The Bottle Bills Deserve a NO Vote: Reason #4 to Can the Bills and Your $0.10 Question of the Day
Too many Rhode Island families and local businesses are struggling under the weight of inflation and rising costs. The bottle bills (H-6207 / S-996 and H-6206 / S-997) proposed by the state legislature would only make things worse. The reasons are a dime a dozen (or bottle) to reject these bills.
Reason #4 to Can the Bottle Bills:
It exposes Rhode Island to fraud. Fraud is a common problem experienced in states with bottle bills. Like other states, the Rhode Island bottle bill would presumably allow bottles and cans purchased out of state to be fraudulently redeemed here, costing Rhode Island taxpayers.
Your $0.10 Question of the Day:
How will the bottle bill prevent redemption fraud? Connecticut is experiencing rampant bottle redemption fraud with out of state residents returning bottles for which no deposit was paid. In New York, millions of empty containers from outside the state are returned in the state, costing businesses, consumers and the state millions of dollars in fraudulent refunds and fees paid. There is nothing in the RI bottle bills to address this serious issue.
Rhode Island can’t afford a bottle bill tax. Vote “NO” on the bottle bills and let’s find a smarter way to keep our state clean without hurting our families and local businesses.
