FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 12, 2013
Contact:
Steve Crim
ANNAPOLIS
– According to recent news reports, the Maryland Department of
Environment and the Attorney General's office have warned counties who
have not implemented the rain tax that they will face heavy fines for
not complying with state law. These "non-complying" counties have found
alternative funding sources for projects aimed at reducing stormwater
runoff.
"The
rain tax has outraged Marylanders across the state, and leaders smart
enough to realize the unpopularity of this tax have found alternative
ways to fund their priority projects. For the state to force these
jurisdictions to implement a rain tax just proves this is another money
grab by the O'Malley-Brown Administration," said Change Maryland
Chairman, Larry Hogan. "The Attorney General is just as culpable as the
O'Malley-Brown Administration on this issue."
In
a letter released last Tuesday, the state attorney general's office
notified officials in Carroll and Frederick Counties that they were in
violation of the 2012 law imposing the rain tax, or stormwater
management fee, and could face action from the state if they charge an
"insufficient" tax. In addition to the letter from the attorney
general’s office, the Maryland Department of Environment has also warned
these counties that they could face thousands of dollars in fines: up
to $10,000 per day in Carroll, and up to $32,500 per day in Frederick.
"Everyone wants a clean and healthy Chesapeake Bay," Hogan reiterated on Wednesday.
"But this most recent missive from the administration proves that this
is more about increasing people's taxes than protecting our Bay. It's
time for us to start electing real leaders who will fund important
projects like cleaning up the Bay without breaking the backs of
taxpayers."
In
Carroll County, Commissioners invested $20 million in stormwater
control projects with existing property taxes, rather than levying an
additional tax. In Frederick County, officials set aside $3 million in
the county budget for stormwater clean-up.
The
rain tax is just one of forty consecutive tax hikes that have been
levied by the O'Malley-Brown Administration since 2007 that have taken
over $9.5 billion out of the Maryland economy and are projected to cost
taxpayers $20 billion by 2018.
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@ChangeMaryland
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