A supermarket freebie could soon start costing you money.
Some state lawmakers are proposing a bill to charge retail customers 10 cents for each plastic bag they need, and then ban the bags altogether starting in 2022.
Several shoppers Tuesday at Mariana's Supermarket on Sahara Avenue thought the idea was ridiculous and horrible.
Elizabeth Coleman was one of them. She lives off a $700 a month fixed income and walks her groceries home using plastic bags.
She says all those dimes would take its toll.
"I couldn't afford it," Coleman said. "After a year, you figure it up. Here's 20 cents right here."
Clelia Tobar, another shopper, said another fee like the bag tax would strain her finances too.
None of the money raised would go to any supermarkets' bottom lines. It would be contributed to an environmental cleanup fund.
California uses a similar system.
Ruben Anaya, the chief operations officer of Mariana's Supermarkets, says they'd provide boxes or reusable bags if the day comes when plastic bags are no more.
In a Facebook poll we ran of our viewers, approximately four times more people were in favor of banning the bags.
