Mandatory 10-Cent Bag Tax Unanimously Approved By Oak Park Council

OAK PARK, IL — "Do you want a bag?" That's something Oak Park shoppers will start hearing in 2018 when the village's new bag tax goes into effect. The Oak Park village council unanimously voted Monday to approve a mandatory 10-cent tax on shopping bags at retail stores that more than 5,000 square feet in size. The single-use bag tax is set to go into effect January 1, 2018.

Oak Park's bag tax, which will affect both paper and plastic bags, follows the lead of Chicago, which imposed a 7-cent bag tax in early 2017. In the city, the bag tax has already been effective in decreasing the consumption of single-use plastic bags. These bag taxes are part of increasing environmental initiatives in Chicago and its suburbs. At Monday's meeting, Environment and Energy Commission Chair Nick Bridge, noted that [River Forest] looks to [Oak Park] to set a good example." He added that River Forest followed Oak Park's lead with a composting program and sustainability fund.

Revenue from the ten-cent bag fee would be evenly split between Oak Park's sustainability fund and the retailer. Trustees also mentioned the need to proved free bags for income insecure individuals. Trustee Deno Andrews said there should be "ample numbers of reasonable bags for families in need." Andrews said, "As little as this tax is, it's still significant for some people."

Monday's unanimous vote reflected how important this issue is for officials in Oak Park. With the ready availability of reusable bags, it may cause residents —and nearby communities— to be more aware of their disposable bag consumption. As Trustee Robert Tucker said before the vote, "I think it's time for just not Oak Park and River Forest, but all of the surrounding communities and perhaps the entire state to think outside the bag."

What do you think of Oak Park's 10-cent bag tax? Let us know in the comments.

>>Image via Pixabay