15. Public Hearing and ACTION on FIRST READING on Ordinance Number 2017-911-G, repealing Sections 46-48, and 46-52 and amending the remainder of Chapter 46, Article II of the City of Brownsville Code of Ordinances as it relates to Plastic Checkout Bags. (Mark Sossi – City Attorney)
By Juan Montoya
Under fire from the Texas Attorney General not to charge residents a $1 fee for plastic bags at local businesses, the city commission on Tuesday will consider adopting an ordinance that will amend the ordinance charging the fee, but still ban their use locally.
The new ordinance still bans the use of the bags, but cites environmental concerns, the danger to cattle, turtles, migratory birds and clogged drains and resacas to continue to oppose the use of plastic at local grocery stores. It lists a number of alternate bags such as cloth and paper that it says stores can use to give customers to carry their purchases.
And the new ordinance goes out of its way to say that it is not part of the solid waste management fees already charged local shoppers. The AG's lawsuit against the city specified that a city cannot charge residents for solid waste management and then institute a further fee for plastic bags.
There have been some suggestions that the $1 fee be used to fund other projects such as bringing back the Boys an d Girls Clubs. So far, there has been no move from the city to head in that direction.