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Gainesville plans to begin 'rain tax' in 2017
Fees would be assessed based on square footage
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There are more than 124 million square feet of impervious surfaces in Gainesville, including parking lots and structures.
Gainesville taxpayers will soon need to budget for a new expense. In January 2017, the city intends to begin charging $1 for every 1,000 square feet of impervious surface on residential, commercial, nonprofit and government property to pay for upgrades to aging stormwater pipes. For example, Councilwoman Myrtle Figueras’ home has about 2,600 square feet of roof, driveway and other impervious surface.