Washougal residents and business owners, who want some control over the taxes they pay, have an opportunity next Monday to "Speak now or forever hold your peace", as the expression goes.

A proposed storm water management utility rate increase will be the subject of a public hearing at 7 p.m. during the Washougal City Council meeting. The increase, if adopted by the council, could result in a monthly rate hike, from $7 to $10, or even $11 per 3900 square feet, for homeowners and businesses.

As reported in last week's Post-Record, the new rate structure would help pay for a storm water utility and offset costs for a permit, mandated by the state of Washington, to limit the effects that urban storm water runoff has on state waters.

That Washougal is considering a storm water tax rate increase is certainly not a total surprise, given the mandates local governments face from the state on this issue. However, the proposed amount of the increase being considered should raise a few eyebrows.

Washougal citizens should ask some basic, but pointed, questions of their elected leaders at next Monday's meeting on this proposal, such as:

Why such a sharp increase in the rate already being paid?

What specifically would the proposed rate increase pay for?

What specifically do the taxes for storm water runoff currently being collected pay for?

How do Washougal's storm water management taxes currently compare with other cities of the same size?

Likewise, Washougal officials should come prepared to answer those questions in as much detail as possible, and listen closely to and consider all public input.

Granted, discussing storm water taxes at a city council meeting is not the way most of us would like to spend our Monday evening. But with a rate hike this high being considered, Washougal citizens owe it to themselves to "Speak now, or forever hold their peace," on the subject.