re the rain tax: if that means the mall owner has to open up some of those acres of asphalt to reduce stormwater runoff or landlords end up jackhammering the cement slabs covering the front and backyards (because spraying herbicide a couple times a year is way cheaper/easier than regular gardening service) then I fail to see the problem. Your giant slabs of cementitious landscaping are contributing to my heat island effect so the tax is a small reminder to rip the unnecessary bits out and plant a couple trees instead.