City Council spars over proposed 10-cent fee for every plastic, paper bag given out at stores TOMAS E. GASTON The bill would require shoppers to pay 10 cents for each bag. The City Council’s got a brand new bag — a contentious plan to slap a 10-cent fee on every plastic and paper sack that stores give out. Pols sparred Wednesday over the bill, which has sharply divided a Council that has generally walked in liberal lockstep. Backers say it will help the environment, but opponents say it’s just another burden on struggling New Yorkers — and a potential bonanza for stores, which would keep the revenue. “Quite frankly, I’m ashamed to sit here today and talk about actually raising taxes on New Yorkers,” said Councilman David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn), who said he buys 30 bags of groceries for his family every Thursday night. “Now I’m going to have to pay three bucks extra a week.” New York Daily News New Yorkers use a whopping 9.37 billion disposable bags a year — saddling the city with 91,000 tons of waste, which costs $12.5 million a year to dispose of, according to the Sanitation Department. Backers estimate the proposed fee would slash the number of bags shoppers use by 60% to 90%, a drop seen in other cities. [...] newsnyork/city-council-spars-over-proposed-10-cent-fee-for-every-plastic-paper-bag-given-out-at-stores/
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 07:16:14 +0000
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