Pinning consumers with diaper tax wrong solution

www.oaklandtribune.com ^ | Monday, February 24, 2003 | Oakloand Tribune Staff

[NEWwoman]

STATE SEN. Don Perata, D-Oakland, has rarely seen a problem that he couldn't fix with a tax.

Perata says disposable diapers are one of the most pervasive problems in California's landfills. So Perata is introducing a bill in the Legislature that would impose a quarter-cent recycling tax -- or fee, in our current political language -- on disposable diapers.

The fee on both child and adult diapers, which would cost young parents and other consumers about $15 to $20 a year, would be used for local communities to set up diaper recycling programs throughout the state.

Perata says he believes the tax makes sense because it is aimed at users, not all consumers. He says his goal is not to get people to stop using disposable diapers, but to allow recycling programs to be set up.

State Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, says people already pay garbage fees.

"This is adding a tax for the sake of a tax. It proves what I've been saying all along, that the Democrats want to tax the poop out of us."

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, diapers can take up to 500 years to decompose. More than 20 billion diapers, about 3.3 million tons, were sent to landfills in 2000.

Perata says these bottom wrappers are one reason the state is failing to meet its goal of recycling 50 percent of garbage. He also says by 2015, adult diapers will exceed child diapers.

Perata says a pilot program setting up a local diaper recycling plan in Santa Clarita in Los Angeles County has been successful.

While we need to solve the problem of the growing number of disposable diapers, we should do it without the tax ... excuse us ... fee.

While $15 to $20 seems like a small amount, young working families don't need another cost added to their budgets. And neither do the elderly on fixed incomes.

We are for the concept of recycling, but a tax to finance it seems premature.

[kaktuskid]

Hopefully the already-used disposables!

[KnutCase]

Incineration. An idea whose time has come.

Here in Oregon we are incinerating all the nerve gas stored at the Umatilla nerve gas facility. If we can do that....what's wrong with incinerating garbage? Can't be nearly as dangerous.

[NEWwoman]

Next thing the Democrats will propose is taxing every one's bowel movements and when they've barfed up.

Please! Dont' give them anymore ideas. They will do it.

[NEWwoman]

I can't help but wonder how these disposables will be recycled.

Seriously, one time I did see a special on TV how to do this. They take the poop and turn it into fertizer. The filling is pulp, which can be recycled into paper products, and the plastics, melted down and reused.

Was this economical? No. That's why it hasn't hit it big yet, like aluminum cans - which are economical to recycle.

[arielb]

just another example of the economic control governments have with a sales tax

[NEWwoman]

The real culprit is alllll those babies that have the nerve to be born, wearing diapers THEN growing old and wearing diapers again! Where's Planned Parenthood when they're needed!

Hey, many Democrats are big on abortion and euthenaisa. They may have the answer to this "problem." (I'm only kidding, but who knows?)

[Grampa Dave]

Just more of the tax and spend demonicrats as they continue to tax the $hit of us! This is a grahic example of that.

[VRWCmember]

So Perata is introducing a bill in the Legislature that would impose a quarter-cent recycling tax -- or fee, in our current political language -- on disposable diapers.
The fee on both child and adult diapers, which would cost young parents and other consumers about $15 to $20 a year, would be used for local communities to set up diaper recycling programs throughout the state.
Perata says he believes the tax makes sense because it is aimed at users, not all consumers. He says his goal is not to get people to stop using disposable diapers, but to allow recycling programs to be set up.

California update to the Boston Tea Party:
1. Young parents collect their babies' full diapers in garbage bags (sealed until the appropriate time) over a period of several days.
2. On the designated day for the Perata Baby Shower, deliver said bags of filled diapers to Perata's office, and remove the seal on the bags so he and his office workers can enjoy the full aromatic experience of the diapers, and let him get started on his recycling program.
3. Designate an official Perata Baby Shower day for each month until he withdraws his legislation.

[Adder]

Of course!

[ChemistCat]

Many of the people who use adult diapers are like my mother-in-law, living on such a marginal income that a $20 tax per year would matter. Affording diapers is one of the big problems faced by families of disabled adults and older children. Imagine if you were essentially paying two or three dollars per flush. That's what they're already doing.

The tax won't solve the problem...what will solve the problem will be some innovation in the diaper disposal process.... Heinlein said (I think) in THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS that waste is too valuable to waste.

[radioman]

How does one recycle a disposable diaper anyway. Recycle it into what?

Soylent Green. Now being served in the state capitol cafeteria.

[StevieB]

Maybe I'm missing something here.

What you're missing is PHASE TWO. This initial tax is designed to support the establishment of diaper recycling programs. Once these get through their pilot phases, the actual cost required to process these things will be known -- at which point the per diaper tax can be adjusted to handle the cost of supporting the recycling.

The first tax pays for the creation of the recycling plants. The second tax pays for continuing operating of the plants because "now that we've got them we have to support them".

The thing I'm missing here is: Where is the big consumer base that's lining up to use the recycled diapers!

[NEWwoman]

Love it!