Oct 3 - Plastic Bag Makers go after LA County Ordinance
Just days after losing a legal challenge against Marin County's Plastic Bag Ban, plastic bag makers have filed a new challenge, this time against Los Angeles County.
South Carolina based Hilex Poly, the nation's largest plastic bag maker, has filed suit in Los Angeles challenging the County's ordinance banning single-use plastic bags. The LA County ordinance was adopted in December and went into effect July 1.
In this latest legal challenge, Hilex Poly argues that the provisions of the ordinance requiring retailers to directly charge consumers the 10 cent cost of paper bags violates the terms of Proposition 26, the November 2010 initiative aimed at requiring a two-thirds vote for all 'taxes'.
The Los Angeles County ordinance, in addition to ending the blight of single use plastic, is also expected to save consumers millions in lower grocery costs.
California retailers spend about $250 million annually to provide consumers with so-called 'free bags'. But these costs are added to the price of food and other groceries. This is the real hidden tax.
For more on CAW's Campaign to Eliminate Single Use Plastic Bags, click here.
To read the City of San Jose's analysis that Proposition 26 does not apply to bag ordinances, click here.