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Authors, sign in!I’m confused.
Seattle’s Referendum 1 appears green, but sometimes I see it as number 2 bovine brown.
Referendum 1 is an ordinance (finally) being sent to voters on August 18. The referendum would instate a 20 cent fee on each paper and plastic bag used by consumers at checkout.
Seattle’s Mayor Nickels says the bag fee is to encourage the use of reusable bags and reduce waste. At 20 cents a bag, opponents say it’s another tax and unfairly hinders low income households. Proponents say the fee is to change people’s behavior and help the environment since the fee can be avoided by bringing a reusable shopping bag to the store.
That has some, including me, seeing some bovine brown among the green.
Now, the American Chemistry Council has entered the fray, with an additional anticipated spend of $500,000 in the Seattle market to fight Referendum 1 between now and August 18. That’s a lot of advertising green.
In terms of funds generated by the bag tax (Whoops! Wrong term…it’s a fee!) I say, where would the money go?
Small retailers would retain the entire 20 cents, while stores grossing more than $1 million annually would keep 5 cents, while the rest would fund Seattle’s efforts in promoting reusable bags and other environmentally minded programs.
Here’s where my confusion sets in. I’m all for the environment. I don’t like to hate on Mother Earth and I think paper and plastic bags are wasteful. But in an environment where Seattle voters already approved two additional taxes (one to retrofit Pike Place Market and the other to improve our parks) last November, and add in the adverse effect on low income residents, I think Referendum 1 is a bad idea. It appears another tax to be added to additional taxes – or is it?
This isn't a decision like "what shall I wear today", and I'm not ready to make it.
Tomorrow's another day, Scarlett. Let's ban pesticides instead.
Published July 30, 2009 by Jennifer Schwaller |
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| Tags:
Corporate Power
Economy
Environment
Green
Public Policy
Taxes
Wealth
