Question of the day
Friday, Mar 1, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tom Kacich regularly answers questions from readers. Here’s his latest…
“So, using the math in the plastic bag article our new governor (J.B. Pritzker) states there are 400,000,000 (that’s 400 million bags) the stores provide each year in Illinois. Seriously?”
The city of Chicago has a 7-cent bag tax (from which the city gets 5 cents and the retailer keeps 2 cents).
The city collected $5.6 million in 2017 and $5.9 million in 2018 from the bag tax.
Since Chicago’s population is about 21 percent of the state’s population, Pritzker’s budget team probably multiplied $5.9 million times 5, calculated for some loss from consumer behavior (primarily customers opting for reusable bags or no bags) and arrived at approximately $20 million.
That’s probably close, but part of the proposed state bag tax will be retained by retailers, like it is in the city. And, man, that’s a lot of bags. Whew.
* The Question: Do you support a state tax on plastic shopping bags? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
survey services
- WH Mess - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:11 pm:
It’s a good way to change behavior. I have lots of reusable bags I’m my trunk, but I always forgot them until getting dinged by the tax for about the tenth time.
- Almost the weekend - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:12 pm:
Stores such as Aldi do not have plastic bags you have to bring your own. Buy five $6 reusable grocery bags and never pay the tax. It’s that simple.
I’m surprised stores get to keep ~30% of that tax, they have no incentive to eradicating plastic bag use.
- What's in a name? - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:15 pm:
Everything plastic that can be done without should be taxed. Raise some money and change behavior. I think consumer behavior will be more significant than they expect.
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:16 pm:
I voted yes: like the first commenters said, use a reusable bag. We have so many in our house that we keep some in the car so we always have them at the store. Ikea also got rid of bags years ago and you just bring your own!
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:17 pm:
What happened to bio-degradable bags made from corn?
Can’t tax’em?
- JT11505 - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:19 pm:
I think half of those 400 million are under my sink.
- Anon - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:19 pm:
(More personal than policy yes vote here) I hate seeing them stuck in tress and bushes all over my neighborhood, particularly in the winter leafless months. Drives me nuts
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:21 pm:
Tilting the economics away from non-biodegradable bags makes sense. Their long term damage is too great. I would ban them like asbestos, but this is a useful act.
- Donnie Elgin - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:24 pm:
Voted no - any one with a dog ( poop bag) or school aged kids (lunch bags) knows that these things often get a second use. Also let consumers/business decide how best to use and dispose/recycle them.
- Truthteller - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:24 pm:
It’s a user tax, one that’s easily avoided. Why would anyone oppose it?
I live in Chicago. The tax has cost me nothing
- KBS - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:25 pm:
I’d prefer to see them banned altogether, but it makes sense to start here, and see if it reduces the number used.
- Responsa - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:29 pm:
Can’t answer yes or no till they honestly say what they are primarily trying to accomplish policy/revenue wise via plastic bags. If they most just want bags gone in Illinois for ecological reasons then flat out ban them. If they most want/need the revenue then make the tax only a few cents per bag which will make it likely that average shoppers won’t justify going through the hassle of bringing their own bags to avoid the tax entirely. The higher the bag tax the fewer plastic bags will probably be used and more reusable bags will be used– but also less revenue will be collected. Just be honest about the goal and don’t play games like with the soda tax debacle.
- don the legend - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:30 pm:
voted yes. I always support taxes I can easily avoid.
- Jen - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:31 pm:
I do support it; however, grocery stores need to reassess how they train their employees and overuse of plastic bags. I almost always remember my reusable bags, and am constantly being offered a plastic bag for my meat. The produce and meat sections are also supplied with plastic bags so you can place everything in separate plastic bag. So you get a bunch of free plastic bags, but have to pay if you want the plastic bags put into a bigger bag at check out? Doesn’t make much sense.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:31 pm:
===school aged kids (lunch bags)===
Probably shouldn’t do that https://lluh.org/patients-visitors/health-wellness/live-it/online-health-show/episode-2-reusable-grocery-bags
- Grandson of Man - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:38 pm:
Yes. We need revenue and to reduce the use of plastic disposables.
- Nacho - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:40 pm:
Yes. It’s easy to avoid having to pay the tax and that’s ultimately the point.
- Perrid - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:41 pm:
Sure, let’s try to limit plastic use. A little bit of revenue and a little bit of “greener” behavior.
- Lefty Lefty - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:42 pm:
Single-use plastic is the bane of our existence. It should be banned so a tax is a good place to start.
(Sorry this topic hits a nerve.)
- Heftyheftyhefty - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:42 pm:
Rich, I think you missed the point of that story. They are saying the reusable bags carry dangerous bacteria, which I guess
makes a case for keeping plastic bags.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:43 pm:
===They are saying the reusable bags carry dangerous bacteria===
Yes, but reusing plastic bags means you’ll have the same bacteria.
- Baby Boomer - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:45 pm:
YES. But it should be more than just a tax to reduce use of these bags. Taxes like this should be used to fund better recycling of plastics of all kinds, glass, metals….
- a drop in - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:55 pm:
” They are saying the reusable bags carry dangerous bacteria”
Mine go into the laundry.
- thoughts matter - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:56 pm:
No. However, I’d love to go back to the paper bag use. I always found multiple uses for those.
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 4:01 pm:
Bring back the paper bags.
- Earnest - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 4:02 pm:
I voted “yes.” The state needs more revenue. I respect any of our political leaders who support unpopular things like taxes or cuts (specific taxes and cuts, I should say, not “cut waste and fraud”).
- JoanP - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 4:05 pm:
I do not support ANY tax on plastic bags, state or city. It’s one of the most irritating things ever. I wish everyone who voted for it would come over and clean out my cat’s litter box with their bare hands.
- Notorious RBG - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 4:07 pm:
Call me a tree-hugging liberal, but I hate single use plastic. I think that we have a huge responsibility to care for our planet, and average Americans do very little in this regard. The bag tax is a great way to change individual behavior, help the environment, and in the meantime, make some money for the state. The environmentalist in me says its not enough, but the practical taxpayer in me says it will be good for the state.
… it just occurred to me, however, that it is easy for me to vote as I did on this because I already own my own bags and bring them everywhere. State adoption of a bag tax has the same effect on me as when the city did: $0.
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 4:11 pm:
Cat litter box tip #1…don’t pick up kitty poo with your hands.
My dear wife often utilizes this same form of logic…to my amusement.
Make the Cat pay the tax?
- Anonymous - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 4:21 pm:
(More personal than policy yes vote here) I hate seeing them stuck in tress and bushes all over my neighborhood, particularly in the winter leafless months. Drives me nuts
Nuts me too…I fish for them with my baitcasting rod/reel and a weighted treble hook…turns out to be quite a bit of fun…set the hook!
- Don Gerard - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 4:22 pm:
====JT11505 - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 3:19 pm:
I think half of those 400 million are under my sink.===
Wait…Mom?
- Anon Y - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 4:22 pm:
In Chicago its the elderly, busy moms, young kids and single men it doesn’t seem fair.
- Pundent - Friday, Mar 1, 19 @ 4:29 pm:
= I wish everyone who voted for it would come over and clean out my cat’s litter box with their bare hands.=
They sell biodegradable bags for this. Lot better for you and your cat.