Re: 'OT] Are you ready for rain tax?

On Sat, 30 Mar 2024 23:06:46 -0700
anim8rfsk <anim8rfsk@cox.net> wrote:

Adam H. Kerman <ahk@chinet.com> wrote:

Rhino <no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
 

Yeah, that's right, a tax on home owners that is levied every time
in rains. It's coming to Toronto and, according to the comments
under this video, is already being levied in other Canadian
cities, like Halifax.  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77rYL5OHFdE [6 minutes] 

 

The video starts by pointing out the immense damage done to a solar
farm in Texas by hail. They mention that neighbours of this solar
farm are concerned that the toxic materials in the broken solar
panels, especially cadmium telluride, will leach into the
groundwater and poison everyone accessing that water. 

 
Excuse me. Solar power has benefits only, not risks.
 

At about 4:15, they finally get to Toronto and point out the
proposed rain tax. They also mention the existing tax that is
levied on Torontonians that collect rainwater. (And no, I'm not
clear on how they determine that people are collecting rainwater
and what volumes they are collecting.) Apparently, homeowners are
assessed tax for the amount of non-porous surfaces they have on
their property, like roofs, driveways, and concrete patios, on the
theory that rain landing on these surfaces will end up in the
sewers, which somehow makes it necessary to charge homeowners for
what they allow to reach the sewers. 

 

Can we fire these imbeciles yet?  

 
I understand the concept as a fee, but I sure don't see how there's
any fair way to assess the tax. So why not encourage collecting
rainwater? That keeps it out of sewers.
 

 
My ex has a swimming pool and a lot of foliage in their backyard.
Every year they have to go down and protest their gigantic sewer bill
– thousands of dollars – that is based on the assumption that all
water used goes down the drain.  They assess us something like one
sixth our water bill for sewer.
 

That is truly depraved! Surely, there is some evaporation from the
pool and the rest of the water stays in the pool. Charging them as if it
went down the drain is obscene. Has anyone ever tried to fight this?


--
Rhino