ReplyDeleteWhat we want is honesty. If the City needs more money, it should raise taxes, not impose cheesy fees for certain things. Stormwater control is not a "service," like water and sewer, but a general condition, like crime, that should be covered by the general tax revenues.
This will be another reason to leave Salisbury ASAP.
ReplyDeleteYes there are, its called Sussex county Delaware.
ReplyDelete11:20...I don't mind taxes....they ARE essential...what I don't want is a bunch of spend-crazy beaurocrats spending my hard earned dollars on pet projects to benefits their friends, on boondoggle ideas (waste water treatment plant) that are poorly researched and become a sinkhole of tax dollars, on wasteful programs (new cars for department heads), unjustified salaries and benefits that are clearly out of line when compared to the private sector, and on and on and on. Present taxes are more than enough to pay for the services we need. Just STOP wasting and spending the money like its an open spigot with unlimited supply....
ReplyDeleteIreton needs to be impeached by the voters who elected him. He has done nothing valuable for the City of Salisbury in the time he has been in office. Furlough days for City employees while keeping incompetent people like Pam Oland and Lori whatever her last name are. They are making way too much money for what they do. After all, what other company would keep Pam Oland as director of finance after loosing all that money?? If she worked for Perdue, they would have packed her desk for her. What a waste of tax payers dollars. The entire City Administration is in turmoil, and it starts at the top with department heads.
ReplyDeleteHow is that lil ole Berlin can get money from the Federal Government to improve their waste water plant and everything goes well, and Salisbury's is a hole which money continues to be poured into. Maybe the City should look into hiring the purchasing director from Berlin, and have them come to work for the City and get rid of the purchaser who made the Waste Water System project contract. Its time that City officials start being held liable for their errors, and if they cant' get the job done, get someone who can.
ReplyDeleteHow is the percent imperviousness of each lot to be determined. Who will be in charge and will individual and commercial lot owners have a right to contest that? Instead of wasting time and money instituting these fees maybe Mr youngs time would be better spent reviewing submitted work and helping people who are trying to build in this city then trying to figure out ways to tax them!
ReplyDeletewow they wanted to fine everyone when it snowed so much people couldnt shovel it ...... now we are gonna be fined because it rains .....
ReplyDeleteThe Ireton administration needs to go and go fast.
When do we get the pitchforks and torches, march down there and tell them straight to their face, NO!
ReplyDeleteWow now Salisbury citizens have to pay for the rain.
ReplyDelete6:46, I know. It totally sucks. God gives us rain and we have to pay for it. All it is going to do is force people from the city into the county. I know that there are several people who want to move, but just don't have the means to do so at this time. I think that it is going to take every tax-paying citizen to move from the city, and every business to pull up roots and move to other cities/counties/munincipalities in order for the city to get the idea that they can't tax us into prosperity!
ReplyDeleteThe pitchforks and torches might be the only thing they are going to understand
ReplyDeleteIreton's leadership, business acumen and politics is disgraceful!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to believe that once again I was duped.
Is this guy really qualifed to even teach in our education system?
Putting him and Mrs. Smith out of office cannot come soon enough.
8:15....don't forget the most important ingredient in the march on these sleazebags.....THE ROPE.
ReplyDelete