Adrian at Athens World is opposed to the plastic bag tax, as is Athens 101, though for different reasons than me.
My primary objection is that I don't necessarily think it will work to curb plastic bag usage. If you told me that it would be roughly 50 more cents on my bill to get plastic bags, I just don't think I'd balk. And I think if that tax is applied without the knowledge of the consumer, then they won't recognize a painful enough pinch to avoid getting the bags altogether. If the goal is reduce the use of plastic bags, then I'd suggest just banning them outright. It's easier and more effective as a policy tool.
That said, I think there are some dubious arguments made by Adrian. For starters, while it must be conceded that plastic bag production may represent a fraction of all the petroleum consumption in the world, it's nonetheless a vital component of the process and, in this case, any reduction is a worthy reduction.
Likewise, Athens-Clarke County offers ample avenues for recyling batteries, and the committee recommended several courses of action to recycle electronics. Granted, they may result in having the constituent drive to the location to recycle the products, but any increase in pick-up would result in a much steeper price increase than a marginal tax on plastic bags. To suggest Athens-Clarke County isn't making those areas a priority just isn't accurate.
Listen, I'm not sold on the plastic bag tax by any means - and, again, I think it's just one element of a much broader picture that probably won't be implemented - but I don't see it feasibly driving people away from retail opportunities in Athens-Clarke County. The tax is too low, which makes me think if the aim is reduction, then just go all in for a ban of bags.
