Milpitas passed a bag ordinance did anyone notice? (San Jose, San Francisco: sales, 2015)

[citizensadvocate]

I haven't gotten a chance to shop in Milpitas for a while. Though I know that for a couple of years Milpitas remains one of a few cities left in the bay area where we don't need to be asked whether we need a bag at checkout and be charged for it. Thanks to three pro resident and pro small business council members back in 2013. One of the benefits of shopping there is that we don't need to buy bags for garbage, dirty clothes, shoes, wet swim suits, litter box, etc. Though last September the new council decided that Milpitas should follow SJ and other Bay Area cities to enact a pay per bag ordinance. They could had went along with the state ordinance SB270 however they were unhappy that its going to be voted on by the voters of CA following a referendum passed last January.
Though one thing interesting is the language of the ordinance only requires a charge At or BEFORE Jan 1, 2016 I guess it is a mistake in their haste to write the ordinance. Its a pretty grave mistake too if they intend to force stores to set price on carryout bags.
I wonder are the stores in Milpitas ranging from grocers, Supermarkets, and Great Mall all charging for bags now? Did some of them notice the huge mistake or loophole in the ordinance and continue to provide complementary bagging for their customers?
Please feel free to share your experience shopping in Milpitas after Jan 1 of this year as for many cities the start of implementation is a chaotic experience for customers and cashiers alike.

[sonarrat]

First world problems. Pay your damned dime or buy them in bulk and bring your own.

[bobby_guz_man]

Dang it! I always load up on them plastic bags when I go to Ranch 99 there, ugh!!!!

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

First world problems. Pay your damned dime or buy them in bulk and bring your own.

Gall danged libruls! As if we ain't strugglin' 'nuff! How the hell are we supposed to get our groceries back to the car without bags?

[zitsky]

The only "acceptable" solution is bring your own reusable bags. But what are they made of? I don't always remember my shopping bags, and I'd like a choice between paper and plastic. I'll be back in California before long, so I'll have to deal with this.

[silverkris]

Well it was just a matter of time before Milpitas passed a bag ordinance, as most of the surrounding municipalities do.

I have reusable bags in the trunk of my car at all times, and pretty much assume that one is expected to bring ones own to shop these days. I think San Mateo may still not have one as I didn't see one when I shopped at Hillsdale this past holiday season but it may not be true in the future.

[Radical347]

Originally Posted by silverkris

Well it was just a matter of time before Milpitas passed a bag ordinance, as most of the surrounding municipalities do.

I have reusable bags in the trunk of my car at all times, and pretty much assume that one is expected to bring ones own to shop these days. I think San Mateo may still not have one as I didn't see one when I shopped at Hillsdale this past holiday season but it may not be true in the future.

San Mateo definitely has had one for a few years and bags are 25 cents now.

[citizensadvocate]

Originally Posted by silverkris

Well it was just a matter of time before Milpitas passed a bag ordinance, as most of the surrounding municipalities do.

I have reusable bags in the trunk of my car at all times, and pretty much assume that one is expected to bring ones own to shop these days. I think San Mateo may still not have one as I didn't see one when I shopped at Hillsdale this past holiday season but it may not be true in the future.

It appears in the Bay Area any city council that disagrees with such an ordinance is guaranteed to be replaced with a hippy liberal who would vote yes. This political statement is strongest and most widespread in the Bay Area then any other part of the state or country. And the bans in the Bay Area goes the farthest by including almost everyone that sales items not just grocery markets as with LA. In the Bay Area if you are not a hippy liberal who would blindly say yes to eco fads regardless of what the truth or science says otherwise you will be replaced.
It seems like unlike other parts of the country every single governmental group I mostly mean city councils would blindly jump off the cliff. Any council member that says otherwise will be replaced and the agenda pushed down. Its sad as the movement actually made Bay Area a much worse place to live and not better as they keep lying to us. Of course they will state their movement is successful by using their propaganda that lacks any scientific sense. Ever wondered why more and more freeway shoulders, streets, sidewalks, railroads, and creek sides are covered sometimes knee deep in trash including plastic trash? After these groups banned this very useful tool that keeps many other types of garbage together during collection these just blow right off garbage trucks and unto the street and end up piling up here. Often the bin liners they substitute not only do they contain a large mass of plastic they often release their load and fly away resulting in a . Don't believe me look at Google street view images of San Jose which has pictures bi annually since 2007 the garbage situation really gets worse since 2012 when their "trash reduction" ordinance started.
One can also check out what the city of San Francisco department works official trash audit states before and after their ordinance took into effect to see how alternative plastic garbage increased tri fold just for a 0.2% reduction of grocery bag "success" The original total "grocery bags" in the wastestream accounted for 0.6% of total garbage. A solution in search of a problem. As no plastic bags are banned by any of these ordinance only a certain use of it while others 99% proliferate instead.


Though the truth is they made a huge mistake therefore the people should stand up to the retailers and tell them to stop lying to them that the city is making them charge/pay as the city is not making them charge or pay. The people of California already have put this on the ballot for the 2016 election therefore the city if it actually wants to serve the people they should wait for the results of the election rather than giving the message it doesn't matter how you vote in that election we will force it down your throat anyways.

[zitsky]

I guess citizens advocate means people should do whatever they want? I think bag bans are ok, but I think 25 cents for a bag is too much.

[citizensadvocate]

Originally Posted by zitsky

I guess citizens advocate means people should do whatever they want? I think bag bans are ok, but I think 25 cents for a bag is too much.

Zitsky, as long as you stay out of the Bay Area and out of the uber liberal enclaves of the state where science and truth takes a back seat to propaganda with the politicians you will be fine. Most cities in other parts of the state i.e the Central Valley or most of inland of LA and Orange County don't fall for this junk science that makes things worse in many other ways. If you read my post their propagenda made the "environment" situation much worse not better while making things pretty difficult for both storeowners and citizens. Though no as long as they get the result they want(which forcing people to pay, carry with their hands, or with dirty bags) they couldn't care less if other plastics junk in the wastestream surged and even if they are killing more of their precious "plants and animals" or filling their precious oceans they argue for the ban in the first place.

So Zitsky, so I guess you mean why the city council should do whatever they want even when the issue is now on the ballot at the state level?

If the people of CA supports it will be implemented as state law was it was already passed at the state level therefore the city does not have to take any action as it will apply to the city directly. The only case I can think of that justify the city's own actions are if 75% of the voters in Milpitas supports the ban yet the ban is defeated at the state level. State law does require city mandated sales fees be approved by a 2/3 majority ballot measure, don't believe the "liberal" corrupt courts decision pardoning cities getting around the requirement by requiring retailers pocket the fee is legit as its not. The city is now giving the message we don't care how you vote we are going to force it down your throat as we believe we know whats best for you and will only listen to whatever the SavetheBay goons wants us to force you to do.

And since the Milpitas ordinance is not consistent with the state SB270 therefore if SB270 survives referendum it will not be grandfathered in as its passed later than Jan 1, 2015

Though the main reason for my post is the city is flat out wrong to lie to retailers they are required to charge when obviously their ordinance states otherwise. The issue about voting in the Ordinance in contrary to the state law prior to the November 2016 ballot measure regarding SB270 is another issue but not the main reason for the post.