Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on September 8, 2005

Click here to view bill details.

Michigan already has one of the highest recycling fees around on bottles and cans so adding another cent to every purchase might make us the mostly costly state. Time to recycle Geoff - God bless term limits.

Didn't anyone watch Penn & Teller's expose on recycling besides me? Recycling is simply a bad idea. Except for aluminum, it costs more money to make something from recycled material than brand new stuff. Further, we're far from running short of places to dispose of trash. I say this bill needs to land in one of 'em.

Companies purchase these materials as raw materials. The whole process is a capital idea. There is motivation at all levels now. Why does the state need to get involved other than telling people to put it at the curb. After that, companies purchase the stuff and make stuff from it and then sell it. That's where the state gets 6%. Use some of that.

This guy has been in the frozen tundra too long.

...yet another student of the "I-can-spend-your-money-better-than-you-can" school of thought. Proposing yet another tax for a purpose that hasn't even been determined yet? Why am I not surprised! Sorry, but this is yet another one of those instances in which I can spend MY money better than the state legislature can. This bill should die in committee.

We should use the unclaimed bottle fund for recycling if it a problem. I do not see the uncarbonated beverage containers an issue.

If you want or need to make money for recycling, just impose a very high tax on imported garbage.The only people that make anything out of imported garbage are the landfill owners. With all of the truck loads coming into our state every day there should be millions coming in every month. Take that money and blow it away. Don't try to take more money out to the tax payers of this state. If every tax that was and is imposed on the taxpayers of this state were used for the purpose that it was intended for we would not be in a mess right now.

They claim it's for recycling. I don't believe it is. Sounds like a new tax. Why is it 0.01, because that's the smallest amount they can add and make it look inocent. Once the tax is added, it'll go up. Try to get rid of it, and you'll find a new career for the next 50 years. http://www.cityofinterest.com/09192005130

Our most effective “recycling” law -- in terms of litter reduction and keeping reusable materials out of landfills -- is the Michigan beverage container deposit law. SB 28, introduced in January this year, would extend the deposit law to include “new age” beverage containers. SB 28 proposes a proven idea and is well supported by the general public, but has lain dormant in committee since its introduction. A similar bill was similarly buried in committee during and and died at the end of the prior legislative session. The problem with a tax as proposed in this resolution (2005 HJR O) is that the consumer never gets anything directly back for it. It’s money shelled out, and that’s it. By comparison, the bottle deposit accomplishes what the tax supposedly is intended to do, has proved its effectiveness, has public support and is 100 percent refunded to the purchaser when he or she returns a beverage container for redemption. The consuming public has figured out that container deposits are a better deal than taxes. Isn't it past time our legislators figured that out, too? Best way to quickly accomplish some good and avoid getting hit with an additional tax, folks, is to kick your legislators into gear and get them to pass SB 28 or its equivalent.

...is even better yet! 'Nuff said.

I am 16 years old and a member of the Michigan 4-H Youth Conservation Council. This year our goal is to increase recycling in the state of Michigan because we have the lowest rate of recycling in all the Great Lakes States. Most of the other comments I have seen posted about this bill sicken me, they really demonstrate the terrible ignorance of the citizens of this great state. Anyone who paid attention in their high school government class would know that the state can't tax trash brought in from Canada, that is outlawed by the Constitution of the United States. And actually yes, believe it or not we are running out of landfill space, very rapidly. Contrary to popular belief, your trash does not just disappear when you put it out at the curb. I guess thats all I have to say on this issue, but I would just like to get out there that in all of my research I haven't come across a better or more feasible idea. Keep up the good work. thanks, Brad

Well Brad, it's a given that you are still a student because of your obvious lack of understanding about the proper function of government. Nowhere in the Michigan Constitution, or even U.S. Constitution, are there any enumerated powers for either entity to engage in "recycling". Ironically, something that this bill doesn't even define. And contrary to the "running-out-of-space" argument, you might want to see for yourself just how "valid" that argument really is. Jump in you car, pick a direction, and drive for at least a hour or so. Contrary to your assertion, much of this state, even this country for that matter, is still open and undeveloped. Now since is your thing, kudos to you. But you will find out that people will be just a bit more receptive to recycling through being informed through groups such as yours, rather than having any attempts forced down their throats, while simultaneously being extorted money to pay for it.

until you get a little older Brad, and have to start paying your share of the taxes, like this one, that you are so eager to vote for. Then I think you might change your tune a bit.

"Anyone who paid attention in their high school government class would know that the state can't tax trash brought in from Canada" The company pays income taxes, property taxes, business taxes etc. They pay plenty of taxes. "they really demonstrate the terrible ignorance of the citizens of this great state." The so called teachers have you well on your way to worshipping mother earth. This is wrong but they need to do this to further their agenda. "we have the lowest rate of recycling in all the Great Lakes States. Most of the other comments I have seen posted about this bill sicken me" What you are reading are comments from folks that were educated before the socialists took over the schools. Listen and learn "And actually yes, believe it or not we are running out of landfill space, very rapidly. " Wrong again young lad. Out of the entire land mass in the US we are only using about 4%. We have lots of room left. See where they put mother earth back in here? One more thing, I am glad that you are here because you can learn much from most of these folks. The good lord gave you two ears and one mouth, use them in that ratio and you will learn alot.

???

It needs to stop now.