NJ considers taxing tap water

[Tony Trick-Pony]

NEW JERSEY (FOX5NY) - Never short on ideas for things to tax, lawmakers in New Jersey are considering a tax on tap water.

The proposal is being floated by State Sen. Bob Smith D-Middlesex, who is trying to say it's not actually a tax but a 'user fee'.

"It is a user fee based on volume," Smith told Fox 5's Chasing New Jersey.

It would add 10 cents for every 1,000 gallons of water a home uses. Smith says that will only add $32 a year to the "average" water bill.

He claims the money is needed to fix a crumbling water delivery infrastructure in the state.

The state already charges a public utility franchise tax on water system operators of $0.01 per 1,000 gallons of water delivered to a consumer. That tax, which went into effect in 1984, is supposed to "ensure clean drinking water in New Jersey."



http://www.fox5ny.com/news/nj-consid...xing-tap-water

[JimRaynor]

Eh, not that terrible of a tax, but still a tax... and it sets a precedent, where you can hike the amount on the tax over time.

[Eddy Current]

It seems like they have to come up with money to fix the water infrastructure somehow

[man down]

Waiting for them to tax the air.

This is how it starts then it's "only 500.00 a year".

[New England]

Eh, not that terrible of a tax, but still a tax... and it sets a precedent, where you can hike the amount on the tax over time.

that's the issue here. could be 32 dollars over the course of the year and be of benefit to the state's water system. could even go away in time. i don't know. or could potentially evolve into something nasty, and there are several permutations of how scary a tax on water could become.

i don't think it's going to happen in our lifetimes, but i believe the availability and scarcity of clean drinking water will be a major issue for future generations. already is in lots of the world.

[The Big Dunn]

As an NJ resident I know this money will end up going to only the politically connected businesses and will take decades to fix.

Now if Phil Murphy would just hurry up and legalize marijuana, we can create enough tax revenue to stop all these BS taxes.

[WarVeteranO01]

Waiting for them to tax the air.

This is how it starts then it's "only 500.00 a year".

I thought the same thing.

[BLASTER1]

If they want to make money legalize all drugs and sell and tax the f out of it.
Im sure it would still be cheaper the bying it of the street.
Well in Australia it would.
I dont use but in Australia we pay approx.$850 for half an 8 ball of smack and $550 for half a8ball of gear.
Governments could make a killing selling this crap legally.

[5burowz]

We still haven't even figured out how to get clean water to a good majority of the world population.

[Tony Trick-Pony]

Waiting for them to tax the air.

This is how it starts then it's "only 500.00 a year".

Oh it will happen...