In our continuing saga of Plastic Bags & NY State Legislature vs the Environment & NYC…
The NY State Legislature voted to undermine NYC decision making autonomy (whether you like the law or not, frankly, that’s not a great development) and sided with the “Progressive Plastic Bag Alliance” (no kidding, that’s their name) formerly connected to the American Chemistry Council.
Contact Governor Cuomo: website Twitter: @NYGovCuomo and Facebook.
…the State Legislature this week voted to block the city’s duly enacted law, doing the bidding of the plastic-bag industry, and hiding behind the argument that the fee is a tax on the poor. …the Assembly passed its own bill to delay for a year any effort by New York City to adopt any such fees…”
“….the city’s bag law protects the poor. It exempts about 1.8 million New Yorkers who use food stamps. … free reusable bags have been sent out by the thousands across the city.”
“Lawmakers led by Senator Simcha Felder, Democrat of Brooklyn…[joined by] Assembly speaker, Carl Heastie …. [and the GOP]”
“…have taken steps to keep the city safe for plastic shopping bags…It will cost you — your city will still have to spend millions of your tax dollars to dispose of 10 billion bags a year….
…Now it’s up to Gov. Andrew Cuomo …He can veto the bill, stand up … for home rule, for common sense and self-government, and for the environment. Whom will he side with — eight million New Yorkers or the plastic bagmen of Albany? This is an easy call; Mr. Cuomo knows what to do.”