American Chemistry Council: Opposition to 'Bag Ban Bill' (AB 1998) Increasing

Jobs, Schools, Safety Need Attention, Not Bags

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Aug 03, 2010, 07:50 ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Opposition to AB 1998, the so-called "bag ban" bill, is increasing every day across California. As several recent op eds show, Californians want their legislators to start addressing the real problems California is facing – high unemployment, staggering debt, and rapidly vanishing social programs.

Rev. Amos Brown, Senior Pastor of the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco, penned an op-ed in the July 21st edition of the Oakland Post, summing up the impact of AB 1998: "a tax on working class families who can least afford it, destroying jobs when we need more jobs, and no environmental benefit. In this hour of crisis, let our lawmakers focus on the needs of the people. Stop wasting time on nonsense. Get back to work creating jobs and providing help for people who are desperate for a helping hand."

Hardy Brown, publisher of the Black Voice News, in Riverside, California, argued in his July 21st op ed, "I'm an advocate for reusable bags, however...they just aren't for everyone and it's ridiculous that our legislators are trying to mandate it. In my opinion they have more important business to attend to, like focusing on the state's budget crisis, the poor rankings of our schools, the high unemployment rate in our state, and the list goes on...."

Gloria Allen of the Stockton chapter of the NAACP, Stockton Unified School District trustee and California Coalition of Black School Board Members pointed out in the July 23rd issue of the Tracy Press, "We can all solve the 'paper vs. plastic' questions by just taking the time to recycle our bags. We don't need a new law or a new state bureaucracy to do what is right. Now, maybe our elected officials can get on with solving the major issues facing our state."

On July 27th, Peter Foy of Capitol Weekly noted, "Instead of introducing 5,000 new laws and debating inane policies like banning certain grocery bags, legislators should demonstrate their commitment to making California the Golden State once again. That means setting aside frivolous distractions that don't directly address the state's budget, bringing businesses and jobs back to the state, and easing the tax burden on hardworking taxpayers."

In the July 29th edition of the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint, San Diego's top African-American weekly paper, the publication ran an editorial arguing that AB 1998 will "will harm communities all across California, Including African-American communities... Simply put, this [legislation levies] a tax that will most impact those who can least afford it. And who will benefit from this tax? Major stores. They will pocket the extra revenue from charging the bag fee. So the working people of our community will be funding the profits of these stores. That's not right, not fair and not what our community needs."

The Sacramento Bee agreed that taxing Californians takes the wrong approach in an editorial published Sunday, August 1st, saying: "But as much as we applaud the intent of AB 1998 and its supporters, this bill is the wrong way to encourage consumers to shift toward a more ecological way of carrying home their groceries."

AB 1998 has been placed in suspense following a Senate Appropriations Committee evaluation on Monday, August 2nd, 2010.

The growing list of those opposing AB 1998 includes:

California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
California Manufacturers & Technology Association
Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
Hispanic Chambers of Commerce Silicon Valley
Black Business Association
Carson Black Chamber of Commerce
California Film Extruders & Converters Association
Californians for Extended Producer Responsibility
Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
Long Beach Black Chamber of Commerce
Moreno Valley Black Chamber of Commerce
California Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce, Los Angeles
Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce
Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, (Long Beach)
Downey Chamber of Commerce
San Diego Urban Economic Corporation
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Alameda County
Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fresno
Los Angeles Metro Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
South Bay Latino Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles
Cambodian Chamber of Commerce, Long Beach
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County
Inland Empire Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
American Chemistry Council

For a full list of those opposed to AB 1998 and more information about the fight against AB 1998, visit www.stopthebagpolice.com. Visitors are also invited to sign up to receive updates.

www.americanchemistry.com/newsroom

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care®, common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $689 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation's largest exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation's critical infrastructure.

SOURCE American Chemistry Council