The undoubtedly well-intentioned supporters of the 5-cent tax on plastic bags should consider what segment of society the tax harms most small businesses and the poor. An affluent doctor living in Georgetown will probably just pay the nickel and remain essentially unaffected whereas a poverty stricken resident of Anacostia is more likely to alter his or her behavior as a result. Similarly, compliance costs are a weightier burden on struggling small businesses owners than they are on large chains. It would be hard for the most ruthless Corporatist to design a more flagrantly regressive tax.
Additionally, it seems as though the city council never examined the experiences of other cities that have implemented similar taxes. Hong Kong for example has a 6-cent bag tax. As a result, grocery store lines have grown progressively longer at peak hours as clerks and customers struggle to jam as many items as possible into the reusable bags. The purpose of free plastic bags is to alleviate this inconvenience.
Even if one accepts the environmentalist premise behind the tax, it is still senseless. I am a vegetarian, I don’t own a car and I recycle. Why should I pay the same 5-cent penalty as a burger-munching, SUV-driving, trash hog?
Most importantly, the tax is a fundamental violation of our liberty. Businesses must foist this tax upon us (they are legally barred from paying the tax on our behalf) or face state coercion. Ultimately, if a business owner does not comply, a policeman with a gun on his hip will eventually show up and force him or her to comply. Whenever one advocates a tax, one must not forget that they are also advocating the use of force against anyone who dare resist.
Nicholas O’Connell Sophomore, SIS E-Board member of Free Market Society and Students for Liberty
