eCache

Swallow Hard, New Jersey

It really seems that New Jersey lawmakers go out of their way to show disdain for the taxpayers of this state. How else can one reconcile the latest scheme brewing in the state Assembly?

On Monday, the Assembly Environment Committee is scheduled to discuss a 10-cent deposit for bottles and cans less than 24 ounces and 20 cents for larger ones up to 3 liters. The bill would apply to juice, sport drinks, water, soda, wine and beer containers.

Is this what taxpayers in New Jersey need right now? Despite us not being in a recession as some Garden State lawmakers have asserted, the economy is not going well. A $.10 deposit per bottle/can adds to the cash leaving citizens’ pockets. Sure, they can get the money back by burning fuel and having soda residue drip all over their trunks, but why make us go through that dance?

It’s not about the environment either.

Nope, this adds money to the state coffers that can then be raided like every other fund of cash is. Remember the huge tobacco settlements? Yeah, you don’t hear about that anymore, do you? That is because it is now a liability for New Jersey. Instead of having money coming in from the lawsuits, we are paying interest on the money that was leveraged off the sale of the settlement. And that is exactly what will happen to the tin can money this silly legislation will produce.

New Jersey will be no greener, but we will be poorer and jumping through the hoops to get our cash back.

Right now I have no need to rinse an empty bottle of soda. When it is done, I toss it into the recycling can. On Friday, I carry the can to the curb. The recyclers come by empty the can and I start all over.

Under this legislation I will pay a tax fee for the bottle.  I consume it and then have to wash it out.  Why?  Because if I don’t, the last drop or two will end up emptying into my trunk (or all over me when I transport it).  The empty bottle will then be placed in a plastic bag.  To hell with using the recycling can.  It is too big to lug around to wherever I am going to redeem the bottle.  Furthermore, it has drainage holes at the bottom.  That will allow all the excess to spill in my car.  The plastic bag will be discarded as it will be too sticky to reuse.  The recycling can will be discarded as it now has no use.

How is this saving the environment?

This is another slush fund your elected officials are proposing.

Also blogged on this date . . .

• Citizenship Test - 2008
• Dot . . . Dot . . . Dot . . . - 2007
• Additional Logging Requirements - 2006
• On Organization - 2006
• How to Make the Public Hate You - 2005
• Big Holly, Little Cache - 2004
• Babcock Creek - 2004

Tags: environment, New Jersey, Politics, recycle