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WILKES-BARRE — Mayor Tony George joined the fight against the newly imposed stormwater fee, saying it unfairly lets affluent areas surrounding the city off the hook.
In a letter Friday George, a Democrat, appealed to President Donald Trump and federal lawmakers representing the region for their assistance to relieve city residents of the financial burden of the fee to pay for the costs of reducing pollution in the Susquehanna River.
Wilkes-Barre is among the 32 townships, boroughs and cities participating in a plan managed by the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority to comply with a federal mandate to treat discharge from municipal storm sewer systems (MS4) into waterways.
In his criticism of the fee, George incorrectly said municipalities in the higher elevations are exempt. However, the Mountain Top communities of Fairview and Wright townships are complying with the mandate, but not as part of the WVSA program.
“To my knowledge, water flows downhill, therefore, to be fair, the fee should apply to all communities whose stormwater flows into the Susquehanna River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay,” George said.
As a result, the low-lying municipalities in the Wyoming Valley are carrying an unfair share of the burden, George said in the letter. “I implore you to consider assisting Wilkes-Barre and our fellow communities to lessen the encumbrance on our residents through both regulatory change and monetary assistance,” he said.
The WVSA made a similar plea to U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, and asked for his assistance in securing federal approval for some fee-related projects.
The stormwater bills from the WVSA recently delivered to residents prompted residents to call the mayor’s office, George said.
“This is not a city or state crisis, it is a federal crisis, as the Chesapeake Bay is one of our nation’s most critical waterways. Our communities respect the intention on the MS4 (Regional Stormwater Management Program) but will not be put into financial distress because of it. I ask for your help in alleviating the burden placed on our taxpayers,” George said.
The complete text of Mayor Tony George’s letter:
March 1, 2019
RE: WVSA Regional MS4 Stormwater Program MS4 Legislative Assistance
As Mayor of the City of Wilkes-Barre, I am keenly aware of the ever-increasing financial burdens which my residents face. Wilkes-Barre has nearly 41,000 residents, living in 15,000 households in our 7.3 square mile city. With a city-wide median income of $31,000, every dollar is crucial to the livelihood of our residents, as many of the city residents are elderly and/or on fixed incomes. My administration does its best to prevent tax and fee increases while providing quality public services that our residents expect and deserve.
Recently, the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (WVSA) issued stormwater bills to residents of the 32 municipalities participating in the MS4-Regional Stormwater Management Program (RSPM), including the citizens of the City of Wilkes-Barre.
As many media reports have shown, residents became distraught when they received their stormwater bills. My staff received numerous phone calls and messages from our distressed residents who cannot afford this new fee.
Wilkes-Barre City residents are being burdened by a fee that is mandated on the valley municipalities but not those in higher elevations. These more affluent surrounding areas are exempt from the MS4 Stormwater Fee. To my knowledge, water flows downhill, therefore, to be fair, the fee should apply to all communities whose stormwater flows into the Susquehanna River and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
For years, I have addressed my concerns of the burden being placed unfairly on the low-lying municipalities. I implore you to consider assisting Wilkes-Barre and our fellow communities to lessen the encumbrance on our residents through both regulatory change and monetary assistance.
This is not a city or state crisis, it is a federal crisis, as the Chesapeake Bay is one of our nation’s most critical waterways. Our communities respect the intention on the MS4 RSPM but will not be put into financial distress because of it. I ask for your help in alleviating the burden placed on our taxpayers.
Sincerely,
Mayor Anthony G. George