Republicans: Smaller Government and Less Taxes!

[rpm]

Translation: New layers of bureaucracy and "fees" for everyone.

http://www.wcmessenger.com/news/content/EkkEyykFFpXckbKbex.php

The board of directors for the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District met in Decatur Monday and voted in favor of assessing a $175 registration fee on all new groundwater wells that are built on or after Jan. 1 of next year.

That fee applies to everyone who drills for a new well after the beginning of next year.

The board also set a user fee of 22 cents per thousand gallons for only a limited group of well users. Board members said that only water suppliers, municipalities, commercial operators and members of the oil and gas industry will pay that user fee.

Kit Marshal, the mayor of Aledo in Parker County, said many people in the audience who voted last year in favor of creating the board didn't have all of the facts when they cast their vote.

"They all thought they were voting for some sort of control over the oil and gas industry. They thought the legislation was a response to protect groundwater from industrial users. This project has grown into something else, and people don't understand that," Marshall said.

Yes, let's play the fear card and trick you into taxing yourself! When the "conservation district" was proposed it was to stop the evil oil and gas drillers from using all our precious water. Now that they are in place they stopped just short of taxing everyone for water. Now 22 cents may not sound like much to you, but in reality everyone that drinks from a municipal water supply that has wells as a source just had their water bill raised 22 cents per thousand.

But wait, the district NEEDS that money to operate. They estimate (they have no idea what they actually need) they will raise somewhere between $800,000 to $844,000 to pay for the board's operating expenses. They need a $1M to operate?

But, RPM... why do you blame this on Republicans? Well, it was a mandate from Austin to form this district or they would force one on us. Austin, as you may recall, is controlled by Republicans. Thank God they have saved us from higher taxes and bigger more invasive government!

[Anaxogoras]

Republicans haven't delivered on smaller government or less intrusion since the Goldwater days, or earlier...

[bongaroo]

Did I read that right, are they taxing people for well water usage?  Huh?  Isn't the point of a well to be off the municipal system?

[rpm]

NO, no, no! It's not a tax. It's a fee. Republicans don't raise taxes, remember?

[eagl]

Did I read that right, are they taxing people for well water usage?  Huh?  Isn't the point of a well to be off the municipal system?

They're charging everyone a $175 fee to register each new well.  Then, if the well owner falls into one of several categories that indicate they will be drawing a LOT of water from the well, they are charged 22 cents per thousand cubic meters.

The total cost to the non-commercial well owner is the registration fee, that's it.  Irritating, but the tradeoff is that it forces all wells to be registered so they can tax the heavy users.  The cost to people who use municipal water is probably going to be 22 cents per thousand cubes of use, plus I bet they also increase their standard maintenance feel to account for the extra work required to track the registration fees.

[Yeager]

any time people are allowed the opportunity to cheat and steal from others to improve their own situation they will do it.  Same goes for tax collectors...party affiliation IS NOT a factor here.  Human propensity for greed is universal. 

[crockett]

There was another post on this topic here a few months ago if I'm not mistaken. they said the state or country I forget which, was going to put meters on people's wells.

[bongaroo]

Not really my place to say whether this is right or wrong.  Looks like they are trying to prevent a heavy user (farm, landscapers, etc.) from sucking all the water in a table out from others.

The drought here in NC was leading to some shady well practices.  People were drilling wells to run their landscaping watering systems.  Some were drilling well below others wells and affecting some peoples drinkable water supplies.  Nasty legal processes followed.

How big of a system is this board over seeing that they need a million bucks a year to operate?

[rpm]

They're charging everyone a $175 fee to register each new well.  Then, if the well owner falls into one of several categories that indicate they will be drawing a LOT of water from the well, they are charged 22 cents per thousand cubic meters.

The total cost to the non-commercial well owner is the registration fee, that's it.  Irritating, but the tradeoff is that it forces all wells to be registered so they can tax the heavy users.  The cost to people who use municipal water is probably going to be 22 cents per thousand cubes of use, plus I bet they also increase their standard maintenance feel to account for the extra work required to track the registration fees.

Eagl, read that article closer.

Board members said that only water suppliers, municipalities, commercial operators and members of the oil and gas industry will pay that user fee...

That means if your city draws well water, your water bill just went up 22 cents per thousand gallons. Unless your city decides to absorb that fee and not pass along the cost to you.

Crockett, I made the earlier post. This is the same board. They stopped short of metering personal wells if you live on less than 10 acres.

[Toad]

To whom does all the water in the Ogallalah acquifer belong, anyway?

[rpm]

To whom does all the water in the Ogallalah acquifer belong, anyway?

It belongs to the Upper Trinity Water Conservation District in Parker, Wise, Montague and Hood county now. Before they were in existence water below your property belonged to you. Now all groundwater is property of the state.

[eagl]

Eagl, read that article closer.That means if your city draws well water, your water bill just went up 22 cents per thousand gallons. Unless your city decides to absorb that fee and not pass along the cost to you.

RPM, read my answer closer.  Specifically the third sentence in the second paragraph where I say that people drawing water from muni sources will get the 22 cent fee passed along to them plus a likely increase in the standard service charge.

[Hangtime]

I've found that the (r) or the (d) in local political machines is in no way an indicator of political fidelity to either parent party's platform.

It's about power and money... and as a local; you can make a difference. Pound the hell outta them with the truth.. use local news rags, flyers, whatever you can to burn 'em. Be careful.. if there's any bones in the closet, the machine will crush you.

It's not that you can't fight city hall... it's that you need money, commitment and a squeeky clean tax return for 3 generations back on both sides of the family.

Which is why when 'business' want's something done, rather than fighting city hall, they just buy it.

Good luck, RPM. If it's anything like it is here.. out there, yer gonna get screwed.

[Toad]

It belongs to the Upper Trinity Water Conservation District in Parker, Wise, Montague and Hood county now. Before they were in existence water below your property belonged to you. Now all groundwater is property of the state.

Hmmmmm... well, then the folks up in South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico are going to be a little upset to hear that.

They may start pumping like mad and the UTWCD may have to drill another 2-3000 feet to get at what's left. 

[rpm]

RPM, read my answer closer.  Specifically the third sentence in the second paragraph where I say that people drawing water from muni sources will get the 22 cent fee passed along to them plus a likely increase in the standard service charge.

You're correct eagl. My bad.