A September 8 Capital-Gazette article discusses potential legislation before the Anne Arundel County Council to modify its recently enacted stormwater fee legislation. The legislation would apply the same stormwater fee rate to both nonreligious tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and religious institutions and is in response to concerns raised by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland (ACLU). Currently the County offers a reduced rated for religious institutions From the article:
Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland contacted the council in July, concerned that religious and nonreligious organizations were being treated differently under the law.
ACLU lawyer Deborah Jeon wrote in a July 1 letter to Walker and County Executive Laura Neuman that the county should offer the reduced rate to all tax-exempt nonprofits to eliminate any preferential treatment based on religion. …
A public hearing on the legislation is scheduled for the council’s Oct. 7 meeting. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Arundel Center, 44 Calvert St. in Annapolis.
July 1 ACLU Letter