Bag ban: It's a business subsidy, pure and simple

I had forwarded my thoughts about the plastic bag ban to Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland and each council member. If the ban is imposed so be it. However, the council is going to impose a fee or tax on the public supposedly for the benefit of the citizens of Tacoma.

My concern is the fee or tax is going to be handed over to private businesses. The business model for retailers has always been to give customers a bag for their purchases. The cost of the bags has always been factored into the cost of doing business. This proposed law is giving tax monies as a direct subsidy to enhance the bottom line of businesses.

It’s no wonder big businesses and grocery chains are not opposed to the tax. It’s free money. Since there is a litter problem in Tacoma, why isn’t the tax going to pay for litter cleanup? Taxpayers also are going to be required to pay for the costs of enforcement out of other revenues, which seem to be in short supply. This will only increase the city’s deficit.

Is it right to impose fees that are given directly to private enterprise without providing goods or services to the public?

This story was originally published July 5, 2016 at 12:03 PM with the headline "Bag ban: It's a business subsidy, pure and simple."