New Yorkers Push To Stop City Plastic Bag Law
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York City's plastic bag law goes into effect on Feb. 15, forcing New Yorkers to pay a five cent fee for most plastic and paper shopping bags.
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers gathered on the steps of City Hall Sunday calling for a vote in Albany to stop it.
State Senator Marty Golden of Brooklyn says make no mistake, it's not a fee.
"It's a tax that's going to hurt the people of our great city," he said.
Proponents of the fee stood feet away from the lawmakers, clutching reusable bags.
Plastic bag man #byobag pic.twitter.com/HxTlAWXutG
— myles miller (@MylesMill) January 15, 2017
Oliver Harwood dressed up in a suit made completely out of plastic bags. He says the fee has worked in other cities.
"In DC there has been a 70% reduction in the use of plastic bags," he tells WCBS 880's Myles Miller.
Critics argue that the fee is a bad deal for working and middle class New Yorkers.
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