Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Four Montgomery County Council members agreed that the one-year-old tax was not appropriate for non-food businesses.
A sweeping measure that aimed to reduce plastic bag consumption and litter in Montgomery County may see its days numbered, at least in the current iteration. County council members Roger Berliner (D-Bethesda), Craig Rice (D-Germantown) and Nancy Floreen (D-At Large) proposed Tuesday to limit the scope of the county's 5-cent bag tax to apply only to food stores, not retail businesses or take-out restaurants. Councilman George Leventhal (D-At Large) decided to co-sponsor the bill during the council meeting. "There are things we need to clean up with this bill," Rice said, noting that he has heard the tax was challenging for clothing retailers. Since the bill went into effect last January, the county has raked in more than $2 million in …
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Montgomery County's controversial bag tax brought in more than double the anticipated revenue, The Washington Examiner reported.
Montgomery County's controversial 5-cent tax on shopping bags has brought in more than $2 million in its first year, The Washington Examiner reported. The $2.1 million total through November could be pushed to $2.2 million once December numbers come in, County spokesperson Patrick Lacefield told The Washington Examiner. Projected revenues for the bag tax were based on Washington, DC's, first year (2011) with the tax, according to the report. DC's system has brought in less money than expected as people brought their own bags to stores. The Montgomery County bag tax took effect on Jan. 1, 2012, and was intended to reduce the number of plastic bags in county waterways. The county expected to earn up to $1.5 million from this tax in the first…
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Shoppers can pick up free reusable bags at various locations on Tuesday, starting at noon.
Paper or plastic: If you want a bag at the grocery store, prepare to now pay the price. With Montgomery County’s new bag law beginning today, shoppers must now pay 5 cents for each non-reusable bag. Of that five cents, the retail establishment keeps one cent per bag for administrative costs. To ease the transition, the county is distributing a limited number of reusable bags (donated by businesses) at the following locations on Tuesday, starting at noon: • Safeway, King Farm, 403 Redland Boulevard, Rockville • The Little Bitts Shop, 11244 Triangle Lane, Wheaton • Bethesda, corner of Woodmont and Bethesda avenues, near the fountain • Walmart, 20910 Frederick Road, Germantown Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett wil distribute bags at…
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Beginning Jan. 1, county shoppers will be charged five cents for each plastic or paper carryout bag.
County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) kicked off a public education campaign in Bethesda Wednesday ahead of a new bag law that will go into effect next year. Beginning Jan. 1, shoppers will be charged five cents for every paper or plastic carryout bag they take home with their purchase. At a Wednesday press conference at the Westfield Montgomery Mall, Leggett encouraged shoppers to bring their own re-usable bags on shopping trips to save money and benefit the environment. “We are here today to start spreading the word that there is an easy alternative to paying five cents a bag when shopping. Just bring your own bags,” Leggett said, according to a county press release. Plastic bags are among the top four items found in county streams and …
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Patch readers respond to last week's poll and post regarding the Montgomery County bag tax.
The Montgomery County bag tax is less than eco-chic, according to our readers. Of the 79 users who responded to our extraordinarily unscientific poll, 53 felt the tax was more of an eco-fail. “I don't mind paying taxes for the services we receive, but this nuisance tax should be repealed,” Woodside Park Bob posted in the comments of our story “County Schedules Webinars Dedicated To Bag Law.” Maryland blogs and online forums have popped up encouraging residents to contact the county and request a repeal. A Facebook page dedicated to killing bag taxes nationwide has made multiple posts about the Montgomery County tax, with many commenters calling for a repeal of the vote. However, Montgomery County residents have not quite reached the stage…
Friday, October 7, 2011
Informational sessions have been scheduled through January to explain the new county bag law to residents and retailers.
To help residents and retailers understand the new carryout bag law, effective Jan. 1, 2012, Montgomery County has launched a new website with scheduled information sessions. Under Montgomery County's carryout bag law, effective Jan. 1, 2012, all retail establishments in the county that provide customers a paper or plastic bag for purchases are required to charge 5 cents per bag. Affected retail establishments include "all stores, permanent booths, service stations, grocery stores, department stores and other sellers," according to the Montgomery County website. Exemptions from the bag law include: • Bags used to hold prescription drugs • "Initial use" bags, such as garbage bags, dry cleaning bags or newspaper bags • Bags provided by an …
Sunday, May 8, 2011
The weekly news wrap-up for Chevy Chase.
The week began with a 30th anniversary party for the Chevy Chase Historical Society. Last Sunday's celebration, held at the Jane E. Lawton Community Center, included guided trolley tours of the Town of Chevy Chase's architecture, arts and crafts projects, historical exhibits and a birthday cake. On Monday, Chevy Chase Village held a candidates' forum at Village Hall. Five candidates ran for four seats in yesterday's election. Also on Monday night, a town meeting for the Town of Somerset drew dozens of residents voicing concern over the prolonged renovation of an Essex Avenue house. New patio furniture for the town's new pool house was also discussed. On Tuesday, the Town of Chevy Chase re-elected the incumbents in the annual elections for…
Friday, May 6, 2011
Starting in January, customers of Montgomery County's retail stores will have to pay a 5-cent tax on bags, with exceptions for pharmacy items and take-out food.
Starting in January, customers shopping in Montgomery County will have to pay a 5-cent tax on every plastic or paper bag they get at retail stores. There will be exceptions, said Roger Berliner, the county representative for Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac. Pharmacy bags and bags for take-out food, for example, will not be subject to the tax. The Montgomery County Council had been considering the bag tax since early this year, when County Executive Isiah Leggett’s office drafted the tax’s legislation and sent it to the county council for review. At a public hearing, there was “strong support” for the bag tax, Berliner said, with “literally not a peep of protest from the business community.” In drawing up the bag tax, the county council …
macadoodle
6:19 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013
Will not pay another extra penny towards the bag tax so that it can be wasted by Mont County politicians. Will not buy the bags, today, tomorrow or ever. Am using plastic bags received free in VA and DE where the residents laugh at the silliness of Mont Co politicians. Will also invest in 5000 bags of my own which cost $11+ at Sam's Club and distribute them as gifts to my neighbors. When I forget… more ›