Contractors Prevail In Sewer Fight

North Idaho contractors won a major victory today in a long-running legal battle over a steep fee increase to pay for future sewer expansion in Hayden. As a result, the city may have to refund millions of dollars it has collected since 2007. The North Idaho Building Contractors Association sued the city in 2010, challenging a fee tacked onto building permits for new homes and businesses and certain commercial expansions. The city in 2007 tripled that “sewer capitalization fee” to $2,280 to fund about $20 million in sewer projects related to anticipated growth. A District Court judge found the fee was legal and dismissed the contractors’ suit, but the Idaho Supreme Court today overturned that decision. The justices found the city lacks legal authority to charge existing development to pay for expansion of the sewer system beyond those areas/ Scott Maben , SR. More here .

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