Take Out Tax: Why not?

I often walk and cycle the back roads and notice that roadside trash is largely composed of empty beverage cans and remnants of take out food. I favor deposits for beverage cans which, although it does reduce litter significantly, is not likely to happen any time soon.
Now, why not impose a tax on take out food with the revenue going exclusively to litter reduction? I suspect the margins on take out are higher than on-premises consumption even with the added costs of the to-go containers factored in...why not take a little of that extra margin and improve the scenery?
I realize this will never happen but I'd like to hear the arguments against such a tax at the local or state level.
'Winger

Great Idea!!!! Everyone should pay to clean up for those that litter! Brilliant!

Great Idea!!!! Everyone should pay to clean up for those that litter! Brilliant!

Brian-
Not everyone...just those who buy or sell items for take out. Currently everyone does pay for litter control, the tax would at least focus it on a smaller segment of the population. While it may not be brilliant as you snarkily point out, it is a possible solution. Do you have any other options, or we could just live with the trash?

Edited to add second and last sentences...sorry.

Same difference. So I'll rephrase, everyone that buys take out and doesn't litter should pay to clean up for the minority that buy take out and litter. It does nothing to address the problem. Bad idea.

I think the idea of a tax on takeout items to help pay for litter cleanup is a great idea. However rather than take you out of the restaurants profit margin I think it should be an additional cost that the customers see. That way they could actually see what litter costs them and everyone else. It also would hurt the restaurants many of which are already having financial problems because of the economy.

I suspect the margins on take out are higher than on-premises consumption even with the added costs of the to-go containers factored in...why not take a little of that extra margin and improve the scenery?

Hum.. adding extra taxes to customers and restaurants during this economy.... Not such a great idea..IMO.
Take out and in house portions are the same so where does this extra margin come from?

I agree with the responses here. Why make all of society pay for the actions of a few? Hmmmmm...... I could get polital here but I won't And yes, the LAST thing the restaurant business needs in this, or any, economy is additional costs.

Although extremely difficult to enforce, how about fining the heck out of anyone caught littering with zero tolerance?

I agree with the responses here. Why make all of society pay for the actions of a few? Hmmmmm...... I could get polital here but I won't And yes, the LAST thing the restaurant business needs in this, or any, economy is additional costs.

Although extremely difficult to enforce, how about fining the heck out of anyone caught littering with zero tolerance?

Thanks, Neal. But isn't society as a whole already paying for the actions of a few that litter? Unless society chooses to ignore litter, which based upon the condition of our streets is all to commonplace, there are costs to society associated with the production and generation of litter. It all boils down to who pays.
BTW, I like the idea of strict enforcement but don't see that as viable...I'd love to see the number of litter fines/citations for Louisville in the last year.

Cheers.

I suspect the margins on take out are higher than on-premises consumption even with the added costs of the to-go containers factored in...why not take a little of that extra margin and improve the scenery?

Hum.. adding extra taxes to customers and restaurants during this economy.... Not such a great idea..IMO.
Take out and in house portions are the same so where does this extra margin come from?

Since I'm not ITB I was under the impression that take out would have lower costs associated with it. One server could handle 50 take outs that could require 5 servers if served sit down, dishwashing, bussers, FOH staff, etc. The tax would not necessarily come from margin, but could be a pass thru like sales tax.
Just sayin'.

Some restaurants already charge an additional cost for take-out; though I'm sure this has nothing to do with litter. It's simply to cover their costs. To make that a standard tax would reduce, if not, wipe out jobs. Some people would no longer order take-out if they knew their was an extra cost just for picking it up because of a tax. How about Take-Home Containers? Are you going to tax customers for asking them while in restaurants too?

[Robin Garr]

Without weighing in on the philosophy of it beyond saying that I like it , I'm pretty sure such a measure in Kentucky would require state legislation, which is going to be a hard row to hoe, especially with the wacky 'billies that dominate the state Senate in particular.

Bottle-deposit bills and other anti-litter measures that for one reason or another don't find favor with the soft-drink bottlers or the grocery industry have rarely fared well in Frankfort, even back in the days when the Senate was Democratic and comparatively liberal.

Again, I'm not arguing against your premise, Bill. You are entirely correct that the costs of litter cleanup are going to come out of the public pocket one way or another. But practically, it's going to be tough to make something like this happen.

Although extremely difficult to enforce, how about fining the heck out of anyone caught littering with zero tolerance?

This is the answer. Start hammering people when they are caught littering, There is no excuse for it. I would start with the smokers. Take a look out your window the next time you are at an intersection/stop light, it is disgusting. It shouldn't be hard for a cop to catch a person throwing out a cigarette, especially when it is dark.

I would also like to add that most of the litter problems I see in my neighborhood (Lyndon) are due to the garbage trucks. Every garbage day my street gets covered in litter. Any garbage that doesn't make it from the can to the truck gets left to blow around the streets. If we are paying to have our garbage picked up, that is what they should do.

Although extremely difficult to enforce, how about fining the heck out of anyone caught littering with zero tolerance?

This is the answer. Start hammering people when they are caught littering, There is no excuse for it. I would start with the smokers. Take a look out your window the next time you are at an intersection/stop light, it is disgusting. It shouldn't be hard for a cop to catch a person throwing out a cigarette, especially when it is dark.

I would also like to add that most of the litter problems I see in my neighborhood (Lyndon) are due to the garbage trucks. Every garbage day my street gets covered in litter. Any garbage that doesn't make it from the can to the truck gets left to blow around the streets. If we are paying to have our garbage picked up, that is what they should do.

Amen. I thought litter pick-up along the highways was taken care of by those doing community service. If not, then it should.

There ARE groups , whether they are inmates or volunteers or ordered to serve community service, picking up trash; not only on the highways, but in the city.

But, what do I know, I'm only a smoker who does not litter.

In my opinion, using taxes to influence behaviors is a mistake. It's inefficient in that it doesn't target the behavior directly. It leads to further complications of an already overly complicated system.

Taxes should be used to raise revenue. Non-revenue laws should target behavior.

The most targeted, efficient solution would be tougher penalties for littering coupled with stricter enforcement.