QNS
After City Council approved a bill that would place a tax on single-use paper bags, Councilman Robert Holden is calling the move burdensome on the middle class.
Set to take place after a state-wide ban on plastic bags takes effect, the paper bag tax would put the cost of five cents on each paper bag used in a transaction at store across the city.
“As if it wasn’t enough that we are taxed to death in every facet of our lives, the New York City Council has just passed another regressive tax,” Holden said. “While ensuring our environment is clean for generations to come, a line must be drawn somewhere. I voted NO because this legislation will only add more pressure on our senior citizens who already live on a fixed income, and will once again put the burden on the middle class.”
The plastic bag ban was passed in the budget at the beginning of April making New York the third state in the nation to take a stand against the bags which are not biodegradable and land a heavy impact on wildlife.
California imposed its ban in 2016 and Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed the ban a year ago place emphasis on an earlier time when shopper only had paper bags to turn to.
Mayor Bill de Blasio signed an executive order on April 11 intended to be the beginning of the end for reusable plastics and said while even paper products should be reduced, there needs to be option for low-income New Yorkers.
“We are looking at a whole host of questions around reusable products,” de Blasio said. “This is something I’ve talked about in terms of getting rid of plastic bags and paper bags that we’ve got to come up with some kind of option for folks of limited means. And we’re looking at everything. We’ll be looking at plastic bottles. You’re going to see a number of things coming out.”
11 comments:
Of course it is. It's a revenue generating machine for an out of control city and state that will never cut spending.
Its only a nickle people need to stop complaining.
Plastic bags are a nasty pollutant, they last over 1000 years and constancy blow of the garbage barges end up all over the place, kill marine life etc.
They are also a nasty poisonous byproduct of the petroleum industry when burned
Its about time diBlasio did something good for a change.
The point of this tax is to encourage people to shop with re-usable bags. You can avoid the tax by bringing your own bag. I also bring re-usable produce bags to the grocery store.
This is pure bs. Cost should go on the business.
We are buying from you so you pack our goods in your bag!.
Or should we walk around with a fugarty totem bag or burlap sack to carry our goods?
What's next, returning to riding a mule, because of gas prices and tolls?
I'm sorry but there is no reason for this tax to be progressive. Rich or poor, we all use plastic bags about the same and thus do the same environmental damage. Maybe even less if you are rich and eat out more or use grocery delivery services that have cardboard boxes. Most poor people have smartphones and cell plans. They can afford a few cents to deal with the bags they throw away.
This is not a big deal. It's easy to bring your own bags and stores give you a 5 cent credit. Most, not everyone drives to their favorite market. Of course there are exceptions. But if your walking or using a stroller there's not much you will be bringing home.
So if you don't bring you bag it will cost you 10 cent?
It's better than looking at the bare trees in JV park with plastic bags tied up in their branches. That's not a pretty site.
Holden should pick a better battle ,this is silly and not the kind of issue's he should be involved in. His district need's a lot more
than being concerned with a 5 cent fee. The list is too long .
I hope this will be posted .
If not I know why .
Peace. Don't forget to sweep your street.
predictable...that will make the Chinese shops richer for everyone will run to buy bags from them Probably that was the real purpose..
You know if pot was legalized, you could use hemp to manufacture paper to make bags. Therefore sparing trees from destruction and stemming climate catastrophe.
Legalizing pot will save the planet from ecological destruction (in 12 years)? Have you called AOC with this idea yet?
Last anon.
I said it would stem it. I think this planet is fucked.
I didn't need AOC or even Al Gore to convince me about the fragility of the planet. This was news for decades. Even Exxon knew it and then trashed it's findings. Believe what you want to believe.
I think the congresswoman mutes my twitter responses.
Hi,
I don't make a lot of money and I think this is a fair tax. I never leave home without some sort of bag (when you have a long day ahead of you & take mass transit, you always need something to carry your items & food in). It is definitely harder when you take mass transit for your shopping, especially for older people, but even my grandma uses her little shopping cart and that's not a bad idea for any of us.
Plenty of businesses already give away those tote bags - I'm sure plenty will keep doing that because it's good advertising! Maybe some will take advantage of this opportunity!
The focus of fighting climate change should be on large corporations and industry, which should really doing more to help the planet. However, we all need to do our piece and I think this is a good start. We have more important things to fight; we need to pick our battles and I just don't think this is it. Let's focus on affordable housing and food deserts, so we can all live close to healthy and fair-priced grocery stores :)
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