Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) today called the Mayor’s plan to collect a six-cent surcharge for plastic bags “outrageous,” saying this is “the wrong place and the wrong time” for this initiative.
“Bloomberg is essentially saying, ‘Look, we can possibly generate $16 million with this scheme, so the public be damned,’” said an incensed Hikind. Wall Street’s meltdown has already cost New York State 160,000 jobs, and the Mayor just yanked the $400 City property tax rebate out from under struggling homeowners.
“While Bloomberg is busy seeing green, New Yorkers, especially in my district, are seeing red.” Hikind said. “How does the Mayor expect New Yorkers to have any cash to spare when people are already overtaxed and overburdened?”
The Mayor’s proposal, which requires the approval of the City Council before it becomes law, will charge shoppers a six-cent fee for every plastic bag used at all checkout registers. Five of the six cents will be directed to City coffers, while one cent goes to the merchants as payment for complying with the measure. Current estimates put New Yorkers’ plastic bag usage at one billion bags per year. The City plans to implement the fee by next summer.
Hikind argued, “The Mayor can call his plan whatever he wants, but at the end of the day, it’s nothing more than a tax, tax, tax. This matter should be brought before the State legislature for consideration. I am confident that given the opportunity, my colleagues and I will have the good sense to defeat this proposal.”
(Eli Gefen – YWN Queens Ops’ Desk)
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10 Responses
Thank you Dov, our voice of reason. This is another of Mayor Bloomberg’s ploys, and it would be a disaster if it is implemented.
I think Hikind is missing the point. The purpose of the tax is not really to make the city money (although one cannot deny that it will). The point is to get people to stop using plastic bags (many countries have outlawed them altogether). If, instead of complaining about it, everyone spent $5 on reusable plastic or canvas bags, this tax won’t really affect people. Get with the program people!
I’m sure that if the cashiers or baggers would fill each bag up a little more,that would cut back tremendously on how many bags are used. It bothers me sometimes when I’m in these stores (like Walmart to name one) that the person puts just one or 2 items in and moves on to the next beg. What a waste! Over time that really adds up.
Well of course bacci40 you would be in favor of such a tax. Your idol Barack Hussein Obama wants to place caps on carbon emissions including carbon dioxide emissions. So, this would save New York City penalties.
dcone: you are really naive. Bloomberg ONLY cares about MONEY. his Green NYC, is just a scheme. wake up!!
Although Mayor Bloomberg won the right to run for a 3rd term, that is still a far cry from actually winning the election. The rollback of the $400 real estate tax rebate was not such a surprise. Almost everyone knew that its enactment was a political “sleight of hand” to be used whenever needed…like now. However, enacting new taxes, which in the case of plastic bags will affect everyone, is totally another matter. Remember the “hue and cry” when the Mayor tried to enact congestion pricing. Well, “you ain’t seen nothing yet”. Mr. Mayor, keep on upsetting people and all the money in the world won’t get you re-elected. Now is the time to show leadership. Reduce bloated payrolls and demand givebacks in exchange for jobs from the unions.
Bloomberg should just write a big check to the city he could afford it.
My sechel tells me that it won’t work – cuz people are gonna start using boxes – that ends up being $8 mill. rather then $16 mill. – what does your Sechel say?
I just moved out of NYC. Goodbye city taxes, goodbye parking tickets, goodbye Bloomberg. Why should anyone WANT to live in NYC anymore?
This thing is only about money and shoving a green agenda down everyone’s pocket. Hikind is so right on this.