Reno city staff is recommending implementation of a “Stormwater Utility Fee” (essentially a tax) to fund the City’s stormwater runoff infrastructure. The tax is to be imposed on Reno property owners and will undoubtedly affect renters as landlords will pass the tax along to them. The tax will not sunset and will be tied to the Consumer Price Index, resulting in the tax automatically increasing annually. Please join arms in opposing this new, unnecessary tax.
After discovering city staff was proposing the stormwater tax, I made several public records requests and had numerous communications including those with the Regional Transportation Commission, the Nevada Department of Transportation and a city engineer to whom the public was referred. From this, I deduced the following:
➤ The City has paid nearly $1 million to an outside consultant. Reno hired the Memphis, Tennessee firm Raftelis to advise on implementing its novel Stormwater Utility Fee. Records indicate that, as of Oct. 16, 2023, Raftelis has been paid $857,670.89 to essentially find a new way to tax us.