The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) urged the Massachusetts Senate on April 15 to reject a bill that would require stores to charge a mandatory fee for paper bags, ban plastic bags statewide, and impose a new tax on paint. The organization represents more than 5,000 small business members in the state.
The proposed legislation would mandate all retailers charge customers a ten-cent fee for each paper bag, with half of that amount going to a new state environmental fund. It would also prohibit the use of plastic bags throughout Massachusetts. Additionally, the bill calls for making various food service items—such as cups, napkins, condiments, straws, containers—available only by customer request.
A further provision in the bill introduces an estimated $1.45 tax per can of paint at point of sale, which would be added on top of the existing state sales tax. This could also require retail shops to store returned paint cans.
Christopher Carlozzi, NFIB’s Massachusetts state director said: “Once again, the political rhetoric on Beacon Hill is completely at odds with policy when it comes to state lawmakers taking affordability seriously. The last thing Commonwealth small businesses need is additional mandates, fees, and taxes that make owners’ jobs more difficult and products and services more expensive for their customers. Customer satisfaction is vital to small businesses, and making service ware like straws, condiments, napkins, containers etc., ‘by request’ only could disrupt that business-consumer relationship. If a customer drives away forgetting to request a straw for their ice coffee or milkshake they will blame the business for not including it… The bill’s new tax on paint in Massachusetts is estimated to cost $1.45 per can of paint… This will just drive consumers to neighboring states… We urge senators to reject this unwise bill that in no way makes Massachusetts more competitive or affordable.”
NFIB has advocated for small businesses nationally since its founding in 1943.
