Last week the City's Adminstrative Services Committee met to discuss the timeline for evaluating the goals and options for limiting single-use plastic bags in Corvallis.  As you will recall, the Sierra Club and others provided over 1,000 signatures and a proposed ordinance to the City Council last month that would have implemented a ban on the bags.
The Chamber spoke to the Council and to the Adminstrative Services Committee about the ban, urging them to take time to ensure all stakeholders have the opportunity to be engaged in discussion of the ban or some alternative that would limit the impact of single-use plastic bags on the environment.  Our concern is the impact a ban would have on small businesses, and the need for educating consumers about any ordinance enacted.

As proposed, the ordinance would exempt many single-use bags, such as newspaper bags, bags used to take out food from restaurants, and produce bags.  The proposed ordinance also calls for businesses to charge a 5-cent fee for those consumers who opt for a paper bag - which must be 40%+ recycled content.  Because that has to be printed on the sales receipt, that will require programming and employee training, additional hidden costs.

While many people like their plastic bags and use them to cover bike seats, serve as trash bags, and tote muddy shoes around, we believe the City Council will take some action toward at least reducing the volume of bags next year. That's why we need to hear from you.

What do you tihnk of the proposal?  Are there alternatives that we could consider?  What other ideas should be on the table?  Let us know in the comment section below.  Thanks!

Last week your Chamber introduced a new polling feature on our website.  Our hope is that this polling tool will give us insight into our members perspectives and help us make some decisions on direction of the Chamber, from programs and promotions to public policy.

Our first question asked participants whether they supported or opposed the proposal to ban single-use plastics bags that will be coming to the Corvallis City Council. Not surprisingly, the results were mixed: 54% in favor, 38% opposed, and the rest wanting to know more. 

Now this certainly wasn't a scientific poll as participants self-selected, and it doesn't numerically reflect the majority of our membership much less the voters of Corvallis.  But it does tell us how people are thinking on issues facing our community, and therefore it's an important data point as we begin looking into this issue. 

Your Chamber's Government Affairs Committee will most likely be discussing this issue as many of our members utilize plastic bags for products they sell.  We will need to know more specifics of the proposal and who will be affected.  We will need to know how the ban impacts them and what their alternatives are.  Hearing first hand from our members will help us evaluate if the Chamber takes a position on this issue., and will comunicate what decision is made.

We take your business seriously and want to work with City, County, and State goverments to make doing business a little easier. We are your advocates every day.  We're all for business!