by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Senior citizens as a group and churches as a subgroup of not-for-profit organizations are unlikely to get any discounts when the City’s stormwater runoff fee goes into effect based on the proceedings at Tuesday’s meeting of the Stormwater Advisory Committee’s Adjustments and Credits Subcommittee.
The subcommittee is charged with developing possible reductions in the fee for properties owned by economically disadvantaged persons, senior citizens, not-for-profit entities and others who provide services in lieu of the City.
Steve Sedgwick, a consultant with CDM, the Cambridge, Mass. firm retained by the City to help develop the new stormwater utility, pointed out only seven of 138 stormwater utilities in the state offer any form of discount to any property owners for any reasons. He also said the only property owners who qualify for discounts in those municipalities are those considered economically disadvantaged under federal poverty standards.
That prompted subcommittee chair Ron Salem to remark, “We’re embarking on something that’s not the norm in Florida.”
One discount being considered by the group was one for senior citizens, but it was met with a less-than-enthusiastic reaction from the group. The subcommittee likely will recommend that discounts should be based solely on economic factors without taking age into account.
“Some of our Duval County seniors are very wealthy. I hope to join that group soon,” said Salem.
Sedgwick pointed out the maximum discount offered is 50 percent of the fee. Municipalities making it available contribute an amount from their general fund equal to the amount discounted to property owners.
That led to questions being raised as to whether it would be cost-effective to offer a discount at all. Obtaining the fee reduction would require an application process and the savings per qualified property owner would not amount to more than $20 a month. Salem questioned if it would be cost-effective for property owners to apply or for the City to have to review the applications.
When the issue of a discount for property owned by churches was addressed, Assistant General Counsel Debra Brager told the subcommittee the courts have ruled that stormwater utilities charge user fees rather than levy taxes and therefore faith-based organization are treated the same as any other 501(c)3 organization.
Pastor Gary Wiggins said when Mayor John Peyton met a group of faith-based organization leaders soon after the stormwater fee was proposed, Peyton said he was very clear that he wants the City to consider churches a special category and provide a discount for faith-based organizations.
“It would be legally difficult to separate faith-based organizations from the rest of the group,” said Braga.
Wiggins said he believes churches should receive special treatment because they provide services like food and clothing donation programs and counseling that would otherwise have to be provided by the City.
“Not all churches are the same. They don’t all provide those services,” commented Janetta Norman, chair of the Urban Core Citizens Planning Advisory Committee.
Sedgwick said based on CDM’s study of properties, the portion owned by not-for-profit organizations represents about 11 percent of the impervious surface subject to the stormwater fee. Based on his calculations, he said offering a 50 percent discount to those property owners would result in an obligation of $1.9 million the City would have to appropriate from the general fund.
The subcommittee plans to hold at least four more public meetings before presenting its recommendations to the full committee.
There was no public comment at Tuesday’s meeting and when Salem said he would like to invite the public to the next meeting, mayor’s office spokesperson Susie Wiles said the public was properly notified about the meeting because it was posted on the City’s Web site.
“If they (the public) are paying attention, they knew about it,” said Wiles.
Salem made it clear he did not feel that was adequate and suggested the time and location of the next meeting should be publicized in the media. He said that would ensure the subcommittee has the benefit of hearing public comments and also proposed holding the next meeting in Council Chambers at City Hall.