y the amount of impervious surfaces (e.g. pavement, buildings, sidewalks etc.) that are on the property@ (ATallahassee Stormwater...@, 1986).
Conceptually, the usage fee was fair, since it focused on business owners and developers, rather than homeowners (who had more lawn, and therefore less impervious surfaces).
In doing this, Tallahassee was following the example of the Federal Government=s user fees, which, according to a report to Congress generated more than $196.4 billion in revenues during FY 96. The fees were Aagricultural commodity grading fees, trademark registration fees, and park entrance fees [and amounted to] 12 percent of all federal revenues collected...and was more than twice the amount collected from excise taxes, estate and gift taxes, and customs duties combined. User fee collections have grown steadily since the early 1980s and have played several roles in the federal budget@ (AGovernment User fees...@, 1997).
At the Tallahassee level, funds generated from the user fee are used to finance the city's storm water quality and flood control program and, according to the case study, more than 6 million dollars per annum is raised.
AThe predictable revenue stream allows for the sale of revenue bonds to fund large projects. The program provides an incentive to developers to limit the amount of impervious surfaces on new sites@ (ATallahassee Stormwater...@, 1986)
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