Even for Vermont, this is rapid

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to impose a tax on plastic bags.

CHAPTER 234. TAX ON PLASTIC BAGS

§ 9901. IMPOSITION OF TAX ON PLASTIC BAGS

(a) There shall be paid by the purchaser or recipient a tax of $0.17 on each plastic bag purchased or received in a retail transaction in this state or purchased or received for use in this state. This tax shall be collected and administered in the same manner as the sales and use tax under chapter 233 of this title and shall be subject to the collection and administrative provisions of that chapter.

(b) “Plastic bag” in this section shall mean a bag or wrapping provided by a wholesale or retail seller, and which is composed in part or in whole of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, or similar material which will not readily decompose in a sealed landfill.

If these “caring” legislators worried about the waste stream, as they would like you to assume, they would modestly ban the plastic bag. Furthermore, if they wanted to really do something about such plastic glut, they would ban all the plastic sandals, shoes, belts, inorganic clothing, anything that is used by the “planet loving” enviros and animal rightists. These snippets of costume may break or fall into disservice but never decompose. Surely, keeping those items out of the vulnerable landfills would be primacy for these compassionate legislators; add them to the proscribed list.

While this crusade is in full cry, append plastic knives, forks and spoons, plastic coated plates, dry cleaning garment protectors, painter drop cloths, plastic paint roller inserts, shower curtains, sanitary food service gloves to the banned list.

Well, Reps Donovan, Edwards, Miller, Mrowicki, Pearson and Spengler what say thee.
Right, thought so. A more putrid portion of poltroons cannot be found, even in fiction.

This is about more spending, more taxes, to feed the greedy orifice of progressivism. The state is wobbling from revenue regression and a debit of employment. Soon the commercial real estate market will join with the collapsed residential market further corroding the school tax base. Yes, this is coming too. Recessions are like that in all aspects.

After you squander the $0.17/bag anticipated grab, after no one uses the revenue source anymore, how will you fund the programs promised, perhaps a tax on paper bags?

If your scheme has merit and finds endorsement by the multitudes of greenies, propose this method of collection: Send every household an envelope in which they may place the voluntary $0.17/bag tax and let them remit the funds to the state. The popularity of your position should insure generous sums in the state’s coffers. I foresee eager compliance from all the bunny cooching barkheads.

Archived in: Environmentalism, Progressives, Taxation, Taxes, Vermont