Jun 16, 2009 6:30 pm US/Eastern
City Considers 25-Cent Plastic Bag Surchage
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
-
-
Some of the money collected from the surcharge would pay for bgs for low-income people. The bill has yet to go before the full council.
CBS News
To carry out your groceries, you may want to carry in your own bags.
A Baltimore City Council committee is considering a 25-cent surcharge on every bag used to carry your purchases out of the store. Political reporter Pat Warren has reaction from shoppers.
Shopping for a family gets even more complicated under a bill proposed in the Baltimore City Council to impose a 25-cent surcharge on disposable grocery and convenience store bags. You'd have to bring your own reusable bags to avoid the charge.
Shoppers would have to buy those too and remember to bring them to the store, and in Michael Coe's case, bring enough of them.
"It's ridiculous. Prices are high enough," Coe said.
And double-bagging? You just added 50-cents for that gallon of milk. District 4 Councilman Bill Henry brought his own bag to a Council hearing Tuesday. He's the bill's sponsor and says the surcharge is incentive to reduce plastic bag trash in the city.
"Those bags end up in our trees, in our fences, eventually in our gutters, in our storm drains, and in our harbor. It would just be easier if people didn't take them," Henry said.
Retailers including Rob Santoni of Santoni's Supermarkets say there's no end to the difficulties charging for bags would create.
"This council is not going to change human nature. You called it a syntax at our meeting. You guys aren't god. This is a logistical nightmare," Santoni said.
Another shopper who objects to the plan is City Council President Stephanie Rawlings Blake.
"We are people that are trying to make ends meet. This is, in a sense, an increase in tax," Rawlings-Blake said.
Some of the money collected from the surcharge would pay for bags for low-income people. DC's City Council just approved a five-cents surcharge. That bill must be signed by the Washington mayor and then approved by Congress.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
WJZ.COM's Most Popular Slideshows
Shocking Celebrity Suicides
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments