David Brauer wrote:
> This system lets properties with a lot of "hard
> surface" - for example,
> parking lots - get out of paying anything even
> though their runoff goes
> into the sewers. Because parking lots don't use any
> water, right now
> their owners don't pay anything.
>
> The new system splits out a storm-sewer fee from the
> water fee. Now,
> properties that allow a lot of runoff will be
> billed, and since the
> plan is revenue-neutral (a key point not gleanable
> from the headline),
> properties that allow little runoff will pay less.
CN:
I agree with Chris that this sounds like a lovely idea
(and I have made several rain gardens myself - first
learned about them through the Green Institute) but I
have ZERO faith in the city's ability to actually
determine who is minimizing runoff and who is not.
I have repeatedly been undercharged, overcharged, or
just plain had my water bill screwed up by the city of
Minneapolis and it does not give me too much
confidence about how this new plan will shake out.
I think a better idea might be to establish some sort
of committee to formulate guidelines for sustainable
practices that property owners could receive tax
credits for. Rain gardens maybe, green roofs, who
knows. I am not an expert at all of the strategies
out there, but I am convinced that it is better to
"incentivize" the ideal behaviors than to slap another
fee on everyone.
BTW: how would this fee benefit renters? Do we think
that landlords are calculating how much runoff water
to assess to each unit of housing? Or that they're
going to reduce the rent by a similar amount if their
bill goes down? I certainly won't - considering the
fact that I charge such low rent in my building it
doesn't even cover the mortgage, much less water,
sewer, heat, etc.
Providing affordable housing and nervous about new
fees,
Connie Nompelis
West Phillips
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