1. Maryland Rain Tax By: Jose Jalapeño On a stick

2. Overview The new tax is going to tax all surfaces that affect the rain water absorption into the ground. Their idea is that these surfaces need to be taxed because all of the chemicals that run off them pollute the environment. Martin O’Malley 

3. Opinion I am against this tax because it has never been a problem before, but now that we are in a recession we are being taxed on something this uncontrollable.

4. Rebuttal The pollutants runoff and pollute the waterways causing more algae to grow. Counter Argument The majority of water doesn’t run far enough to make it to a waterway before it absorbs or evaporates.

5. Alternative Solutions Put French drains at the end of paved driveways Leave a 2 foot section of grass or gravel at the end of the driveway Slope the driveway off to the sides All these things will allow the runoff to go into the soil and stop the pollutants from going anywhere.

6. Sources http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/04/14/su rface-tax-will-cost-md-property-owners-every- time-it-rains/ http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/04/14/su rface-tax-will-cost-md-property-owners-every- time-it-rains/ http://www.google.com/search?q=rain%20tax &psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45175338, d.dmg&biw=884&bih=443&wrapid=tlif136613 173101210&um=1&ie=UTF- 8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi &ei=FoRtUfHnHIHC4AOR0oGgBg