[Durham INC] DC has done it, why not Durham? (Tax on plastic bags)

[Melissa Rooney]

I was quite interested in today's Durham News article "A Year without Plastic," and in ensuing discussions found out that D.C. taxes plastic bags (5 cents, with 1 cent going to the store/vendor). What a great idea! I wrote the city council, county commissioners, and the city and county managers to ask that they consider doing the same for Durham. My short letter/email in this regard is below.

If you agree that this is a good idea, I hope you will show your support to our governing bodies as well.

Thanks!
Melissa (Rooney)



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Melissa Rooney <mmr121570 at yahoo.com>
To: council at ci.durham.nc.us; commissioners at durhamcountync.gov  
Cc: Tom.Bonfield at durhamnc.gov; mruffin at co.durham.nc.us Subject: DC has done it, why not Durham? (Tax on plastic bags)


WRT city or county tax revenue...
I recently became aware that Washington D.C. voted unanimously to impose a 5 cent tax on plastic bags (at grocery/convenience/department/etc. stores).

Here's a link to the story in the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/02/AR2009060201989.html

A tax on plastic bags makes perfect sense to me. I carry around burlap and other bags in my car but usually forget to use them. A 5 cent tax on bags will be an effective reminder ;) I can't count the number of times I've seen (and usually picked up) discarded plastic bags at the roadside, our parks, in our streams, etc. What a waste -- in so many ways.

Durham could use money raised from the tax for a fund to clean up our waterways, or for funds for our schools (that would make a lot of people happy).

I think this is a great idea, and I certainly hope you will consider it. At the very least, it would be worth having a referendum on the next ballot.

Thanks for considering!
Melissa

Melissa Rooney, Ph.D.
301 Spring Garden Drive
Durham, NC 27713
mmr121570 at yahoo.com


      
-------------- next part --------------
HTML attachment scrubbed and removed