Virginia Beach: Vote on the 5-cent Fee on Single-use Plastics
Heads up Virginia Beach residents (friends of VB residents please share with them)! City Council reps are preparing a public hearing on 6/21 to discuss creating a 5-cent fee on single use disposable plastic bags at grocery, convenience, and drug stores. The vote on this matter is set for 7/5.
Take action
❗️Attend the public hearing
❗️Email city council with your address or call and let them know you’re in favor of the 5-cent fee. CityCouncil@vbgov.com
❗️Pay attention to how your representatives vote on July 5th.
❗️Ask more of your grocery, drug, or convenience store.
Why a 5-cent tax?
💡 The money goes to causes that are rooted in sustainability/environmentalism
💡 $.01 stays with the grocer to cover operational costs and bag costs
💡 $.04 goes to the city to fund providing reusable bags to low income residents, funds education and litter prevention initiatives.
Level-up
⭐️ Tell your reps this is a stepping stone to larger plastic initiative
⭐️ Say not to plastic bags at check-out
⭐️ BYOB (bags, folks!)
⭐️ Post your extra reusable bags for free for another family to use
⭐️ Shop at Less Than (😉)
Your reps by district:
Barbara Henley
Princess Anne District 7
bhenley@vbgov.com
(757) 426-7501
Guy King Tower
Beach District 6
gtower@vbgov.com
(804) 398-0070
Linwood Branch
Lynnhaven District 5
libranch@vbgov.com
(757) 777-8331
Louis Jones
Bayside District 4
lrjones@vbgov.com
(757) 583-0177
Michael Berlucchi
Rose Hall District 3
mberlucc@vbgov.com
(757) 407-5105
N.D. “Rocky” Holcomb
Kempsvillle District 2
rholcomb@vbgov.com
(757) 416-2343
Sabrina D. Wooten
Centerville District 1
swooten@vbgov.com
(757) 797-5625
Need help drafting an email?
Feel free to use your template below.
Dear council member ___
My name is ___ and I am a resident in the district you represent,
district number __. I would like to express my support of the 5-cent fee
on single use plastic bags at local grocers, drug, and convenience
stores.
The implementation of a fee will help to reduce single use plastic
dependency by consumers and demonstrate to businesses that their
consumer-base expects their needs to be met with as little negative
impact to the environment as possible.
The data from other areas of Virginia that have implemented this fee has
shown a significant decrease in single use plastic pollution in
surrounding waterways. The revenue generated from the fee will
positively aid in the other environmental initiatives, education and a
shift in retail and consumer habits.
Respectfully,
_____
