"Bag tax"; has anyone else heard of this?

Question

I received this in the post today, and apparently legislators here in California are trying to impose a tax of 25 cents on each plastic grocery bag used. I am fairly perplexed; that can really add to expenses, if it passes. Has anyone else heard of this, and what is your opinion of it?

The proposition is AB 2058

Answer 1

Yes, they are proposing a bag tax. There is a huge lobby push against it and the environmentalists are for it. Personally, I don't see why people can't just use paper bags. It is not like you go to the store and you HAVE to be taxed, you only get taxed for using PLASTIC bags, which do not biodegrade, hurt the environment and are dangerous, quite frankly. I'm not a tree hugger or anything but I try to remember to ask for paper bags when I go to the store (but sometimes I forget). Here in LA, a lot of people are going to cloth bags that they use over and over. They just bring their own bags to the store.

Answer 2

The idea is to get people to stop using plastic grocery bags, as nobody wants them, not even the recyclers.  They want you to use reusable nylon bags instead, I think.

I don't live there, haven't heard of it there, but they have similar laws in Europe.

Answer 3

Only in California would anyone come up with such a senseless way to take money away from people. They are such dictators there.  They are trying to force everyone to live the green style they determine to be best, Sheesh!

Answer 4

YES Jack,

They plan to STOP using the plastic bags by 2010...also water bottles...

they are filling our landfills at an alarming rate...and the only way to stop this is to get rid of them all together...

Answer 5

No wonder tax collectors are the most hated bunch through history.

(Can't vouch for the quality of the lyrics - its was the first link)

Let me tell you how it will be

There's one for you

nineteen for me

Cause I'm the taxman

Yeh! I'm the taxman

Should five percent

appear too small

Be thankful I don't take it all

Couse I'm the taxman

Yeh! I'm the taxman

Yeh! I'm the taxman

Oh! I'm the taxman

And you're working for no one but me.

If you drive a car

I'll tax the street

If you try to sit

I'll tax you seat

If you get too cold

I'll tax the heat

If you take a walk

I'll tax your feet

Taxman!

Don't ask mewhat I want it for

(Ha, ha, Mister Clinton)

If you don't wanna pay some more

(Ha, Ha, Mister Kohl)

So my advicefor those who die

Declare the pennies on your eyes

Couse I'm the taxman

Yeh! I'm the taxman

Yeh! I'm the taxman

Oh! I'm the taxman

And you're working for no one but me.

Answer 6

There is no excuse to not be using canvas bags or recycled bags.  I totally agree with the tax.  

Did you know if you take your own bags, you get a small discount?  It's something on the order of 5 cents per bag but it can add up too.

I have three bags that I carry with me and they all fold down to tiny things that either zip shut or have a velcro piece to keep it small.  Just open and fill with groceries, clothes, or whatever else you buy.  

Many places in Western Canada and Europe have already been doing this and it's a great way to keep people from using too much plastic.

Answer 7

Yeah, I've heard of it.  It will make things a horrible mess.  You have all of the taxing that will create more red tape and it will just raise the prices of stuff.  I think it is very bad.

I would much rather see them require that the plastic bags be made out of the biodegrable plastic that is derived from corn.  Those bags would pose no danger to the environment.  They would biodegrade and even the particles of it wouldn't hurt the ground once it biodegrades anymore than a tree leaf.  Who wants to carry 10 nylon sacks with them back and forth to the grocery?  Think about it.  Most people when they go to the grocery store fill up most of the entire cart.  That is a lot of re-usable sacks to cart with you into the store.  That could mean more visits to the grocery and spending more gas so you don't have to cart 12 re-usable bags with you.

Sometimes California goes a little too far without really thinking things over.  I wonder how many of those legislators actually go shopping instead of having a maid go shopping for them.

Most plastic bags are biodegradable already, but they just break down into tiny pieces.

Answer 8

I received the same post in the mail.  I think the bag tax is a great idea.  One of the problems is that people don't always recycle their bags and too many of them end up in the ocean.  It has been reported that whales, dolphins, and seals eat the bags thinking that they are jellyfish.  These bags can block their respiratory and digestive tracts.  

In England you are expected to take your own bags to the store.    I wish it were that way here.  Before I started bringing my own bags to the store, I would come home with a huge pile of bags for every shopping trip.  It is totally unnecessary.  I have accumulated several nylon and canvas bags for shopping.  They hold more groceries per bag and are meant to be carried over your shoulder.  This means one easy trip from the car to the house.  Using your own bags is actually more convenient!

I hope I don't sound too preachy.  It just seems to me that this is an intelligent way to limit wastefulness while trying to balance the CA budget.

Interesting article at:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1...