|
REPORT:
TAX RAIN, PLASTIC BOTTLES AND PLASTIC BAGS TO HIRE MORE STATE WORKERS
Illinois Policy Institute/
by Ben Szalinski
A
new report recommends taxes on plastic water bottles, plastic bags and
storm water as a way to hire more state environmental regulators. |
|
 A new report from the University of Chicago recommends fees on
the use of plastic shopping bags, plastic water bottles and storm water to fund
more employees at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
According to the researchers, the IEPA is overworked and understaffed, which
makes them ineffective and poses a public health risk. The agency’s workforce
fell 50% between 2003 and 2018 as federal funding fell and its regulatory
responsibilities increased.
IEPA performed 81% fewer inspections of air pollution emitting facilities than
it did in 2003. In addition to the staff reductions, the report states IEPA is
using outdated equipment and technology.
In order to hire more IEPA workers and upgrade the technology, the report
recommends three recycled ideas for taxing Illinoisans.
 A “rain tax” bill was introduced in the General Assembly in January. According
to House Bill 825, municipalities would be able to charge residents to offset
the cost of maintaining and owning sewers. The IEPA and University of Chicago
report support the concept, stating rainwater runoff contributes to increased
levels of pollution.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker supported the idea of a statewide tax on plastic bags,
proposing a five-cent tax in his fiscal year 2020 budget. The proposal was
dropped in favor of 20 other new or increased taxes and fees approved by
Pritzker in June. If Illinois were to pass a plastic bag tax, it would be the
only state in the nation to do so, according to the National Conference of State
Legislatures.
[ to
top of second column] |
Two bills were introduced this year taxing plastic
bags throughout the state. Senate Bill 1240 proposed implementing a
seven-cent tax throughout the state, except in municipalities with
an existing plastic bag tax. House Bill 3335 would have created a
statewide 10-cent tax on plastic bags, except in the city of
Chicago.
Chicago already has a 7-cent tax on plastic bags, which replaced a
ban on plastic bags. The ban was considered a failure after
retailers to get around the ban began using thicker “reusable” bags,
which were considered worse for the environment.
The IEPA is not the only state agency that has been cut as pension
costs crowd out services taxpayers expect. The state this year will
spend 25.5% of its revenue on pensions as part of a record $40
billion state budget. Pension spending increased by 501% since 2000
while services have been cut by about one-third.
Government spending reflects its true priorities, so until state
lawmakers agree to amend the Illinois Constitution to protect earned
pension benefits while allowing changes in future, unearned
benefits, pensions will be the top priority. State police
protection, child death investigations, grants for impoverished
college students and help for the disabled have taken heavy cuts and
will continue to take a lower priority, as will spending on
environmental monitoring and regulation.
More revenue has failed to fix Illinois’ fiscal problems. Until
spending is addressed, taxing the rain will become yet another
failed strategy and another reason Illinois can’t attract or keep
young families.
Click here to respond to the editor about this article
|
