A Tax by Any Other Name? - Tax on Paper bags

[WNYresident]

A Tax by Any Other Name?

LOCKPORT, N.Y. — A bit of a war of words has erupted after Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz criticized lawmakers in Niagara County, who are not buying into a so-called bag tax....which they also call a “money grab”.

A law inserted into the recently passed state budget, and which takes effect next March, will ban those filmy plastic bags which have been a staple for consumers for decades.

https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/lo...OMLDKNfO4mvI68


A money grab? It's BS that is what it is.

Counties which opt into charging will get 40% of the money collected back from Albany for their own government coffers with the state keeping 60%.

This hits everyone including the poorest of the poor who need to buy food. Let's make the narrative so that the people who are pushing this on our community look as bad as possible.

In a WBEN radio interview Friday, Poloncarz insisted the charge should not be referred to as a “tax”, but instead as a “fee”…and suggested that if lawmakers in Niagara County don’t see it that, they should read the law.

I wish I could post on the Erie County Democratic Facebook page.

In a statement, Poloncarz maintained there is a difference between a tax and fee, explaining, “a tax is imposed equally on everyone, regardless of whether an individual uses a service or not. A "fee" is applied only to those who use a particular service."

Who doesn't grocery shop? Why force the poorest of the poor to buy expensive multiple use grocery bags instead of just getting paper bags.

[WNYresident]

Well let's see where the people who run our town stand when it comes to taxing paper bags.

We all know they work with Mark come election time so if we want to end some of this nonsense let them own what they actively support.

I posted this on both of the Cheektowaga FaceBook groups

Elections are on the way and let's get this out in the open.

The tax on paper bags. Seems Mark Poloncarz supports this.

I'm requesting that the members of our town board go to this wgrz FaceBook post and either show their support or show that they are against this tax.

https://www.facebook.com/2onyourside...57053975750359

I am fine with banning plastic bags but not with adding a tax to paper bags.

Then on WGRZ's facebook post about this topic I'm asking for our town board's opinion on this tax.

You all know they are reading this.

[WNYresident]

History of Plastic Bags: How Did We Get Here

Plastic bags are ubiquitous and most people don’t question it. Why?

Less than 50 years ago plastic bags were a rarity. Now you it seems like you can’t buy anything without it being carried out in a branded plastic bag.

If we can understand how we got ourselves here, maybe we can find a way to get ourselves out.

Polyethylene (the most common type of plastic used for disposable bags) was first created in 1898 but it was not until the mid 1950s that a high-density polyethylene was invented. High density polyethylene was the “breakthrough” that enabled the production of cheap, yet strong plastic bags.

This seemingly simple invention changed the way we shop and had unimaginable consequences for our natural environment.

https://terngoods.com/blogs/learn/hi...are-everywhere

[WNYresident]

This is how one person see's it

Monica Piga Wallace

It is not a tax. It is a fee to discourage you from using paper and encourage you to use reusable bags. Without the fee, people will just swap plastic for paper- which is also harmful to the environment.
Every year New Yorkers use 23 BILLION disposable plastic bags. It is time to put protect the environment. I would like to see wegmans and tops offer reusable bag shoppers points

[sharky]

call it a fee or a tax, it's still a money grab by the gov't
Kudos to Niagara County for not jumping on board.

So although I do use re-usable bags, and make sure the times I get plastic store bags they don't end up as litter (I either recycle them at Wegmans or use them to line small trash cans) I now get punished and either have to pay for paper bags or find small trash bags for sale.

I'm not saying plastic bags don't become litter, but I see far more tim hortons cups and lids laying around as litter. Are they next on the tax list?

[WNYresident]

Reusable grocery shopping bags are great for the environment and reduce paper and plastic waste going into our landfills. Some stores even offer a discounted price for groceries if you bring your own shopping bag. Reusable bags may be made from fabrics ranging from natural fibers like cotton and jute to woven synthetics, knitted or crocheted in an open weave or made from plastic film more sturdy than the common plastic bag.

https://www.thespruce.com/keep-reusa...usable-2147015

Shopping bags should be washed after every use when carrying food just as you would launder a kitchen towel. This is especially critical for bags used for meats, produce, and precooked foods. Bags used for cleaning supplies or dry goods can go a bit longer between washings.

I thought we are supposed to conserve water.

Have more than one bag and label each bag as Meat, Produce, Dairy, Dry Goods, Cleaning Supplies, etc. Or use a different colored bag for each type of purchased item. This will prevent cross-contamination. Always double bag with a plastic bag any items like poultry and meats that may leak. Even if the contents don't leak, there could be bacteria on the packaging material.

Is food poisoning covered by health insurance?

Use grocery reusable bags only for carrying food—no gym clothes, diapers, chemicals, or gardening supplies. A soccer team in Oregon was infected with the norovirus after a reusable grocery shopping bag was used for gear.

I see the supporters of the nickle tax don't care about our health.

Do not leave unwashed bags in your car. The high heat is a perfect incubator for bacteria to multiply.

Nuts.

Do not place clean reusable shopping bags in the baby carrier section of the grocery cart. This is the most contaminated area of the cart and bacteria can transfer to your shopping bags.

Oh. I never thought of the germs from the cart. What happens if the person who used the cart you picked has a habit of picking their nose? Nose germs get transferred to your hands, to your bags and to your food.

[sharky]

Always double bag with a plastic bag any items like poultry and meats that may leak. Even if the contents don't leak, there could be bacteria on the packaging material.

LOL what? I thought the purpose of the reusable is for getting rid of plastic

[WNYresident]

I bet we can sell plastic liners for reusable bags.

I'm actually ok with banning plastic items to a point. What I am not happy with is the money grab adding a nickle to paper bags. That's just BS.

[WNYresident]

I guess it's good for the environment to place all this plastic into a paper bag versus a plastic bag.







Next time you go to Wegman's or Tops just skim at all the plastic that is used.