Following a lively debate this afternoon, the New York State Senate, led by Majority Leader John Flanagan, voted to overturn the NY City Council’s recent passage of a plastic bag tax.
Championed by Senator Simcha Felder (Brooklyn) and Assemblyman Michael Cusick (Staten Island), the Senate bill S.7336 will amend the general city law in relation to prohibiting the imposition of any tax, fee or local charge on carry-out merchandise bags. The bill was introduced by Felder after what the Senator considered an unjust effort by the City Council to impose its will on a majority of New Yorkers who disagreed with the measure.
“The last thing New Yorkers need is another regressive tax,” said Felder when he introduced his bill. Standing with Assemblyman Cusick and flanked by his colleagues in the Senate, including Senators Marty Golden (Brooklyn), Roxanne Persaud (Brooklyn) and Diane Savino (Staten Island), Felder introduced his bill at a press conference last month and initiated an on-line Stop the Bag Tax petition, which allowed his constituents and other New Yorkers to weigh in on the issue. Felder and the Senate’s Cities Committee also chaired a Public Hearing in Manhattan. The Senate’s Cities Committee voted unanimously in favor of moving the bill forward.
Felder began fighting the bag tax as a member of the NY City Council, when the measure was introduced in 2008. “I’ve been disgusted every time I’ve heard the absurd plastic bag tax legislation introduced,” he said. “New York City has to stop nickel and diming New Yorkers. This tax placed an undue financial burden on countless low- and middle-income residents who already struggle.”
Following today’s vote, Felder thanked his colleagues in the Senate for passing his bill. “I appreciate the support that we had today, but I wasn’t surprised by the outcome because my colleagues have followed this issue closely and heard the concerns of New Yorkers far and wide,” he said. The Senator noted that Assemblyman Cusick is now leading the charge in the Assembly where the bill has already passed the Cities Committee. “I’m hopeful that the bill will now pass in the Assembly,” he said.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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2 Responses
Thank you Senator Felder for fighting for common sense. The City Council over here is as corrupt as can be. I just can’t understand how the low information constituents allow their elected Councilman to get away with something that would hurt THEM. B”H, our Councilman, David Greenfield was very vocal against it.
I THINK A BETTER IDEA TO CUT DOWN ON THE DUMPING OF TONS OF PLASTIC BAGS IS THE SUPERMARKETS GIVE A ONE PENNY [OR TWO CENTS] PER BAG BONUS TO THOSE WHO BRING THEIR USED BAGS WHEN SHOPPING. THE STORE SAVES MONEY BY NEEDING LESS REPLACEMENTS BAGS AND CONSUMERS GET A TINY BONUS FOR THEIR SPECIAL EFFORT TO SAVE THE BAGS INSTEAD OF PUTTING THEM IN THE GARBAGE. PERHAPS SUCH AN IDEA WILL PICK UP STEAM AND BECOPME STANDARD. HOW ABOUT IT???