There’s disturbing news from Georgia. A bill has been
introduced in the state’s general assembly that would exempt state
government—its buildings and properties—from paying stormwater utility charges
to local governments. Last week, Brant Keller—a member of Stormwater
magazine’s editorial advisory board, a sometime blogger on our site, and the man
instrumental in launching the first stormwater utility in his state—reported on
the bill, known as HB 316.
You can read his comments here.
The issue isn’t unique to Georgia, and it isn’t only state governments
that periodically try to claim an exemption from utility fees. At various times,
tax-exempt entities also claim they shouldn’t pay, and their argument, which
equates fees-for-service with taxes, helps confuse in the minds of many people
an already dicey question. An article from a few years back helps clarify the
difference and is still relevant: “Stormwater
Charges: A Fee or a Tax? And Does It Matter?”
(It very much does matter.)
Has your utility faced similar challenges? What were the arguments for
and against various exemptions?