Seattle’s Ethics and Elections Commission reports
today that the American Chemistry Council
(formerly and more honestly known as the Chemical Manufacturers Association) has just pumped $500,000 into the campaign against the proposed 20-cent shopping-bag tax, on the August 18 ballot. Publicola hails as “comment of the day” this observation from “Elaine”: “Hmm, that would pay the bag fee for 2,500,000 bags.”

Elaine’s math is right on, but here’s an even scarier calculation: At the rate at which Seattle now uses disposable bags, those 2.5 million little turtle-chokers would be enough to keep us stocked for only about two-and-a-half days. No wonder the Chemistry Council, which represents plastics manufacturers, spent $180,000 last August on the petition campaign that forced a public vote on the newly passed tax, and kicked in another $10,000 in November.

However much business it might lose in Seattle, the industry is even more worried that if the tax passes here and citizens adapt to it as they have in San Francisco, other cities or states will follow suit. The Green Bag Coalition, which defends the tax, has meanwhile raised about $64,000.