Lawmakers target plastic, paper bags

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Stephanie - 2010-01-14 13:45:50

you are probably right but the tax is going to do the same thing, people will feel I paid for them so why recycle. The flat tax would not create all the infastructure that the tax will produce. The flat tax could go to creating programs to promote recycling and re-use. Maybe a better solution would be to put a deposit on all the plastic bottles that everyone drinks water and soda, beer etc..from, I would think that is a bigger problem. And that tax is easier to handle from a retailers standpoint. I can see lines grow as consumers argue with grocery store checkers, you need to repack my bags, you can put more in that bag. Don't double bag that, I am not paying for two bags and on and on it goes.

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Pat Magnum - Arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

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Taxing and Recycling - 2010-01-14 12:28:07

Though a $20.00 plastic bag tax would certainly be simpler, it does nothing to actually reduce the use of plastic bags. You would pay it whether you brought your own bags or not...possibly encouraging more consumption since people will feel they paid for those bags. Recycling is certainly an important part of conserving our resources, but it should only be done when no other options for reducing consumption are available. Though better than landfills, a recycled product has actually used energy twice, both in its original and second (recycled)production. It's always better to never create the waste at all. That's why the word "reduce" comes first in "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle."

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Stephanie P - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

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bags again - 2010-01-14 04:25:37

like I said in a previous comment need a bag for the bag of chips,but the best one is the lady who needed a bag for her milk so it did not turn over in the trunk.yeah right!

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jim pearson - seaford, de - Karma: Terrible

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Doug - 2010-01-13 18:18:25

Thanks for your support, if this tax were to occur, you would see the advent of the Plastic Bag Accountability Office be formed. It would be staffed with former government workers looking to make another pension. Or a former government worker starting a private firm and hiring retired government workers to ride around and check how many bags Giant has in their store.

This is very similar to VEIP inspections, this testing is a joke, always has been, I would be happy if you just added the $14.00 to my car reg every year. Years ago if you just could prove that you spent $400 or whatever the amount was you got a pass. Well if you were savvy at all you could find a mechanic to give you a bill saying you spent the money.
Same for Md State Inspection, for a $100 you can get a inpsection for your car, if you know where to look. Haven't had to do that for years because all you have to do is tell the inspection station that you have a mechanic and you will take it to him for repairs just tell what needs to be fixed and I will have them do the repairs and all of the sudden the car only needs a few things for a couple of hundred dollars and I just let them do the repairs. They are doing inspections hoping to get the repair side of the work.

Instead of creating some huge infrastructure just bill me $20.00 a year for plactic bag tax. No need to build and staff buildings, no need to help a retired state employee feather their nest anymore all the state would have to do is deposit the money.

Just my opinion!!

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Pat Magnum - Arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

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Exellent Suggestion - 2010-01-13 15:36:10

Pat made an excellent suggestion, that the emphasis should be on providing some incentive and convenience to recycle the bags, rather than charging people for them.
This would promote more recycling rather than generating income from the sale of plastic bags.

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Doug Hill - Arnold, MD - Karma: Excellent

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bags again - 2010-01-13 05:11:24

I don't know what it is like in the Annapolis area but here in De. alot of stores have a sign on the front door no large bags this even makes a problem for the person who walks to shop at a few locations and carries a bag.

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jim pearson - seaford, de - Karma: Terrible

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bags - 2010-01-12 23:36:20

Melanie lynch, I love your comment about discounts,it's like self check out if I check myself out I want a discount so I use the cashier simple no discount no self check out.

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jim pearson - seaford, de - Karma: Terrible

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recycling - 2010-01-12 11:48:47

The better plan is to create a recycling plan for plastic bags instead of taxing them. Recycled plastic bags are used for composite type lumber as well as doors and other home building products. It is also used to produce new bags, trash bags, etc...

Giving consumers an incentive to collect and return plastic bags, much like aluminum cans recyling would be a better solution. Taxing will just resign people to say OK, I have paid my dues, so I will just throw them out.

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Pat Magnum - Arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

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Makes sense to me - 2010-01-12 11:06:37

When former Alderman Shropshire first proposed a plastic bag ban years ago, I joined many people in rolling my eyes and considering it to be a noble waste of time, given our many other serious issues. But then I looked into the issue further. While I am still no expert, the information I have found seems to be consistent in saying that, while plastic bags are certainly not the most serious issue facing us, they nevertheless present a significant problem that we can easily, quickly and cheaply remedy. First, so-called free plastic bags are not really free, since the stores pass along the costs to us. Second, in an era of rapidly shrinking petrol supplies, cutting out another unnecessary source of petrol use is a wise idea. Finally, plastic bags carry significant environmental and even infrastructural costs, since they hang around for centuries and can clog municipal sewer/water systems, absorb, concentrate and transport toxins, and so forth. The fact that the most remote areas on earth contain huge rafts of plastic waste should tell us that this is not a sustainable way to proceed. And best of all, cutting out plastic bags cuts out a wasteful cost to both businesses and individual taxpayers.

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Jeff Schomig - Arnold, MD - Karma: Excellent

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so - 2010-01-12 10:35:12

basically, everyones groceries will go up in price so the store can pay the bag tax. Even if you bring your own bags to the store you will pay the price. That is the only effective way this can be done.

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Pat Magnum - Arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

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Comment removed by HometownAnnapolis staff. - 2010-01-11 20:29:56

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oversight - 2010-01-11 09:26:49

How will the "government" enforce it ? The same way they make sure you pay your taxes -- they will audit the stores and fine violators. very efficient and very effective !!

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Fred Shubbie - annapolis , md - Karma: Terrible

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oversight - 2010-01-11 09:14:48

how in the world is the government going to be able to oversee this. The squeeze is not worth the juice. Are stores going to have to barcode bags and scan them as used. Going to the store will take forever to checkout. But I would like to apply for a job as the bag police, I need a goverment pension! Maybe I could work my way up to the PB SWAT team, taking down little old ladies who drop a bag or two off their bill. We will take them down!

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Pat Magnum - Arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

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tax - 2010-01-10 00:18:15

go pat go ,lets talk tax what is your property tax 3-4k, I have a 1600 sq ft house on an acre and my taxes are under 600 I know my taxes in Shadyside were around 3000.I do most of my shopping in De. and I hate it when I have to go to Salisbury to buy something and pay the tax I have a lowes and a walmart here, if I only had a best buy I could save 180 dollars on the 3000 dollar tv,oh well will have to drive to Dover even if it twice the distance,but look at what I save and why do so many people come to the outlets here to save tax ,i know most of the outlets went bye bye a long time ago except Queenstown but we have miles of them at the beach good weekend trip shop one day and go to the beach the next,I guess if they don't get the tax they will charge you if you bring your own bag.just glad I moved!

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jim pearson - seaford, de - Karma: Terrible

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typcial - 2010-01-09 11:11:01

Here we go, gonna economize ourselves into prosperity and clean up the enviroment at the same time. What will the state spend building and staffing the Office of Plastic Bag Accountability? One can only imagine.


I for one will be creeping across the state line from DE with my groceries in my non-taxed grocery bags. Hope I can outrun the cops, will be putting a turbo on the minivan!!

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Pat Magnum - Arnold, MD - Karma: Bad

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bags - 2010-01-09 00:52:57

I don't care if its paper or plastic the name of the game is recycle I know you people in Annapolis have curbside recycle and we here in De. do not but most people go buy plastie bags for trash rather than use the one you got at the store heck if I get to many plastic bags I can take them to my walmart to recycle,how about all the yuppies that drink bottled water and most is from the tap but they think it is great to buy 2-3 bottles a day and in some ststes pay deposit on the bottle. bottom line just recycle and save. or better yet the person who buys only a bag of chips and needs a bag,well bag for a bag right and they wonder!

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jim pearson - seaford, de - Karma: Terrible

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Paper bags... - 2010-01-08 23:31:10

Paper bags are used at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Lauer's. Possibly other stores, too, but I am certain about those. I prefer them if I've forgotten to bring my own bags because they fit so much more than the plastic bags.

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Teresa Birge - Odenton, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Plastic Bags Are Litter? - 2010-01-08 19:41:51

Yes,they are -- because folks don't dispose of them properly. It's those FOLKS who litter, not the bags. Plastic bags can be recycled, and many folks do so -- more should. As to paper bags, I can't remember when I last saw one. I used to reuse them for wrapping packages to be shipped, now must buy rolls of brown paper. For more than a decade (that I know of), Giant has been rewarding customers who bring reusable bags to checkout. Let's have more carrots and fewer sticks -- Annapolis, are you listening?

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Tina Chite - Churchton, MD - Karma: Excellent

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Just another tax ... - 2010-01-08 12:19:55

There is no reason for this tax - other than the "leadership" in Annapolis trying to find yet another way to fleece the population of some more money that they can waste in some form or another.
If they truely want to cut down on the plastic bags - ban 'em outright... but that is not the object of this law - raising money is.
Luckily, this will probably not get enough votes to become law anytime soon.

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Conrad McGib - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Ditch the plastic bags - 2010-01-08 11:22:46

Many Americans have become some the most spoiled whiny babies on the planet when it comes to being inconvenienced. Ban plastic bags entirely. Maybe a lot of folks have not traveled in the third world. The amount of litter, 95 percent of which, seems to be plastic bags is appalling. You cannot find a river or stream bed that is not lined with countless plastic bags. As for the 5 cents per bag proposal; pay up or bring your own bag. Quit whining about a little inconvenience.

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Pasquale Zamzino - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

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It's pretty simple really... - 2010-01-08 09:58:15

you use their bags, they charge you five cents. You bring your own bags, you get five cents for each bag. That's how it works in Colorado. Promotes recycling.

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L Jackson - Lakewood, CO - Karma: Neutral

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Recycling pays, pay me!!! - 2010-01-08 08:42:39

On the county level Leopold is trying half-heartedly to promote recycling. He should compensate those of us that are fervent recyclers ( i hate spending money in garbage bags) and give us a substantial tax incentive thus negating the proposed state tax. How 'bout it. huh ?

We could all refuse to recycle in order to push my stellar agenda.

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Fred Shubbie - annapolis , md - Karma: Terrible

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Paper or Plastic - 2010-01-08 07:45:02

Simple solution, just abolish the plastic bags all together! They were a bad environmental idea from the start and have proven as such as seen ornamenting our trees, exacerbating landfill woes and choking our streams and eco-system.

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parry d - maryland, md - Karma: Neutral

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Sinmply - 2010-01-08 07:07:23

a distraction. The Democrats will feed the party friendly newspapers the grocery bags and gay-marriage material so they will cover it, and completely miss the tax increases they pass in the middle of the night. Where do you think Pelosi, Reid and Obama got that tactic?

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Peter Dennis - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Waste of time - 2010-01-07 19:54:08

The state is in more debt than GM , People are loosing their homes left and right to banks that just took a huge Govt. paycheck. Theres thousands of unemployeed marylanders and nearly as many homeless. And these politicians have nothing better to wory about then getting 5 cents for a grocery bag. Sure stoping polution is a noble cause but they have more important things to worry about.

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John Farrell - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Terrible

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bags - 2010-01-07 19:11:54

How about trying it now at just at grocery stores? I think that doing it at every single store to start with is a bit much.

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J D - severna park, md - Karma: Good

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BYOB - 2010-01-07 18:42:14

Giant in Bay Ridge already gives a discount for BYOB.

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Tyler Durden - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

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Time to change our mindset - 2010-01-07 15:47:41

Wow, if Ireland really was able to reduce their consumption of disposable bags by 90%, I think this is something we would be foolish not to look at. I admit I forget to bring my cloth bags more often than not, but I'm trying. I think it takes time to change your mindset. I certainly wouldn't require a bag for just one or two items, and I always reuse the disposable bags I do take. Already many grocery stores are rewarding people with 5 cents if they do bring their own bags. This just takes things a step further and allows the money for bags to be spent on cleaning up the environmental damage they cause.

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Stephanie P - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

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BYOB - 2010-01-07 14:27:08

Bring Your Own Bags.

Seriously, how difficult is it to remember to bring a couple of canvas bags to the grocery store when you go shopping for groceries? And if you are buying one or two things, why do you need a bag in the first place? Nobody should be taking a bag for a single item anyway - that's just plain lazy.

As far as who is going to pay for it - it is a TAX - the consumer is going to pay ALL of it, and the grocery chain is going to recover 20-40% of that depending upon whether the store pays the customer for bringing their own bags. If everyone winds up bringing their own bags, nobody pays this tax, and no money goes to the retailers or the Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust. It really is that simple.

This is an excellent idea which I am sure will please those other than the lazy and uncaring.

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Paul Jantzen - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

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Lawmakers target plastic, paper bag - 2010-01-07 14:13:21

And that 5￠ per bag - who do you think is going to pay it? That cost will get passed on to the consumer and as someone who brings their own bags and seldom gets credit back on those bags from the checkout person. Sounds like a nice deal for the Grocery chains. But it does nothing to encourage/reward people to bring their own bags.

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Melanie Lynch - , - Karma: Neutral

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It never stops! - 2010-01-07 14:01:57

Yea why not steal another 5 cents It just never stops.

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Robert Thompson - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

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bags..... - 2010-01-07 13:52:08

they just passed the 5 cents a bag here in d/c and it is just stupid to walk into the little store and pay 5 cents for a bag....trust me marylanders......you wont like this 5 cent a bag law.....why can't we try it for one year and then vote on it....it would never pass once you see how dumb it is....people will be out in front of stores going.....psssstttttt.....wanna buy a bag.........

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