In response to business owners’ concerns, Auburn officials have developed an alternative rate structure for a proposed storm water tax that could go into effect in November.
Instead of paying up to $10,000 a year on a single parcel, owners of non-residential properties would pay a maximum of $600. Owners of single-family homes would pay $30 annually.
If adopted by the Auburn City Council next week, the new rate structure would generate $116,000, which is 75 percent of the $153,800 previously forecast.
City planner Larry Lucas presented the revamped rate structure Monday night at the city’s second public hearing on the proposed tax.
The reduced financial impact appeared to assuage some of the concerns of the 17 or so property owners who attended the hearing.
At the first public hearing two weeks ago, several business owners complained about the city imposing the tax during the recession. At this week’s hearing, only two spoke in opposition.
IN OPPOSITION
One of those speaking against the new tax was Leroy Evans of Lyle Road, who spoke at both public hearings.
On the 60-acre tract where his home is located, Evans has three vacant chicken houses that under the original rate structure would have caused his tax assessment to be $1,004.
Monday night, he was told that the amount under the new “tiered” rate structure would drop to $500, creating a $42 monthly charge on his water bill.
However, Evans asked if he could get the tax reduced to the single-family rate of $30 by removing the roofs from his dirt-floor chicken houses.
He was told that because the walls would affect the flow of storm water across his property, he would have to remove them as well.
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