Grocery Bag Policy in Limbo as City Awaits Settlement of the AG's Lawsuit

Tony Martinez Caricature by Nena

"I don’t see it as a tax. I disagree with the assessment of the Attorney General,” Mayor Tony Martinez said, answering a question about the Attorney General's ruling that the "Environmental Fee" charged grocery customers in Brownsville for a reusable plastic bag for their groceries was an "illegal tax."

Martinez even questioned the motive of some opponents of the bag fee: “People are looking out for their political or monetary interests rather than a view of keeping the world safe and being kind to Mother Nature,” he stated.

Rose Timmer Caricature by Nena

Rose Timmer, Executive Director of Healthy Communities of Brownsville, sees the bag fee as a deterrent to litter:  “Once we put a value on it, it became something you wanted to keep and not just throw away. Hopefully, people’s habits have changed and people will continue to bring those reusable bags,” Timmer said.

In a special meeting Thursday, the City Commission voted unanimously to repeal the bag fee, but exactly how to handle the bagging of groceries in the city has not been totally worked out.

Of primary concern to many local taxpayers is determining how the $4,400,000 "bag tax" monies collected since 2011 has been dispersed.  

We've posed that question to City Secretary Michael Lopez via a Public Information Request he will receive Monday:

Michael L. Lopez
City Secretary
Brownsville, Texas

Dr. Mr. Lopez:

Kindly share the total revenue received by the city from stores for the reusable bag fee. Please also share the total amount received since 2011 for each of the following stores: H.E.B., Walmart, El Globo, Lopez Stores and A&V Lopez.

We would also like a record of how the revenue generated by this fee was dispersed, such as for machinery, labor, beautification projects, etc.

Thank you,

Jim Barton
Brownsville Observer

Please note: This message is being sent via email on Saturday, January 14, 2017 and thus will be available at the start of the business day on Monday, January 16, 2017.