Ready for the “Rain Tax?”

The Clean Stormwater and Flood Reduction Act or the "RainTax" was proposed to address flooding issues and the contamination of waterways in our state.  Stormwater runoff consists of lawn fertilizers, pesticides, vehicle fluids (motor oil, grease, etc), pet waste, trash, which have a negative impact on the environment.  The “Rain Tax” will give counties and municipalities the ability to address stormwater management by imposing fees assessed to property owners, depending on the amount of impervious surfaces, such as roadways, driveways, parking lots, roof tops and other paved areas.  Although this is an attempt to be an environmentally friendly solution to help clean our waterways and minimize the effects of flooding, some New Jersey residents are concerned about the financial burden to property owners with yet another tax.  Urban areas are especially at risk of the dangers related to stormwater runoff.  An alternative to the pipes, pumps and storage chambers for stormwater management, is a "green infrastructure" approach, which involves trees, forests and other related soils and vegetation to naturally manage runoff.  Not to mention cost effectiveness.  Acres of trees capture and store rainfall in their canopy and release the water into the atmosphere, reducing stormwater runoff.  This is another reason why the Save32Acres  Ocean Township group oppose the development of the property located at the corner of Deal Road and Highway 35.  Their latest initiative is to gain support to expand Joe Palaia Park for passive recreation, which would preserve and protect the historic wetland forest indefinitely.  More about that later…