http://khon2.com/2017/07/23/honolulu-mayor-to-sign-expanded-plastic-bag-ban-bill-for-oahu/

So Caldwell signs a new bag law that will mandate a 15 cent fee for a plastic bags.
How does he intend to enforce the fee?
Where does that money go?

Reelection campaign...

Reelection campaign...

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There should be a law against unenforceable laws.

That's redundantly redundant.

They collect 4.712% from the sale of the 15 cents bags, its not a fee.

They collect 4.712% from the sale of the 15 cents bags, its not a fee.

Excise tax is 4%.  The 0.712% is tax on the tax.

So, there's no problem taxing a "fee" if they are already taxing the tax.

The fee is a distraction from the fact that they are baning plastic bags (including compostable bags) by 2020.

Excise tax is 4%.  The 0.712% is tax on the tax.

So, there's no problem taxing a "fee" if they are already taxing the tax.

Honolulu is 4.5%
0.212% is tax on tax.

The fee is a distraction from the fact that they are baning plastic bags (including compostable bags) by 2020.

by 2020 il be using the produce bags.

“If you are bagging any loose produce like lettuce or tomatoes at a grocery store, those bags will still be acceptable. You can still use those small, thin bags,” Elefante said..

Honolulu is 4.5%
0.212% is tax on tax.

That's right.  The rail raised it half a percent.

But, you know what I meant! 

Reelection campaign...

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Sorry, I just caught on to your joke.

But seriously, is thus just a license for stores to increase their profit?
Or Will stores have to account for every bag they sell and turn in the money to the city and county of Honolulu?

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Sorry, I just caught on to your joke.

But seriously, is thus just a license for stores to increase their profit?
Or Will stores have to account for every bag they sell and turn in the money to the city and county of Honolulu?

The ordinance reads that the business must charge the customer at least 15 cents per bag.  It's not listed as a fee, but as a cost the business gets to keep.

The ordinance reads that the business must charge the customer at least 15 cents per bag.  It's not listed as a fee, but as a cost the business gets to keep.

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It's like car insurance. Government mandates it and insurance companies can charge whatever.

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It's like car insurance. Government mandates it and insurance companies can charge whatever.

Businesses already charge you for the cost of the plastic bag. Only difference is that right now they do it in the cost of the goods instead of itemizing the cost for the individual bag.


15 cents is nothing more than an incentive to stop using plastic bags.

Don Q was and is already charging 10 cents a bag.

Don Q was and is already charging 10 cents a bag.

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Yeah, I know a lot of places already charge for a bag. But it's not mandatory.
The new law mandates a 15 cent fee. So how does the city enforce that law?
Undercover bag police?

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Yeah, I know a lot of places already charge for a bag. But it's not mandatory.
The new law mandates a 15 cent fee. So how does the city enforce that law?
Undercover bag police?

Shopped at Foodland on Saturday. They did not charge us for bags and gave us a free reusable bag. Plus we got our rewards. My wife does not care for them as much because they do not carry a few items she likes. So she has to make a trip to Safeway to get the few items Foodland doesn't carry.

Shopped at Foodland on Saturday. They did not charge us for bags and gave us a free reusable bag. Plus we got our rewards. My wife does not care for them as much because they do not carry a few items she likes. So she has to make a trip to Safeway to get the few items Foodland doesn't carry.

I believe Foodland offers you a bag credit if you bring your own.  Not sure what that is though.  IIRC, it's either 5 or 10 cents or Hawaiian miles. 

The only place where I would really care about plastic bag being outright banned (that doesn't appear to be the case here, but just thinking out loud) is food takeout.  At least right now, restaurants appear to be exempt, but I can see them going after that as well.  Not a huge deal, but to me the bags are convenient to carry the order home as well as serves as a trash bag after I'm done eating.  Paper bags could help, but often times takeout food leaks and that would be bad for paper bags. 

I wouldn't mind paying 15 cents a bag if the bag were more environmentally friendly. Either easily compostable or easily recycled. When I go to the store I probably don't get more than 4 plastic bags which would cost me a whopping 60 cents extra. I am willing to pay that if it meant a cleaner Hawaii.

They've already been making us pay 10 cents for a bag for a few years now, anyway. Walmart recently started doing it, too. What pissed me off was that when they started charging, I was not informed, not even at checkout, and was just charged the fee.

You can just steal a plastic bag from Walmart though by doing self-checkout, saying NO when the dumb machine asks you if you want to pay 10 cents for a bag, then take one anyway. I stole one and got away with it. I guess it makes up for the one they charged me for.