Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

September 19, 2009

GT septic tank owners face tax

$40 tax would help fund struggling septage plant

BY BRIAN McGILLIVARY

TRAVERSE CITY -- Septic tank owners in Grand Traverse County face an annual $40 tax to help fund the county's struggling septage treatment plant.

A group of county commissioners and township supervisors that comprise a Septage Finance Committee unanimously agreed to recommend the new tax. It would replace the current 12 cents per-gallon fee that haulers charge to treat the waste, but septic tank owners would still have to pay haulers for pumping services.

Those who pump their tanks every three-to-four years generally will make out better under the new tax than would those who don't pump as frequently.

"There's no system that's perfectly fair and equitable," said Jack Kelly, supervisor of Elmwood Township in Leelanau County. "We need to keep it simple."

Elmwood septic tank owners also would have to pay the fee.

The septage committee was formed in February to address the plant's projected deficit of $2.4 million by 2014. Its tax hike recommendation now goes to the county Board of Public Works for consideration at its Sept. 28 meeting.

The BPW must take what's considered the rough framework of a financing plan and figure out details or return it to the septage committee, whose members also agreed there would be no limit on the number of times a system could be pumped under the $40 per-year plan, and business and residences would be treated the same.

People with holding tanks would not be impacted by the proposed changes.

The septage committee also recommended the BPW wait a year to implement the unpopular special assessment so it can be fully explained to septic tank owners.

County Commissioner Larry Fleis said he hasn't found "one person that opposes a special assessment" after he explains the concept.

Blair Township Supervisor Pat Pahl said the current 12 cents a gallon pumping rate serves as a disincentive for tank owners because they have to pay the entire cost at once.

Kelly said a tax provides cost-certainty that may be attractive to townships outside of Grand Traverse County. In 2010, all waste from septic tanks within 25 miles of the plant must be treated at a publicly owned facility.

The committee rejected a proposal to charge 4 cents per-gallon, along with an annual $35 tax.

Garfield Township Supervisor Chuck Korn supported that idea because it would provide more fairness to people who pump less often, including single home owners and summer residents.

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