ALBANY – The Assembly on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a one-year delay of New York City’s 5-cent bag tax.
With the state Senate already on board, the measure now goes to Gov. Cuomo, who has yet to take a public position on the measure.
The bill also requires the Council to take another vote on the “bag tax” in 2018 before it could become law.
The Assembly’s vote was 122 to kill the fee and only 15 to institute it.
“Isn’t that amazing — only 15 people voted for it,” said Assemblyman Dov Hikind ( D-Brooklyn), an opponent of the proposed charge.
The fee on plastic and paper bags was scheduled to take effect Feb. 15.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said he was concerned how the new charge would impact the poor.
“It makes sense to press the pause button on this fee in order to do a more thorough investigation on the best ways to reduce paper and plastic waste in our environment,” Heastie said.
Proponents said the “bag tax” would help the environment by reducing waste in landfills.
Opponents argued that the fee was headed for the wallets of grocers, not an environmental fund, and that it was a burden on the city’s poorest families.
Spokesman Rich Azzopardi said Cuomo plans to review the bill.
“I don’t see why he wouldn’t sign it,” said Hikind.