Statement From New Yorkers For Real Recycling Reform

ALBANY, NY (12/16/2008)(readMedia)-- "Governor Paterson's proposal to expand the bottle tax to include virtually every product in the beverage aisle while keeping the unclaimed deposits is nothing more than a food tax that will come at the worst possible time for New Yorkers already struggling with increased food costs and other economic hardships. Coupled with his proposal to place a tax on soda and more than double the excise tax on beer (from 11 cents/gallon to 24 cents), this budget stands to be among the most expensive ever for average New Yorkers ... at a time when no one can afford it.

Expanding the bottle tax will result in a price increase of up to $.15 per bottle of beverages such as kids' juice drinks, iced teas, sports drinks, bottled water, etc. Only $.05 will be refundable. Coupled with the proposed 18% tax on soda and vastly increased excise tax on beer, food costs will skyrocket as a result of this budget.

This is simply the wrong time to even talk about increasing the cost of a trip to the grocery store.

Hiding tax increases in the guise of environmental proposals or healthy initiatives is a cheap political trick that will cripple New York businesses and grocery stores, hurt every single New Yorker every day and do very little to improve our environment, our health or our economy."

-- 30 -

New Yorkers for Real Recycling Reform is a coalition of New York businesses, labor unions and retailers, who believe that New York should look to comprehensive solutions - Real Recycling Reform - and not an outdated, ineffective and costly idea like bottle law expansion.