Who Pays and How Much?

Sales Tax
Many communities have decided to levy a 1/8th cent sales tax for infrastructure improvements. Lenexa voters will decide whether to dedicate these funds to the new storm water management approach at the August 1st election. Sales tax revenue, if approved, would be used to retire bonds used to acquire land and correct existing problems early on in the program. A 1/8th cent sales tax means that for every $8 purchased in Lenexa, one penny goes to storm water. The average Lenexa citizen would spend about $20 more per year in sales tax. A sales tax also spreads the burden more regionally because most sales tax revenue comes from shoppers who do not live in Lenexa.

Utility Charge
The proposed storm water utility charge is $30 per year per household. Commercial and industrial utility charges will be based upon the amount of hard or impervious surface on the property. Impervious surface is used because the more hard or impervious surface on a lot, the more storm water run off. This system is equitable because the more a customer generates storm water run off, the more they pay.

New Development Charge
The proposed system development charge will be a charge paid by new development. This charge will be in lieu of construction of facilities developers would have constructed under the current approach. The idea is to make sure new development pays for the facilities required so as not to exacerbate existing problems.

Other Existing Sources
The new program will also be funded through existing revenue sources such as the mill levy and the Storm Water Management Advisory Council (SMAC) program through Johnson County.