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OK, am I the only one thinking this is a scam to get more money out of us? The town has been stable in terms of not much new building for years now. All of a sudden there is a need to collect a fee for this, where there was no need before? It seems pretty shaky.
In our particular case, there is no run-off that hits the storm water sewer system, since we are downhill from the street. The storm water runs directly into the lake. So according to the letter that came with this bill, I should not have to pay this (for my particular case). I am going to call the town and discuss, but I am pretty sure the answer is going to be: if you don't like it, it applies to everyone so move out of town if you don't like it, and I will have no option but to pay.
Now, if they were going to do something about the massive problem of sediment from golf course run-off filling in the coves, then I would be willing to pay. But that has nothing to do with the town's stated "storm water system" maintenance goal.
OK, am I the only one thinking this is a scam to get more money out of us? The town has been stable in terms of not much new building for years now. All of a sudden there is a need to collect a fee for this, where there was no need before? It seems pretty shaky.
It is not just Tega Cay. Federal gov't created some unfunded mandates about 10-15 years ago, that have now taken effect.
In our particular case, there is no run-off that hits the storm water sewer system, since we are downhill from the street. The storm water runs directly into the lake. So according to the letter that came with this bill, I should not have to pay this (for my particular case). I am going to call the town and discuss, but I am pretty sure the answer is going to be: if you don't like it, it applies to everyone so move out of town if you don't like it, and I will have no option but to pay.
I'm betting that you'll hear something along the lines of:
"If you are downhill from the road, and the SW department maintains the road drainage, that means the road's drainageway protects your property from drainage. Specifically, it protects you from drainage coming from the other side of the road, uphill from you. Therefore you receive benefit from the stormwater system."
"In the past, tax revenues have funded stormwater services. However, a user fee is a fairer and more reliable method to pay for these activities. The user fee will only be used to fund the stormwater program."
Woo hoo! Looks like we will be getting a tax rebate!!! Or not. My guess is they will simply keep the money I paid them for this and use it for other purposes. Doesn't really seem legal, but I am not an expert, so...
Here is the web page: Stormwater (http://www.tegacaysc.org/stormwater.html - broken link)
I wrote that I objected on my check to them, and they cashed it. Not that I would hire a lawyer and appeal, but it made me feel better. I think I will write "for political bribes" on all my future checks to them :-)
This "new" storm water utility fee is nothing more than a tax, as I have mentioned in the Tega Cay Problems post. Noticed how quick TC City Officials were to announce last year that there would be no tax increase, then within a few months, TC Council approved this utility fee. The new $96 per year fee amounts to apprx. 1/4 of my TC city taxes of $400 per year. TC city officials really flew under the radar to get this item passed. Revenue is to be apprx. $3 million from this new fee, and yes, the city is shifiting some of the operating expenses from the regular operating budget to the revenue of the new storm water fee...so, if it looks like a duck...quacks like a duck...well...must be a duck.
Questions were raised by a citizen about all these new storm water utility expenses at the council meeting last week. As usual, council members could not give any direct anwers to questions raised. It is the "good 'ole boys club with our council members." Considering the economic gloom we are experiencing, would not surprise me at all to see a tax increase for residents of TC in 2009.
According to the 2006 NPDES regulations, as part of the 7 requirements that the county has to obide by, a stormwater fee needs to be implemented to accomodate the positions required to monitor and regulate the new federal regulations. The fees will also help each municipality and jurisdiction to implement the new regs and help maintain the requirements set forth by the Clean Water Act of 1972 (which currently is not within the minimum thresholds set by the Federal regulations and EPA). If you think this is bad the fees), then wait until we have no clean water to drink and it costs as much for a gallon of clean water as it does to purchase a gallon of gasoline.
I just met a Mr. Ben Dover (old joke, as in it is pronounced "bend over"). In other words, I just got the bill again for this year.
I couldn't figure out why I got two separate bills this month related to water, and then I remembered this from last year and searched for this old thread.
I bet we get a wind bill this year too. If water falls from the sky (gasp!) and they can tax me for that, it would seem reasonable for them to be able to tax me for wind that comes from the sky too.
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best of luck.
Fee
