Politics & Government

Could a Bag Tax Go Statewide in Maryland?

Some state and county officials say yes. What do you think of paying for grocery bags?

If you were thinking of hopping across the county line for groceries to avoid paying the Montgomery County bag tax, think again. 

Prince George’s and Howard counties are among the jurisdictions statewide that are exploring following in Montgomery County's footsteps and imposing a tax on plastic bags used at retail establishments. 

State officials also say they expect a movement to continue to make the bag tax mandatory statewide, following the momentum created by , the first jurisdiction in the state to implement a .

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“I think there will be a continued strong push for statewide action,” said Del. Alfred Carr, D-Montgomery. “I think there’s a growing awareness among the public and legislators. … People realize the extent to which these plastic bags are ending up as litter and fouling the waterways.”

It is estimated the five cents people pay to use plastic bags in Montgomery County will generate $1.5 million in revenue for the first year--money officials said would be used for water quality programs.

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Several groups were pushing for the measure.

Those include the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, which has made a plastic bag tax as one of its top priorities for the 2012 legislative session. Its proposal also includes using the revenue for water quality improvement efforts.

The idea of taxes on grocery bags also has its opponents.

The website bagtheban.com, a project of the plastic bag manufacturer Hilex Poly, said these types of taxes are a threat to jobs at bag manufacturing companies.

The site also says that reusable bags could breed bacterial contamination, if not regularly cleaned with soap and water, a claim backed by Charles Gerba, a professor at the University of Arizona.

Gerba’s study, published recently in the International Association for Food Protection's Food Protection Trends magazine,  like E. coli flourish in unwashed reusable bags.

In Howard County, County Executive Ken Ulman has asked environmental protection staff members to research the concept of a bag tax and offer him options to consider, according to county spokesman Kevin Enright.

Prince George’s County officials are actively pursuing the tax. State Sen. Paul Pinskey and Del. Barbara Frush, both Democrats from Prince George’s, have said they plan to seek legislative approval to allow county officials to levy the tax.


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