Not-So-Green Seattle Voters Reject Grocery Bag Tax

By Jane Yager, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 19, 2009 5:10 AM CDT

(Newser) – The $1.4 million the plastics industry spent to defeat a grocery bag tax initiative paid off yesterday when Seattle voters defied their green reputation to reject the tax, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. The measure would have charged shoppers 20 cents per plastic or paper bag as an incentive to reduce disposable bag use; 58% of Seattle voters said no.

Proponents of the ban, which had been passed by the city council but blocked by a petition to put it before voters, spent just $80,000 to support it.

This Aug. 3, 2009 photo shows Donnie McGowan grabbing his plastic sacks of groceries at the M Street Grocery in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

This Aug. 3, 2009 photo shows Clerk Allison Ure lifting groceries she's bagged in a plastic sack at the M Street Grocery in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

This Aug. 3, 2009 photo shows a clerk bagging groceries in plastic sacks at the M Street Grocery in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

SalParadise

Aug 19, 2009 12:55 PM CDT

You'd drop two dimes and not even sweat picking them up. That's really a drop in the water, and not all that much more than the six cents you pay now.

armywife

Aug 19, 2009 10:50 AM CDT

how disappointing. when i lived in germany, they had a bag tax, i think it was roughly 10 cents a bag, and it really encouraged people to bring their own bags. it's such a small price to pay to make a very big difference. shame.

Mad

Aug 19, 2009 8:10 AM CDT

Yes, that's true, folks who don't want to pay more taxes are a 'silent majority'...... Riiiiiiiiiiight

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Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Source Grid »)

plastic bags • environmentalism • Seattle • lobbying • tax policy • voter referendum

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Not-So-Green Seattle Voters Reject Grocery Bag Tax

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plastic bags • environmentalism • Seattle • lobbying • tax policy • voter referendum

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More Newser Stories

LA County Bans Plastic Bags

And puts a surcharge on paper ones to boot

Target Will Pay Shoppers to Bring Their Own Bags

Large retailers join smaller niche stores to offer rebates for reusing

Reusable Bags: A Tricky Shade of Green

Thicker plastic requires more energy to produce, decomposes slower

Seattle Slaps 20¢ Fee on All Grocery Bags

Paper or plastic, shoppers must pay up

Tax Helped the Irish Bag Plastic

When gov't enacted 33-cent tax, usage dropped 94% in weeks

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Not-So-Green Seattle Voters Reject Grocery Bag Tax

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

plastic bags • environmentalism • Seattle • lobbying • tax policy • voter referendum

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

LA County Bans Plastic Bags

And puts a surcharge on paper ones to boot

Target Will Pay Shoppers to Bring Their Own Bags

Large retailers join smaller niche stores to offer rebates for reusing

Reusable Bags: A Tricky Shade of Green

Thicker plastic requires more energy to produce, decomposes slower

Seattle Slaps 20¢ Fee on All Grocery Bags

Paper or plastic, shoppers must pay up

Tax Helped the Irish Bag Plastic

When gov't enacted 33-cent tax, usage dropped 94% in weeks

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?