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Several Republican elected officials and other opponents of the Stormwater Remediation Fee gathered at Parker's Restaurant in White Marsh on Saturday, June 27, to hear from Delegate Pat McDonough and guest speaker David Craig about their campaign to eliminate the fee in Baltimore County. McDonough began the fundraising event by joking that every environmentalist in Maryland has his picture hanging up in their office - on their dart board - since he is the one who originally coined the term "rain tax" to describe the stormwater remediation fee. And while the fee is still in place in most jurisdictions affected by it, he said opponents scored a victory this year in Annapolis by helping to pass a law to reform the mandate. "We took the power away from the governor and the state of Maryland" to levy the fee, McDonough explained about the new law. Under the reformed law, Baltimore City and the state's nine largest counties will still have to complete projects to help restore the Chesapeake Bay and prove to the state that they can pay for them. But they are no longer required to institute a fee to do so. Although McDonough claimed that Baltimore County, which comprises most of his district, is the only jurisdiction that still has a stormwater fee, it is actually one of the few that has taken steps to change what residents and businesses must pay. In March, the County Council voted to reduce the county's fees by a third. While Harford County has eliminated its fee, opting instead to pay for needed projects with existing funds, other jurisdictions have done nothing with regard to their fee structures. Attempts to repeal the fee in Anne Arundel County were defeated, and Howard County officials decided to wait at least a year to change theirs after analyzing their finances. There have been no attempts to change the fees in Baltimore City or Prince George's, Charles or Montgomery Counties. Carroll County never instituted a fee, opting to pay for projects with money from their general fund, and Frederick County levied a fee of just one cent per property owner. Nevertheless, McDonough stated that he knows business people paying astronomical fees as a result of the rain tax. He used the former Sparrows Point steel mill property as a prime example, the owners of which are paying "hundreds of thousands" in the stormwater fees. "It's anti-jobs and it's anti-common sense," McDonough opined. He noted that with the county's nearly $200 million surplus, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz should be able to eliminate its fees without a problem. "We have a $179 million surplus," he said, "and this county executive is capable of getting rid of the rain tax." Kamenetz has opposed repealing the fees and dipping into the surplus, however, preferring instead to use that money for one-time expenses like building schools and fixing roads. The county would still be required to pay for remediation projects such as stream channel restorations, street sweeping and planting trees, even without the fee. McDonough criticized Kamenetz, though, claiming that the county executive has his eye on the governor's mansion and wants to demonstrate to liberals and environmentalists in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties that he is a "true green liberal." He noted that it was Baltimore County residents who elected the county executive, and he needs to be held accountable to his current constituents. Del. McDonough commented that his "Stop the Rain Tax" campaign would be the opponents' "final battle" for repeal of the fee by putting hundreds or thousands of signs up all around the county, "from Dundalk to Catonsville." He said supporters already include larger businesses such as auto dealers and shopping centers, as well as the smaller, "mom-and-pop" shops. Additionally, there will be a petition drive to collect signatures in support of repeal. "All of this is designed to turn up the heat on Kamenetz so he sees the light," McDonough explained. While guest speaker David Craig did not speak specifically about the campaign, he did comment on just how good the last election was for Republicans. Craig, who is the former Harford County executive and the current secretary of planning in Governor Hogan's administration, pointed out that 2014 was the best year for Republicans since 1895 when they won the races for governor, attorney general, comptroller and took control of 19 counties in the state. Last year, Republicans were elected to not just the governor's mansion in Maryland, but also to 50 seats in the House of Delegates, five of its nine county executive positions and more than half of elected positions at the local level statewide. Republicans also won eight additional seats in the U.S. Senate and four new governorships across the country. Craig also said the 2015 General Assembly was the first in the last 15 that saw no tax or fee increases, and he praised this year's budget as well. But while this past year was an important one for Republicans, he said 2018 would be equally important since the party in power after that election will oversee redistricting in the state. Craig noted that as secretary of planning, his department would be in charge of the process of redrawing the state's district maps. "And I don't want to draw a map like we have right now," he said.

Photo caption: Del. Pat McDonough (left), his wife Valerie and former Harford County Executive David Craig kicked off their campaign to stop the "rain tax" with a fundraiser at Parker's restaurant in White Marsh on Saturday, June 27.