Letters: Citizens oppose City of Reno’s proposed stormwater utility tax

Editor:

I just completed the Reno Stormwater Utility survey. We are on a fixed income and do not support raising taxes and tiered layers for our sewer services. When we moved into our new home in 2006 we paid a $4,948.25 sewer special assessment.

The quarterly fee was $75.15. Here are the increases since that time:

• 2010     $87.51                16.5% increase
• 2020     $144.60               65.2% increase
• 2022     $150.78                4.3% increase
• 2023     $161.28                6.96% increase
• 12/23   $171.15                6.12% increase

(That’s a 127.74% increase in fees alone since 2006.   What about the special assessments?) Yes, maybe additional research and analysis must be done on our stormwater infrastructures; but the survey infers additional monies/costs with no set budget for repairs, upgrades or new construction needs.

Where’s the accountability and project calendar? How are developers’ charges and assessments utilized to cover future these needs? And ten years to regionalize? What will the city be doing in the meantime but hiking up our rates? No new taxes, please. Our economy and high inflation (just go to the grocery store or gas station) are reason enough that more taxation will continue to erode our quality of life.

– Lynn Nielsen

Letter to the Editor:

I am writing because I’m red-faced and furious about the City of Reno Stormwater Utility survey that was sent out to Reno residents recently. It was the biggest “busy-work” piece of garbage I’ve ever endured. The questions asked were technical and dealt with fine-tuning a project as though it were already a fait accompli. That I know of, it was tabled in December and will be up for a vote again on Jan 24. That is not a done deal.

The one and only question I wanted to see was, “As a resident and taxpayer of Reno, do I want or see the need for an additional tax for the mitigation of stormwater?” That was not asked, so I spent a good hour formulating answers to their ridiculous questions. 

Stormwater mitigation is handled by a portion of other taxes. City of Reno Sewer Fee already addresses the sewers. The bridges are under the purview of RTC, with the help of federal funds. But the Stormwater Utility Tax proposal addresses all these “needs” as though nothing else is there to answer the need. The City’s proposal is more super-inflated than the economy. 

The airport and schools complained the most, so their stormwater fee would be adjusted/discounted to accommodate them. But what about residents who are suffering from the bad economy? What about us? We get to pay full bore, but bigger entities get a break?

What about the Raftelis report, where an expert company was hired to assess the feasibility of such a tax? The report indicated a very, very minor fee/tax initially for several years and increased slightly after that for several more years and so on. That sage advice from the Raftelis report is being completely ignored by the City Council. 

It feels like just another government grab when we are already hurting from the inflationary economy. This is not the time to increase taxes or fees or whatever they choose to call it. And whatever they choose to call it, the effect is the same.

– Carole Fineberg

Editor:

I don’t trust the staff to do the right thing. See Flood of 1997 and flooding in Lemon Valley.  Example: we pay taxes and obey the laws. We see homeless and abandoned vehicles and drug use and sale. We call for services and they say they can’t do anything because there is not enough services or this is with another department or go to the website to cite the occurrence. Laws are not enforced, the City passes the buck, the problem is growing, and businesses are being robbed. I have lived in Reno since 1973 and it is going down the Democrat tubes. Property taxes are going up and we are getting less services. Less government now. All we see is taxes and fees going up. Stop making us California. 

– Janet Crites

Editor:

I am against this tax increase and blatant double taxation. As you well know:

1. The Stormwater eventuality is covered in part of our sales taxes. 
2. The City of Reno Sewer fee is also for stormwater.
3. We are being double-taxed.
4. Bridges are under the purview of the RTC, not the City of Reno. Yet bridges are accounted for in the proposal.
5. The economy is bad.
6. Not the time to introduce new taxes.
7. The airport and schools complained, so they’re getting a discounted fee. What about us, the taxpayers?
8. The City hired Raftelis, a firm to do a feasibility study on this fee. It was recommended to start the tax very low for 3-4 years, then increase very slightly for the next 3-4 years and so on. City is ignoring that recommendation.

The continued overreaching of the City of Reno must end. It appears that a full audit of the Stormwater Utility is needed.

– Claudia Fisher

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