Apartment renters should be aware that rental properties in Howard County will be assessed for the stormwater management tax as commercial properties, which will be based on the measurement of impervious surfaces. Since it may be assumed that landlords will pass these fees on to tenants as rent increases, in may cases apartment dwellers may be paying more than the flat fee of $15 per year to be paid by condominium owners. Apartment renters are already at a disadvantage because they cannot deduct real estate taxes paid by owners from income taxes, so this is a further affront to renters. To be fair to renters, the County Council should tax apartment complexes at $15 per residential unit, the same as condo owners will be paying.
Linda Wengel
Columbia