Ohio Supreme Court to hear sewer district lawsuit

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has accepted an appeal by a northeastern Ohio sewer district that wants to charge property owners fees for managing storm water.

At issue is a program developed by the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District in 2010 that would raise about $35 million a year to spend on storm water management.

The sewer district was forced to stop collecting the fees last fall after a lower court sided with 11 cities in the district who argued that state law does not give the sewer district authority to impose the fees.

The storm water fees totaled about $57 a year for the average homeowner and more for businesses with bigger properties.

The court will hear arguments Sept. 9.