July 21,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, according to State Sen. Bob Smith, D-Middlesex, water pipelines across the state are old, they’re decaying, they pose a serious health risk and the issue is getting worse.
“There is a big problem and it is a problem that affects your health, your kid’s health and your grandchildren’s health,” Smith said.
He has introduced legislation that would impose a 10-cent tax on every 1,000 gallons consumed, which Smith estimates would cost the average New Jersey household about $32 a year and would net the state about $150 million annually.
According to Smith the proposal being submitted is not actually a tax and he is marketing it as “user fee” even though you already get a water bill.
A “user fee” would be a flat rate. He wants 10 cents per 1,000 gallons so it functions more like a tax than a fee like getting a driver’s license.
