Montgomery County considers ditching bag tax during pandemic

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (WDVM) — Montgomery County’s carryout bag tax may be suspended during the COVID-19 outbreak. Currently, plastic and paper bags given out at any Montgomery County business are taxed at 5 cents each.

The County Council is considering the move after several local chains and stores stopped allowing the use of personal reusable bags. Customers said they were required purchase store-provided plastic or paper bags, as employees didn’t want to handle personal bags.

If it’s passed, the council’s legislation would temporarily remove the tax on those bags through the end of Maryland’s state of emergency, plus an additional 14 days after it ends.

“Among those essential trips are trips to the grocery store, and to go the pharmacy to pick up medicine and other needed supplies. We’re in unprecedented times, where we’re having to take measures we never considered before,” said councilmember Will Jawando, who introduced the legislation on Tuesday.

Governors in several other states have already put similar measures into place.