It's just another tax aren't we taxed to death already. In the name of the planet a new tax isn't cutting it with me.

Polls can be biased to elicit gut reactions by how the question is worded is a well known media trick that most of us fall for easily and it generates a lot of heat and editorial success.

However, what if the poll asked "Would you be in favor of stores offering a small (name your amount e.g., 1-2 cents/item or whatever) cash REWARD on each purchase IF you did NOT take a plastic bag/or used a recycled or cloth bag?"

Now what is the result?

NO ONE likes taxes, fines or whatever you want to call a fee collected and sent to the government, who seem to always find other uses than intended (Social Security taxes and gasoline taxes that all mysteriously go into the big melting pot to buy.and $2000 toilet seats for the military).
What if you can accomplish the same result in reducing plastic on land and particularly in the ocean by helping the stores reduce their costs for plastic?

not pass a tax on plastic diapers? I am sure plastic grocery bags do not even come close to plastic diaper volume in a landfill.

Why don't they offer a reward for recycling them, like they do with aluminum cans?

The point here is that too many bags end up "properly" disposed of into landfills.

That's not true. The volume of landfill waste that is plastic bags is insignificant.

Tabor, you're missing the whole point. They're not trying to stop littering with this, they're trying to stop the unnecessary use of bags. The point here is that too many bags end up "properly" disposed of into landfills.

This is a very simple way to reduce the amount of plastic going into landfills...and the street. I personally love the plastic bags because I use them as bathroom trash-bags after they have carried my groceries. However, at the same time, I have no problem bringing my own re-usable bags to the store with me. If the stores do start charging for bags, I know that I personally will start bringing my own bags, just to save a little bit of cash.

The ones that should be charged for using the plastic bags are the businesses, not the consumers.

That's exactly the same thing. All that would do is hide the tax from consumers, so they don't know how much the politicians are screwing them over.

A fee for plastic bags is essentially a fine imposed on the presumption someone who uses a plastic bag will litter.

Littering is already illegal. Fine the guilty, not those who dispose of, or recycle. these bags properly.

The plastic bags are everywhere. We need to do something and a small fee would encourage people to start bringing their own bags. Farm Fresh gave away free tote bags on Earth Day which was a great idea. The bags are nice, sturdy and reusable. If people want to save the 10 cent fee just bring a reusable bag. Simple solution and a great idea.
When I was a boy we used to make spending money by picking up soda bottles which were worth 2 cents each back then and a nickel could get you a pack of baseball cards or a soda. Not a bad deal either. Oh, and a LARGE Coke was 12 ounces. No one ever would think of drinking a Super Big Gulp with 64 ounces. Hmmmm, not many fat kids back then either.