Fast-Food Litter Tax Takes Effect In Oakland

[The Straight Story]

Fast-Food Litter Tax Takes Effect In Oakland

POSTED: 9:55 am EST February 8, 2006
UPDATED: 10:09 am EST February 8, 2006

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Fast-food restaurants in Oakland, California, will be the first eateries in the country required to pay for the clean-up of the trash their products create.

The Oakland city council has approved a litter tax for restaurants and other businesses. They'll be hit with fees of up to $3,800 a year, depending on their size.

The city expects to collect about $240,000 annually.

The money will be used to hire crews to clean up the trash in commercial areas around schools where most of the garbage is found.

http://www.local6.com/news/6836403/detail.html

[mcscajun]

1. Might sound good on the surface, but I'd expect it to be struck down

in time. You don't penalize someone for the actions of others. It's just basic. Besides not penalizing the actors, it's bad precedent. I'd hate to see where this kind of legislation would lead.

[enlightenment]

2. Why not just start going after the

damn litter bugs?
It's not just fast-food wrappers that people toss, after all.

I am SO sick of watching people toss trash on the ground and cigarette butts out of their car windows. Lazy %&*#'s.

I've tried picking up the trash they just dropped -- pointedly, making sure they see me doing it -- and they just give me a glazed look. They don't get it.

I used to give it back to them, but these days I'm afraid I'll get hurt.

Gah. This is really one of my pet peeves. Along with people who hawk spit onto the sidewalk. yuck. Thanks for sharing. not.
:mad:

on edit: to peeved to spell!

[400Years]

3. it might induce them to think about all their wasteful packaging