BREAKING: Disposable bag fee moratorium supported by southwest Brooklyn pols backed by governor
Governor Andrew Cuomo has gone along with the Albany blow-back against New York City’s pending five-cent fee on disposable bags, that had been vociferously championed by a group of legislators on both sides of the aisle from southwest Brooklyn.
On the afternoon of February 14, the eve of the legislation taking effect, the governor’s office sent out a press release that, while not explicitly stating that he would be signing the legislation, did announce that he was directing a task force to be put together to come up with a “statewide solution” to the issue, which has roiled both residents and conservationists.
“While there are no doubt institutional political issues at play, and while New York City’s law is an earnest attempt at a real solution, it is also undeniable that the city’s bill is deeply flawed,” said Cuomo in a statement. “Most objectionable is that the law was drafted so that merchants keep the five cent fee as profit, instead of the money being used to solve the problem of plastic bags’ environmental impact – essentially amounting to a $100 million per year windfall to merchants.”