Community Corner

Revisiting the Rain Tax not On Tap for Baltimore County

County officials say they are required to implement the unpopular state mandated fee even as Howard County considers changes to its plan.

By Bryan P. Sears

Baltimore County residents shouldn't be looking for any revisions to the so-called "rain tax" any time soon.

County officials Friday said the county will move forward with imposing the state-mandated fee even though other jurisdictions are revising their fees and state legislators express concerns about its implementation.

Don Mohler, a county spokesman, said county officials do not believe the fee can be delayed.

"We believe we are mandated to start the fee immediately," Mohler said.

Mohler spoke about the county fees after being asked about a plan by Howard County Executive Ken Ulman that would streamline that county's stormwater management fee plan.

Under the proposed revision, Howard County would charge owners of townhomes $15 annually. Owners of single-family homes on lots of one-quarter acre would pay $45. Lots larger than one-quarter acre would be assessed a $90 annual fee.

The plan also calls for allowing nonprofits to avoid the fee if they implement county-approved stormwater treatment plans.

The current plan passed by the Howard County Council calls for a $15 fee for every 500 square feet of impervious surface.

Mohler said the flat fee structure proposed by Ulman, who is running for Lt. Gov. in 2014, is similar to what Baltimore County proposed in March.

Last month, the Baltimore County Council passed a stormwater management fee of $21 for townhome owners and $39 for owners of single-family homes. Nonprofits will pay $20 per 2,000 square feet of impervious surface but are not eligible for reductions based on stormwater mitigation efforts.

Businesses in the county will pay $69 per 2,000 square feet.

The fees will start showing up in the next few weeks as a itemized charge on Baltimore County property tax bills.

Mohler said the fees for residential property owners remains among the lowest in the state.

"From the beginning, the county executive was committed to making sure residential property owners in Baltimore County were protected," Mohler said.

Last month Sen. Ed Kasemeyer, a Democrat and chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, told a meeting of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce that the legislature would likely look at how the fee is being implemented.

"I think it's not over yet," Kasemeyer said. "I think as this thing plays out you see something happen from the legislature."

Kasemeyer said he was concerned about the impact on nonprofits and businesses.

"I'm curious to see if the state is going to revisit this issue," said Councilman Tom Quirk, a Catonsville Democrat and chairman of the council.

Quirk said he believes the fees imposed by the county are reasonable.

"We're sensitive to the impact of fees and taxes on county residents," Quirk said. "We want to mitigate them where we can."


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