Legislation that passed the Ohio House last week, HB 625, would protect consumers and businesses from the mess of fees, taxes, and bans that local city governments often place on containers and plastic bags.
These misguided, and costly policies end up hurting shoppers who can least afford the extra burdens – and all for supposed environmental benefits that are unlikely to materialize. Re-usable bags use more material and take up more space in landfills.
Bag taxes and bans also create complexity for businesses that operate in more than one Ohio locality. Rather than damaging small businesses that already face one of the 10 worst business tax climates in the country, and burdening lower-income families with added costs, proper disposal is the way to go.
The Ohio State Senate now has a perfect opportunity to protect families, and businesses across the state by passing HB 625. The Senate has had hearings on their version of this legislation, SB 210, and can act swiftly before session ends by holding a hearing and a vote.
Without this protection, this issue will continue to come up and more Ohioans will be hit with fees, taxes, and bans on convenient, safe containers and bags.