We’ve been getting a kick out of this recent posting to the Columbia Heights email list, decrying the shortsightedness of the recently implemented 5 cent disposable bag tax. Let’s say for the sake argument that an average grocery shopping trip fills five bags. The logic here then seems to be that roughly 25 cents is enough to draw the line on spending hundreds of dollars weekly, and that the extra hour of personal time it takes “someone with a 6 figure salary” to drive to and from Maryland is worth less than a quarter. Also: bringing your own bags is impossible, and recycling cardboard is inconceivable.

I discovered something interesting this weekend while shopping at Target: I now will spend less resulting in less taxes collected by the city for my purchases. Why? I refuse to pay the 5 cent per bag tax. So I will only buy what I can carry in my own two hands. I usually spend hundreds of dollars a weekend at Target. Now I spend very little.

Fewer purchases = less sales tax generated = more money left in my bank account. And I am not alone.

I also now find it cheaper to drive my hybrid to the Safeway in Maryland to purchase groceries. I get 50+ MPG in my hybrid so an extra mile is nothing compared to 5 cents per bag. So Maryland will now get my sales tax money.

I also find myself ordering more things online now so that they can be delivered bag tax and sales tax free. The only problem is now I need to throw away all those boxes and packaging material. There is no tax on sticking it in my trash can.

So there you go City Council. Someone with a 6 figure salary has now made a lifestyle change because of the bag tax. Taxation without representation now done locally.

Here’s to all the Amazon boxes now clogging the rivers.