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Takko ready to take on Seattle's bag fee

Thursday, August 7, 2008 11:57 PM PDT

By Cheryll A. Borgaard

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Rep. Dean Takko is seeing red over the city of Seattle’s latest effort to go green.

Last week, the Seattle City Council voted to enact a 20-cent fee for each disposable paper or plastic bag used at grocery, drug and convenience stores.

“We grow trees in this state, and we make paper in this state, and paper is recyclable,” said Takko, D-Longview. “I don’t have an issue with plastic bags, but the idea of charging for paper really started to bother me.”

Takko said Wednesday he will be submitting a bill during the next legislative session that would prohibit local governments, such as cities or counties, from taxing or making consumers pay for bags.

And for Takko, there are other flaws in Seattle’s new law beyond the paper-recycling issue.

“There are three things: recycling, jobs and it’s literally a tax that will be passed on to the consumer,” he said.

“If you go to a grocery store and buy $100 worth of groceries, you probably will need to use five bags,” Takko said. “That’s basically a 1 percent tax on your groceries.”

He also questioned why grocery, drug and convenience stores customers were being targeted.

“Why aren’t we doing something with (paper or plastic) bags at the high end of the market, like Macy’s or other retail stores?” he said.

Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin said Thursday he finds Takko’s proposed legislation “inappropriate.”

“If you look at Rep. Takko’s Web site, it says ‘protecting local government,’ “ Conlin said. “I would hope he would recognize that stopping the local governments would be very much inconsistent with his philosophy.”

Conlin said the Seattle City Council spent about a year studying the issue before enacting the law, which takes effect Jan. 1. The bag fee attracted record attention from city residents. The Seattle Times reported that Conlin heard from 4,500 people on the issue.

“I’d say the calls were 10 to 1 in favor (of the fee),” Conlin said.

He also defended the choice of targeted stores. “This is where 70 percent of the plastic bags are distributed, so that has the largest potential for reduction,” he said.

Conlin emphasized there will be a program to provide bags to low-income people and stood behind the fee for both paper and plastic bags

“The waste reduction hierarchy says reduction is favorable over recycling,” he said. “The making of paper bags, the transport of them and even recycling them does involve environmental problems, and our consultant did, in fact, show that there was extensive impact.”

Takko said his proposal is not against his philosophy.

“If it’s a bad idea, it’s a bad idea,” he said Thursday. “Local governments can come up with bad ideas, just like the county can or the state can. If they’re bad decisions, I don’t care if it’s or local government or my decision. Bad is bad.”

Takko, whose 18th District covers the cities of Longview, Kelso, all of Wahkiakum County and parts of Pacific and Grays harbor counties, said he already has support from the coastal caucus and also some key Democrats.

“But there will be plenty of Puget Sound legislators who won’t be happy,” he said.

Related articles:

Seattle considering Styrofoam ban, fee on disposable bags  (July 8)

Seattle City Council approves shopping bag fee  (July 28)

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mwallin wrote on Aug 8, 2008 12:20 AM:

" Good job, Dean. "

mike oxard wrote on Aug 8, 2008 6:12 AM:

" Thanks for looking out for our area Dean. Maybe the Seattle city council should look into educating the public on how the use of bags effect the environment and then maybe people will reduce their use or bring reusable bags like I do. "

3348a wrote on Aug 8, 2008 6:58 AM:

" You couldn't be more wrong Mr. Takko. Look at the global problem...we commend the city of Seattle on their proposal. There is plenty of other uses for paper. "

cheney119 wrote on Aug 8, 2008 7:00 AM:

" We make paper and it's recycleable, but it's not free. If people realize that they might stop throwing it away so easily. What would Dean say if some Seattle Representative told our Cathlamet what to do, like abolish Waukiakum County. Mind your own business, Dean. We have serious issues and much higher priorities for our legislators to concern ourselves with. Seattle is extremely successful, prehaps we could learn from them instead of sounding like a bunch of ignorant hicks. Now you ignorant hicks can attack my post, have at it. "

Pierce Co. Repub. wrote on Aug 8, 2008 7:07 AM:

" We need to put a fence around Seattle and make it the 51st state. I try to avoid the place myself. "

red3953 wrote on Aug 8, 2008 7:56 AM:

" They should charge for plastic, not paper. Paper can be recycled & composted. Paper supports whats left of the timber industry. Reduce, reuse, recycle, respect. "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Aug 8, 2008 8:14 AM:

" Boy that Liberal Takko sure knows how to tackle the difficult issues. You go Takko. You are a true hero. "

ac wrote on Aug 8, 2008 8:21 AM:

" What happens with stores like Walmart and Fred Meyers which are both department and grocery stores? Do you bag your groceries separately and pay for those bags? And if you use the self-check is there a bag dispenser that charges you for each bag? And what if you elect to take your single item and receipt and use no bag at all? If that item happens to be a six-pack of beer, state law requires it to be in a bag. I'm not from Seattle but I am having a hard time figuring out the law. I guess I just won't shop in Seattle and I won't have to worry about their rules. "

Kalama Dude wrote on Aug 8, 2008 8:29 AM:

" Yes, GREAT JOB and better idea! "

alertcitizen wrote on Aug 8, 2008 8:30 AM:

" Someone said Portland is already charging for bags. If so, how is that working out? I don't think they should charge for paper bags. I think a charge of .20 is steep for plastic bags. When I bring in my bags, I get a refund of .05 at MP, .06 at Winco, and only .03 at Safeway. I get nothing at Walmart, who wastes a lot of bags. How much is each bag really worth anyway? I know, that's not the point, environment preservation is. Good Job, Takko!!! Stay on it. "

reasonable1 wrote on Aug 8, 2008 9:01 AM:

" So glad DT is there to fight the big, bloody fights for us. feh "

DUH wrote on Aug 8, 2008 9:20 AM:

" I agree that something has to be done about the plastic bag issue. I have heard it said that it can take up to 700 years for plastic to completely decompose. I don't think it quite fair to tax the consumer when its the stores that hand them out like there's no tomorrow. I think they should go to paper only or reusable canvas bags. And to you cheney119, the only one that sounds ignorant is you. You always resort to immature grade school name calling. Also shows a high level of maturity. Your mommy must be proud. "

Gondolapete wrote on Aug 8, 2008 9:57 AM:

" Good job Takko!!!About time someone challenged these i.d.i.o.t.s who want to tax us to death to "Save the planet". "

TDN Bad Boy wrote on Aug 8, 2008 10:18 AM:

" Wow Cheney if I didn't know better I would say you are a Republican. Here's another issue that we agree on. Takko sure is tackling a very difficult issue here. He fights the big fights and leaves the little ones like fighting meth for the little people. "

DW wrote on Aug 8, 2008 10:26 AM:

" Just wondering if anyone caught the city counsel president, Richard Conlin's quote about Takko's proposed legistlation. He actually said that stopping local government was wrong. Let's take that a little farther. I would say he means "Stopping government is wrong." So in other words the government knows better what to do with our lives than we do, the people. I am sick and tired of government that comes at the people. They think we are to dumb to run our lives, and since they are all knowing and all seeing we should bow to their greatness. People, you better look out, they will keep finding ways to run our lives until we have no life or money left. That's not how this country was founded. It was founded because of government that came at the people, like we are seeing now. "

Thought wrote on Aug 8, 2008 10:27 AM:

" I can understand a fee on plastic. Paper on the other hand breaks down very fast. Wonder what they are going to charge on boxes at Cosco? One more major global problem solved. Cheney119
Hear that sucking sound??? No.. Its not the vacuum in your head. Its all the revenue from the state being wasted in Seattle. Just one Hick to another!!! "

greenbean wrote on Aug 8, 2008 10:41 AM:

" Maybe it's just me, but I think I remember when plastic bags first came out they were touted as better than paper bags, because we are saving trees. Now they are evil because they clog landfills. Is anyone else sick of this? I happen to recycle both paper and plastic bags. I personally hate plastic bags because they give you so stinking many of them - I always wondered how using 4 times as many bags could be considered better. I have bought the reusable bags from Fred Meyer, and I like them. But a 20 cent tax per bag is rediculous -- that has to be 19.8 cents more than it costs to produce the bags. If they are so terrible, why not go after the bag manufacturers or the stores that use them instead of the consumer? How is it are government is so screwed up they are attacking us instead? "

Gondolapete wrote on Aug 8, 2008 10:47 AM:

" TDB bad boy, as the self proclaimed greatest conservative in the world, why do you have a problem with someone challenging a ridiculous tax? What exactly do you want Takko to do about meth?? You expect him to personally go start arresting meth lab operators and the users? "

onaprayer wrote on Aug 8, 2008 10:57 AM:

" How will this be monitored at stores such as WINCO, where you bag your own things? Before you know it, the police will arrest you if you are caught throwing away anything recyclable. Lock me up!!! "

cheney119 wrote on Aug 8, 2008 11:18 AM:

" Thanks TDN why does the legislature have any say what the City of Seattle does? Because we make paper bags? If we don't use the wood fiber for bags we'll just us it for something else. Isn't it kind of stupid to use a bag once and discard it or recycle it? Just doesn't make any sense. If you people don't like being called stupid hicks you could stop blogging like them. You prove my point every damn day. "

Louie wrote on Aug 8, 2008 11:36 AM:

" If we could all just get ourselves in the habit of taking reusable bags to the grocery store we could help alleviate the negative environmental impacts of non-recyclable plastic. I do think it should apply to any business using non-recyclable plastic though and not just the grocery stores. I know some plastic is recyclable to why not make it all recyclable...cost is probably the factor but so what?...just do it! "

reasonable1 wrote on Aug 8, 2008 12:11 PM:

" Actually, onaprayer, Winco pays you to bring your own bag. So do MarketPlace and Fred Meyer. I'm happy to do it. "

Doug McCratch wrote on Aug 8, 2008 12:19 PM:

" I guess Dean Takko doesn't understand that people won't get charged ANYTHING if they bring their own bag to the store, or carry stuff out bagless while clutching their receipt. It doesn't seem like that big of a burden to me to charge 20 cents for a bag-- it'll get people to stop and think, "Do I really need a bag to carry this pack of gum?" "

Gondolapete wrote on Aug 8, 2008 12:37 PM:

" I guess some of you are having a hard time understanding this.Takko is taking this one, because it unfairly targets only certain stores and customers.


He also questioned why grocery, drug and convenience stores customers were being targeted.

Why arent we doing something with (paper or plastic) bags at the high end of the market, like Macys or other retail stores? he said. "

bmoc wrote on Aug 8, 2008 12:38 PM:

" Takko is the king of pointless legislation. First he puts through the police chase bill, and now this stupid thing. It tells me exactly who he is answering to: Cops and Fibre. Sounds like a real candidate of the people. I wish I could have voted for someone besides him, but I just had to leave my ballot blank in that spot. I think if a majority would leave the ballot blank, then the candidate should be replaced by no one. That would be awesome! "

red3953 wrote on Aug 8, 2008 12:44 PM:

" We used 48 million barrels of oil last year to make plastic grocery bags. If we used the oil for something else, just think how maybe gas prices or......could be different. "

El Fuego wrote on Aug 8, 2008 1:15 PM:

" Np offense, but I wonder how much paper TDN puts in our system daily? Next it will be paper plates, paper cups, paper towels. egg cartons, toilet paper, etc.
Paper comes from a renewable resourse and creates many jobs. Reduce paper and you will reduce jobs. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't feel like we have a government, but a dictatorship instead. By the way, who gets this twenty cents a bag? bet it won't go for cleaning up the plastic bag mess or our environment, but in to the coffers of the merchants or uncle dic-tator. Thats the way I feel. "

CRgirl wrote on Aug 8, 2008 3:03 PM:

" Although I agree with the idea of using less and even phasing out plastic grocery sacks (they are the new urban tumbleweed, don't you know), the process of doing that seems rather vague at this time.
I know this much: I would not want to be the poor clerk who gets handed a filthy bag (not been washed since the customer got it, that kind of thing) and being forced to bag groceries into it (and get who knows what kind of germs off of it, I might add). The response to that will be that people should bag their own groceries. What about senior citizens or the disabled? We still need to think about those people, even though it is sometimes seems more environmentally friendly to ignore them and their needs. "

greenbean wrote on Aug 8, 2008 3:19 PM:

" I don't have a problem with encouraging use of re-usable bags, and discouraging over use of plastic bags. But this legislation is just stupid, and thank you Dean Takko for taking it one. Where exactly will the 20 cents per bag go -- to clean up the environment? I doubt it. And, why are certain stores targeted, why not the manufacturers? I happen to think plastic bags are very useful - I re-use them as well. I just don't need 50 million of them. "

gimpy wrote on Aug 8, 2008 3:27 PM:

" Americans use way too much of the world's resources. If we just eliminated free bags at stores, think what we could do with the resources used to make them. I try to remember my own bags whenever I shop. And there is no reason for it to be "filthy". Really, if some pig wants his stuff in a dirty bag, he should get it. "

recycledcraftsblog@yahoo.com wrote on Aug 8, 2008 4:20 PM:

" I live here. My dad worked at Weyhauser for 33 years and my ex at Fiber going on 20. Many friends and family are paper makers or somehow involved in the paper industry. In no way I would ever wish them any financial harm. But there comes a time when people have to start thinking about this world what the effects of our personal consumption is doing to it. I love my family and friends that is why I WANT there to be a ban on plastic and paper bags.

Did you know that plastic bags NEVER decompose, they photo degrade. They break up into little pieces and are put back into the food chain. People wonder why our fish are toxic, plastic is made from petroleum.
Paper and plastic are both harmful. Paper sacks generate 70% more air and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags. Not to mention manufacturing of bags produce greenhouse gasses.
If people want to afford cigarettes they will find the money somehow but will cry foul if they have to spend a nickel to help their earth. A charge for 5 bags might be a dollar but you can use those bags over and over again and be doing something that is helping you and your children.
Go see a good video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2TYSWbqGJ0 "

ThereGoesThatTriptoHawaii wrote on Aug 8, 2008 4:26 PM:

" TDN Badboy: Why do you always call people names? And what's worse is the best you can come up with are political monikers. Creative. Calling people names without justification. Maybe you should be 'Little Boy' instead. Let me save you some typing: I'm a Republican. Try and look beyond liberals, or hippies, or greenies, the fact is using paper or plastic (which is also recyclable, red3953) destroys, then becomes waste itself. We really should be more responsible, and not get all bent out of shape when someone has a good idea. The trouble is, we're near-sighted, we have no concern or regret for the people that will take our place in a couple of generations. Shame too, some of them might have our blood. "

DW wrote on Aug 8, 2008 4:33 PM:

" The way I see it this is almost a completely uninforcable law. What will we have next?? The bag police standing in line to make sure the clerk charges for every bag used....That's beautiful. Meth on the streets, and we have the bag police handing out $500 citations to stores and clerks for not following the will of the government gods. CRgirl has a good point also. I work in retail. How do I know where or what these people are doing with their bags before they make me touch it and fill it with groceries. Just because of this article, I will tell the clerk to double bag, (paper in plastic) everything I buy. That way I use extra wood products and plastic. Need to keep the economy going you know. Buy the way paper in plastic makes a good cat box cleaning repository before it goes to the landfill. Ha, I even reuse the paper in plastic, how green is that!! Just like this idea of charging for bags, I'll fill all my bags with a load of crap and send it off with Waste Control. "

Gondolapete wrote on Aug 8, 2008 4:35 PM:

" Hey Red, since the USA uses 20 million barrels per day of oil..actually 20.7 million a day, why dont you show us just how much 48 million barrels a year saved will lower fuel prices?? You all live in another world, if you truly think plastic grocery bags are going to be our demise. What ever happened to logical thought? "

weezer123 wrote on Aug 8, 2008 5:30 PM:

" I got a question how many of you are going to have to pay this tax? last time I checked it's in seattle so the "great" people of longview shouldn't give a damn what is going on is a different city. Secondly, DW he was actually saying that he knows what is better for seattle than some small town clown that is about as far away from Seattle both socially and economically as is possible. The reason for this tax is to get people to use reusable bags, who cares where the 20 cents goes, if you don't like it go buy the reusable bags and you don't have to pay it. Eventually it will work its self out to where to no one is being charged. Or at least that is the goal. the reason they are starting with grocery stores is those stores make up 70% of the bags being used, shouldn't you start with the biggest problem. I am sure after the city council has a chance to see if effects of this bill they will go after other stores too. Come on they have to start somewhere. The big issue I have with this Longview hack is that he thinks that the state should determine what goes on in the city. The bottom line is the people of seattle want this tax, they approved it 10-1 according to people survey by the city council. So he does know what seattle wants more than Takko. "

weezer123 wrote on Aug 8, 2008 5:38 PM:

" Also regardless of where the tax is charged it is going to end up being paid by consumers anyway. If the government charges WAL-Mart 20 cents for each bag, Wal-Mart just raises their prices a little big to recoupe the fee and we pay it anyway, plus mark up. The resuable bags are $1 go buy ten and thats what $10 bucks and you never pay this tax, you reduce the need for plastic bags, the oil is used for something else. You reduce the need for paper bags, the wood is used for something else, and in the end all is well. No one is charged 20 cents so the government is making any money and the stores will actually pay you to bring in those bags. Sounds like a win win to me, but hell I probably missed the boat somewhere on why the people of Longview are so upset about a law that does not effect them. "

viper wrote on Aug 8, 2008 8:34 PM:

" well I for one could use a reduction in junk mail especially from AARP! paper should be recycled I don't think it's fair to charge 20 cents a bag . it just looks like yet another source of revenue for the goverment! just stickin that hand farther into our pockets boy they are creative anything to empty our bank accounts so they can use it to rebuild Iraq ! they should use it for America We are the Worlds Welfare Providers what about Us ?:Viper "

viper wrote on Aug 8, 2008 8:51 PM:

" well it mite be happing in seattle and in oregon and in calif and It will happen here you can bet your sweet butt on that
just like the one county back east that started adding 15.00 dollars for each ticket given to cover the higher fuel cost who is covering it for us ? they were flooded with calls from other countys wanting to know how they did it . its like a Rash it just spreads and we all know that our goverment can't wait to do it to us! what ever happened to a goverment for the people ? what we have is a goverment against the people this is no more then more revenue so brian baird can take another trip at our exspense : Viper by the brian you didn't get my vote ! "

DW wrote on Aug 9, 2008 10:05 AM:

" You'd think these liberals in King county could find something better to do with their time. I know....fight crime....How 'bout working on the freeway system so people don't spend half their day sitting on in their cars. But I guess paper and plastic bags are so bad it is at the top of the list.....If bags are that high up on the totem pole just ban them. Sounds like I might be able to live with myself, if was a liberal, and did a brave thing a banned bags at the grocery store. Ranks right up there with smoking a road rage.....geeeez how did we ever get to this point. "

weezer wrote on Aug 9, 2008 3:39 PM:

" Viper what does a city tax have to do with the war in IRAQ, a city tax will not go towards the war, the city of seattle is not fighting IRAQ. A city tax can not be used for federal purposes.
DW do you know what committee Conlin is the chair of? the Utility committee, so this is exactly what he should be spending his time on. The freeway problem is up to the transportation committee and the "crime fighters" are in the public safety Committee.
As for trash being a big deal. Yeah it is, according to Conlin they send a "mile long train" to Oregon everyday. So there is a need for this. the way I see it, its good for seattle and good for the rural Oregon landfill. "

bert wrote on Aug 14, 2008 10:07 AM:

" How far are our politicians removed from reality? You buy $100 worth of groceries and need 5 bags to carry them? Plus there will be a program to provide bags to low income people? And how much will this new bureaucracy cost us? Why should we worry about what they are doing in Seattle? Because eventually it will becoming to a home town near you. Don't you think our esteemed Governor is not watching this and rubbing her hands together like Eboneezer. She has never met a tax she didn't like. "

donkey wrote on Aug 15, 2008 10:38 AM:

" If this was thought out by Takko, it only makes sense as a political ploy because:

1. it doesn't make any economic sense. The impact that the city of Seattle's use of paper bags in grocery stores has on the local economy is effectively zero.

2. opposing a rationally thought out plan to try to reduce waste and energy with clearly rising energy costs is opposing common sense. Even if you are still of the ridiculous and selfish opinion that you don't care about creating waste or the environment, not conserving energy does not make economic sense.

3. this bill is so poorly thought out and frankly ludicrous that it has no chance of passing. Either Takko knows this and is only acting for political gain or he does not and is completely out of touch. "

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