O’Malley/Brown/Gansler Double Down on Rain Tax

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.