When it rains, it pours

[Jrlobo]

In 2010 the EPA ruled that certain counties of certain states contributed heavily to pollution runoff into major watersheds. Nine of the largest counties in Maryland were identified. Our governor has decided to implement a tax (euphemistically called a "Rain Tax" on homeowners in those counties which contribute to the pollution problem in Chesapeake Bay. The tax will be based on how much impervious square footage is on your existing property. Impervious square footage is defined as rooftops, patios and drive ways which do not absorb rain water. Annual tax fees between $50 and $200 are expected. This is on top of the flush tax that increases from $30 to $90 annually over the next three years, even though I'm on a septic system that ABSORBS water! So how is the state going to figure out how much impervious square footage I possess? From surveillance satellites in space, that's how. So how many of those satellites do you figure that the State of Maryland owns? NONE, that's how many. I can't believe that our federal government is going to use their surveillance satellites to assess my impervious square footage when they can't even produce intelligence on foreign targets that for which they were originally funded. Perhaps it's Russian or Chinese surveillance satellites targeting the U.S. that will be used instead. Yeah, that's it; I feel better now.

[GASPASSERDELUXE]

There are plenty of commercial sattelites floating around that can do it, for a price.

[tombogan03884]

I saw on one of the news sites about the "rain tax".
How do you like the UN's "Agenda 21"  ?

Guns aren't the problem.
They may be the only answer left.

[philw]

Yep. More of this over taxing over governing crap

They been talking about a rain / dam tax here for a while now.

[kmitch200]

What gets me is that if the runoff is the problem, {{cough cough bullshit cough}}, then paying some $$$ to the .gov makes it all better?
You would think that the obvious solution would be to FIX the nonexistent problem, not tax it.
But how could you create/inflate bureaucracies doing that?

For the record, I have NEVER seen a nonabsorbent surface send rain back into the sky to go fall on another county. It just runs off to somewhere else until it IS absorbed.
Idiots. 

[Sponsor]

[fatbaldguy]

Easiest solution is IMO, 25 foot greenway (my made up term for uncultivated, unmowed, conserved land) on all tributaries, drainage ditches, and impoundments.  Grasses, forbs, shrubs, tree's, and etc. soak up tonnes (just for you Phil) of water, and literally eat the ferts that would have run off into waterways.  May be a bit of expense up front, but cheaper than taxes that last forever. 

I know there are all kinds of objections to something like this.  Just less expensive than paying forever.

[tombogan03884]

Easiest solution is IMO, 25 foot greenway (my made up term for uncultivated, unmowed, conserved land) on all tributaries, drainage ditches, and impoundments.  Grasses, forbs, shrubs, tree's, and etc. soak up tonnes (just for you Phil) of water, and literally eat the ferts that would have run off into waterways.  May be a bit of expense up front, but cheaper than taxes that last forever. 

I know there are all kinds of objections to something like this.  Just less expensive than paying forever.

That really is what they call it, or "greenspace".
Best part is that it creates a nice strip for fishing .

[Solus]

Easiest solution is IMO, 25 foot greenway (my made up term for uncultivated, unmowed, conserved land) on all tributaries, drainage ditches, and impoundments.  Grasses, forbs, shrubs, tree's, and etc. soak up tonnes (just for you Phil) of water, and literally eat the ferts that would have run off into waterways.  May be a bit of expense up front, but cheaper than taxes that last forever. 

I know there are all kinds of objections to something like this.  Just less expensive than paying forever.

Kids will love it, dogs will love it. Might see deer hanging out there.

Grouchy neighbors will hate it....which is good...give them something other than kids and other neighbors to bitch about.

[tombogan03884]

Easiest solution is IMO, 25 foot greenway (my made up term for uncultivated, unmowed, conserved land) on all tributaries, drainage ditches, and impoundments.  Grasses, forbs, shrubs, tree's, and etc. soak up tonnes (just for you Phil) of water, and literally eat the ferts that would have run off into waterways.  May be a bit of expense up front, but cheaper than taxes that last forever.  

I know there are all kinds of objections to something like this.  Just less expensive than paying forever.

Kids will love it, dogs will love it. Might see deer hanging out there.

Grouchy neighbors will hate it....which is good...give them something other than kids and other neighbors to bitch about.

There would be property disputes to begin with, but one those were settled, (the Railroad Right of ways set the precedents for that ages ago)
After that future building could be done with that in mind.
In fact I believe it has been done before and worked well .

[fatbaldguy]

Well, whaddya know, I actually do know something afterall.