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Thursday, May 14, 2009

Council Action On 25-Cent Plastic Bag Fee Delayed

Legislation proposed by City Councilman Frank DiCicco and Jim Kenney to put a 25-cent fee on every plastic bag given to customers at stores in Philadelphia is being delayed during this morning's weekly Council session.  It's clear that some Council members want changes to the legislation.  DiCicco played off the delay with a joke in Council's caucus meeting.

"I'm holding this because it's a rainy day and some people didn't bring an umbrella and need the plastic bags to hold over their heads," DiCicco quipped.

The legislation, designed to cut down on litter, requires businesses with more than $1 million in annual sales to give 75 percent of the bag fee to the city.  Businesses with less revenue would keep the fee.
Posted by Chris Brennan @ 11:11 AM  Permalink | 30 comments
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:36 AM, 05/14/2009
    Just another reason to shop out side the city, save on bags save 2 cents on tax. GOING TO DRIVE THE PEOPLE OUT OF THE CITY.
    — october9
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:42 AM, 05/14/2009
    This is good policy that has been successful in a lot of places. It's usually pretty easy to bring a bag. For times when it isn't, or you forget, a quarter is not going to kill you. But it gives people some motivation to do their bit. Everybody has seen discarded plastic bags swirling down the street. This law neatly addresses that problem. And the quarter goes to the shopkeeper who has to buy the bag, so it's business-friendly and fair. Get this done, Councilmen DiCicco and Kenney!
    — JohnI
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:54 AM, 05/14/2009
    I was going to walk around the corner to the grocery store. But instead I drove to Croyden because hey, free bags. Is that how it is, Mr. Caps Lock?
    — JohnI
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:08 PM, 05/14/2009
    I love that every time the City talks about instituting some kind of progressive policy (not as frequent an event as I'd like, but getting better), comment boards on the site are full of people with knee-jerk reactions about people either leaving or deciding not to come to teh city as a result (for examples, see any articles about recent changes in parking in Center City). What kind of city do we want to live in? One that's choked with cars and plastic bags, or a clean walkable city?
    — AMC4232
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:11 PM, 05/14/2009
    What is the problem with this act? Everyone complains about litter and this could definitely help curb it, whats not to love?
    — FishtownYo
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:13 PM, 05/14/2009
    My kids don't have an extra quater to buy a friggin plastic bag.
    — Manny-Mann
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:17 PM, 05/14/2009
    please people - you'd rather go to the burbs to shop than spring reusable bags? i understand the knee-jerk reaction to say to hell with the city for this tax, but why not take the enlightened approach and use this as an opportunity to buy reusable bags and help cut down on pollution.
    — philly57
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:23 PM, 05/14/2009
    There is a supermarket that already charges for plastic bags. The main purpose of the policy is decrease the number of plastic bags being tossed in the trash. It's a real problem. Kids go to the store and buy a small bag of chips and they get a plastic bag. Both the chips and bag get tossed as litter. Stores in Philly will switch to paper bags.
    — Byron
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:26 PM, 05/14/2009
    This is a joke. People are losing their jobs, and because of poor management in the city of Philadelphia, their answer is to charge for everything. Some people have shopping orders so big it would cost them $2 just to bring their bags home. The city needs to enforce no littering laws. Name one time anyone has seen someone fined for littering?
    — EC1981
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:34 PM, 05/14/2009
    if this is going to raise money for the city why wasn't it included in the budget?
    — dreinterests
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:43 PM, 05/14/2009
    We need to bring back a great cartoon from the early/mid 90's, this superhero taught that it was coll to stay in school, and save the environment- ahhh only if he were real....... "EARTH!" "FIRE!" "WIND!" "WATER!" "HEART!" "Go Planet!" "By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet!" Captain Planet, he's our hero Gonna take pollution down to zero He's our powers magnified And he's fighting on the planet's side Captain Planet, he's our hero Gonna take pollution down to zero Gonna help him put asunder Bad guys who like to loot and plunder "You'll pay for this Captain Planet!" We're the Planeteers You can be one too 'Cause saving our planet is the thing to do! Looting and polluting is not the way Hear what Captain Planet has to say! "The Power is Yours!" Now go hug a tree you eco freaks, while I take my SUV to the north pole and suffocate polar bears and harbor seals with my plastic bags
    — Criz2020
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:46 PM, 05/14/2009
    Rather than charge people a 25 cent fee for using paperbags, the city should provide some sort on incentive for companies to provide an alternative
    — K_Ball
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:46 PM, 05/14/2009
    Rather than charge people a 25 cent fee for using paperbags, the city should provide some sort on incentive for companies to provide an alternative
    — K_Ball
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:48 PM, 05/14/2009
    Hopefully it wont't rain after our sisters get their hair did. What is Chinatown going to do without plastic bags? lol
    — Dvs Mind


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About The Philly Clout Team
PhillyClout
Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns.
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics ­– which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002 and has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. After covering the 2007 mayoral election, she moved over to the City Hall bureau where she has been reporting on the Nutter administration.
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans.
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