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Everything you wanted to know about stormwater funding
but were afraid to ask...
By Steve Hussey
posted 10/26/2007
I don't work for the county and have no financial interest in whether the referendum succeeds or not. I have been asked questions by concerned citizens, and here is a short summary of them.
How do I know that the utility will spend the money wisely?
The utility is funded with a 'fee for service'. This has a legal requirement that funds collected by the utility can only be spent on stormwater issues, education,and public meetings etc. Money is held in a separate account and expenditures tracked by the county auditor. The county is periodically audited by the state auditor to ensure compliance.
Isn't 'fee for service' a sneaky name for a tax? If it's not a tax then why does it appear on my property tax statement?
A fee for service is when money is collected for the benefit of the community but not necessarily every individual. It is legally different from a tax in that it cannot be switched from one budget to another, to pay for other priorities than that which it was collected for. It's on your tax assessment, along with many other fees and assessments, because that's a very efficient way to collect the money.
Why are churches, schools and public buildings required to pay the fees?
By law all organizations pay fees for service as they contribute to the problem irrespective of their tax status.
Why can't we pay for it with grants or bonds?
The utility obtained one grant to offset one project's cost, but until we are GMA compliant they are not able to apply for most grants. Bonds cost money to set up and administer.
Why doesn't the road department pay, like it used too?
The roads department used to pay for stormwater on the county rights of way - roads and the adjoining ditches. The roads department is now funding about 40% of the utility to pay for its share of the impervious surface of the county (comprised of roads).
Is this money going to fund Eastsound's urban growth?
No. There are 12 projects planned on Orcas, some outside the UGA. 9 projects are planned for Lopez (which has already had some projects completed over the last few years.) 9 are planned for San Juan Island.
Why Can't Public Works just dump the stormwater runoff in our wetlands?
State and federal law rightly prevents this.
If I do stormwater mitigation on a rural property why do I still have to pay the fee?
You’re are also paying your share towards the roads, public services etc., but a partial reduction could be implemented.
Why hasn't the utility actually built anything yet with the money?
There is no sense in starting construction until this referendum is decided.
Why is the utility in charge of appeals against the fee?
A final appeal can be made to the council if you can't reach agreement with the utility.
And finally if the ordinance stands the council can easily amend it to reflect citizens' concerns.
Steve Hussey
Deer Harbor
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