Two Metro council members are working to help small businsses.
Photo credit: EPA Smart Growth
Emily Evans and Jason Holleman are working to restructure or remove a cap from storm water run-off fees that some businesses claim is hurting their bottom line. The fee covers the environmental concerns for disturbing nature by building.
There is currently a $400 cap for building above a certain size, which small business owners say is unfair, because it gives bigger businesses a break.
CM Evans already made an elegant case at her blog for why fair stormwater fees are good for all. Nonetheless "progressive" CMs like Megan Barry, Ronnie Steine, and Erik Cole voted against fairness and with Karl Dean on this. We will see if an election year and less than satisfactory budget conditions cause the Dean Machine to back off giving big business water big breaks and saddling the rest of us with carrying a larger portion of the weight for water treatment.
This issue proved to be somewhat of an embarrassment for Megan Barry. Will she risk that again or incline toward a greater sense of justice?
While I agree that fees shoudl be paid most by those who benefit the most (or cause the runoff, in this case), do you really think that fees for small businesses will go down ("saddling the rest of us") if this change is made? The rest of us will still be saddled with fees.
ReplyDeleteHave you written about proposed Ordinance BL-2011-858 sponsored by Councilman Mike
Jameson? I'd be interested in your comments.
This is just a ploy to help strong-arm small businesses in parts of town that Dean and his council buddies hope to "clean-up."
ReplyDeleteFor many small businesses, especially those "marginal" shops, say, a used tire shop on Nolensville Road, $400 can mean a lot of money. It could be the owner's house payment, groceries for a month or whatever.
I complain often on this blog that CM Megan Barry is out of touch with the great majority of Nashvillians. Her siding with Dean on this issue certainly seems to support my complaint. I expect more of her.
As far as Dean goes, I don't think he really gives a damn. Of course, he'll find some pre-mediated photo op to sell folks on that make him seem like a "real and caring guy," but when he goes home to prop his feet up on the couch, I believe he could care less about the folks who sweat it out on a day-to-day basis.
The Mayors' office of new stormater fees is 'greenwashing', (appears to be sustainable legislation). By capping the stormwater fees at $400 per parcel, there will be no financial incentive for large stormwater-producing businesses to install permeable pavement, install green roofs, or build other infrastructure that would reduce their stormwater fee. Behavior will not change, our stormwate situation will only get worse and we will keep having large floods. Thank large business and their influence on the mayor and those councilpersons against a fair fee.
ReplyDeleteAlthough tax revenue for the stormwater department is overdue, the new stormater fees is 'greenwashing', (appears to be sustainable legislation). By capping the stormwater fees at $400 per parcel, there will be no financial incentive for large stormwater-producing businesses to install permeable pavement, install green roofs, or build other infrastructure that would reduce their stormwater fee. Behavior will not change, our stormwater situation will only get worse and we will keep having large floods. Thank large business and their influence on the mayor and those councilpersons against a fair fee.
ReplyDeleteDean dangles carrots for the camera and masses while corporate interests kneel behind him, out of view, and stuff money in his hip pocket.
ReplyDeleteWhat a dork.