Article from Fox News by Brooke Singman.

New Jersey residents could soon be hit with what Republicans are calling a “rain tax,” if Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signs newly passed legislation.

The bill, approved by the New Jersey Assembly and the Senate, would allow municipalities to create utilities that can collect fees from homeowners and business owners that have large paved surfaces, like driveways and parking lots. During storms, rainwater mixes with pollutants on those surfaces before running into sewers and drains. The funding from the fees could be used for upgrades to reduce the impact on the environment.

“With all the salt that we’ve had on roads recently, that’s all running into the sewer systems, so you can’t ignore the problems because they don’t go away,” Senate President Steve Sweeney told CBS New York.

State Sen. Richard Codey called the legislation necessary, telling CBS New York that the state’s economy is based on the shore.

Read the entire article at Fox News.

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