Montgomery County businesses and nonprofits will have to pay as much as $14,000 per year to help clean up the Chesapeake Bay starting July 1, but the county and state won't have to pay the fee on their government buildings, which account for millions of square feet.
The Water Quality Protection Charge -- decried as a "rain tax" by opponents -- will be charged to property owners based on how much of their property consists of impervious materials like concrete or pavement that rain can't pass through. Residential property owners have paid it since the state General Assembly passed a law in 2012 to put Maryland in compliance with an Environmental Protection Agency mandate. Montgomery County voted last week to extend the fee to nonresidential properties -- except for government buildings.
"There's a historical exemption for state bodies and local jurisdictions because of separation of powers," said Samantha Kappalman, a spokeswoman for the Maryland Department of the Environment.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
7 comments:
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Something tells me there will be certain Democrat donor business that get waivers. Starts wih "P" and rhymes with We'rescrewed
Elite communist party officials are always exempt from party directives.
Is anyone on this blog as angry and disgusted about the EPA and ALL of its associates as i am? do you feel the same way about our governor and represenatives both dems and repubs?
if you do; what in the h__l are you doing about it besides complaining? are you making calls, sending emails, sending letters, talking and educating your friends, family and neighbors? what are you doing about this.
the EPA has NEVER been voted in and are responsible to NO ONE. the stats they use aren't correct and many time not provable. again; what are you doing about it???
well; DO SOMETHING besides complain, because they must stop now!!!
Maryland has been controlled by the enviromental lobby for a long time now.
Sue O'Malley for tax w/o representation...screw the punk
So much for O'malley bragging about Maryland being business friendly.
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