WaPo Notes Passage of 5-cent Bag Tax, Leaves Out That Newspaper Bags Exempt
Yesterday the Montgomery County [Md.] Council passed into law a 5-cent tax on plastic and paper bags dispensed by "nearly all retail establishments, not just those that sell food" within the county.
"Among the few exceptions are paper bags from restaurants and pharmacy bags holding prescription drugs," Post staffer Michael Laris noted in his page A1 story.
But Laris left out one huge exemption to the bag tax of concern to the reader: newspaper sleeves like the ones that subscribers of the Post get their daily papers delivered in.
From the Council's website:
The proposed tax will not apply to bags provided by a pharmacy containing prescription drugs; a newspaper bag or bag intended for initial use as a garbage, pet waste or yard waste; a bag provided at a seasonal event, such as a farmers market; or a paper bag that a restaurant gives a customer to take prepared food or drinks from the restaurant. The tax also will not apply if the bag is used to package a bulk item (such as small items at a food or hardware store) or to wrap perishable items (such as fresh or frozen food or flowers).
Perhaps it's an innocent omission, but the Post's editorial board has long been in favor of bag taxes, including ones that exempt newspaper sleeves from taxation.
If Washington Post newspaper sleeves were not exempt from taxation, a year's subscription to the Post would cost at least $18.25 for a full year's daily delivery.
I say at least because on rainy mornings, Post paper deliverers often double-bag the paper to prevent it from getting wet.
And while we're at it, why are take-out bags from restaurants exempt? That's another interesting exemption that Laris didn't explore.
I can't say for certain, but I'd have to wager that restaurant-heavy Bethesda -- roughly 200 restaurants in a few square miles -- had something to do with the doggie-bag loophole.
A follow-up story by the Post digging into the who's and why's behind the bag taxes exemptions would be an instructive, especially if it turns out that Post executives worked to make sure bags carrying newspapers were not taxed.
- Ken Shepherd's blog
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Comments
The law of unintended consequences
Submitted by Blonde on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:17am.
Of course, they covered up their role in lobbying for an exemption by omitting that THEIR bags were exempt.
An extra $18 a year for bird cage liner might have caused a serious dent in their subscription sales. Do keep us informed of the follow-up (or shall I say, lack thereof?). Because it would be interesting to see the whys and wherefores (and the whos, come to think of it) for these particular exemptions. As always, follow the money.
Interestingly, Florida enacted a 10% luxury tax in the early 90's....on all boats and vehicles costing over $30,000. It drove numerous boat manufacturers, with high-skilled jobs, right into the ground. But the politicians just have to keep feeding their money habit. In the famous words of a Fort Lauderdale mayor (although he was talking about NPO's at the time, and was roundly criticized by society elites for disparaging their favorite causes)...."very predictable, like pigs to the trough".
What do they not understand about cutting spending, rather than trying to increase revenue? It's not rocket science.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Jeeezzz, what's next taxing
Submitted by jdhawk on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:19am.
Jeeezzz, what's next taxing farts? Note the unintended consequence is that people will go out of their way to buy outside the county. Retailers are plotting as we speak to place their stores outside of the county whether it is new or expansion business. Shoppers are calculating in which directrion their favorite retailer is that lies just outside the county, how to get there and how much money they will save in doing so. This will cause retailing to go stagnant and tax revenue to actually slump. The exact opposite of its intended consequence,
Montgomery County, MD's council, like the entire state is overwhelmingly dimocratic proving once again that this party if truly brain dead.
I hate to see the above happen. We go visit our son that lives in the county several times a year and usual stay in Bethesda that has a thriving retailing area including great hotels and restaurants. Too bad . . . .
Chicago did something similar except in this case they prohibited a retailer from placing any stores withing the county where the city is situated. That retailer was WalMart. Over the years, whole retailing sections grew up around WalMart stores that sprung up just outside the county in all directions. The city and county lost big time on the tax revenue that they didn't get from that bonehead idea. Recently, they thought better of their "idea" and reversed that long standing prohabition.
Bethesda has some pretty nice
Submitted by Ken Shepherd on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:29am.
Bethesda has some pretty nice restaurants. I like dining there. I can imagine the outcry from the restaurants if they had to slap a 5-cent fee on every doggie bag. But then again, the liberal denizens of MoCo should be more than happy to pony up a nickel for every carry-out bag, right?
I oppose the bag tax, but it is instructive the exemptions they have and the political interests they serve, namely, 1) the Washington Post 2) farmers markets -- a politically correct answer to Food Inc in the mind of liberals and 3) restaurants, a huge cash cow and politically powerful in MoCo (especially since you don't want to lose biz to DC restaurants).
Taxing farts, there's an idea!
Submitted by CO2Maker on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:40pm.
You know, the MSNBC slogan "Lean Forward" doesn't refer to being progressive. It refers to shifting your posture when you are seated in company, like at a party or restaurant, so you can squeeze one out without being noticed. Problem is, the gummint can't tax those farts. So, MSNBC's slogan might be a way to avoid fart taxes.
Taxing Farts?
Submitted by QMCS on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:47pm.
Actually doesn't that come under the proposed Carbon Emissions Tax, a democrate EPA inspector will be along shortly to install the required measuring device, just bend over and relax, they are professionals.
Oh, yes, I want to see that
Submitted by CO2Maker on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:52pm.
A big, hulking SEIU guy in a purple shirt, a beer belly, and rubber gloves! >snap<
They go from the power of persuasion, to the persuasion of power, to smelling fart-blossoms. What kind of equipment will they need, a few Bic lighters?
Amazing lack of vision
Submitted by scottyusmc on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:45am.
Never ceases to amaze me the lengths politicians will go to kill expansion and innovation.
Ha!
Submitted by DontFeedTheTrolls on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:58am.
We have those seasonal farmer's markets here too. They are only open during the spring, summer, fall and winter seasons, and closed the rest of the year.
Seems to me
Submitted by Vonu on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:26pm.
That if this loophole can be overturned, WaPo would go out of business. It would be sweet to watch those that constanly push for higher taxes choke on their own sheet(s).
Tax WaPo's
Submitted by Comrade Jim on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:59pm.
Polluting news.
Thee and me
Submitted by CO2Maker on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:42pm.
Ah, a 5-cent-a-bag tax for thee, but not for me. Does WaPo, the NYT, and others also want to be exempt from on-line sales taxes, too? Maybe they can get a green-bait-and-switch, um, excuse me, cap'n trade offset, too.
Publishers don't supply bags
Submitted by jakee308 on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 4:04am.
Just a little FYI.
I doubt the Publisher was too concerned about the tax. And there IS NO SUBSTITUTE for plastic for delivering a newspaper.
I've delivered newspapers via vehicle off and on for 40 years. All over the country and most major papers from the largest metro areas.
The carrier pays for the bag at every paper or distributor I've ever worked for. About all they will do is buy the bags at a discount because of the volume and sell them at their cost to the carrier. About 18$ per 2000 box (That's about a penny a bag and they only get about 6-10 cents to deliver a paper. quadruple that for sunday) with a little extra per box for their trouble but still less than retail cost.)
So think about the gas and insurance and maintenance and materials etc. that carriers pay out to deliver your paper the next time you have an opportunity to tip them.