Lacey’s plastic bag ban stays in place – – for now

By the same 4-3 vote, which instituted the plastic bag ban six months ago, the Lacey City Council kept the ban in place.

Despite a recent survey, which found that 57 percent of Lacey residents responding, wanted the bag ban lifted – – it remains the law of the land.

Lacey Councilmember Lenny Greenstein used the survey results to bring the issue up Thursday before the council.   A brief but emotional debate ensued with Mayor Andy Ryder, Deputy Mayor Cynthia Pratt and Councilmember Jeff Gadman arguing that the survey results were NOT scientific.

“It’s the same agency which took the initial survey,” said Greenstein.  “At that time the results showed a bare 50 percent majority of residents wanted the bag ban,” he said.   “That was also an unscientific survey – – and yet we used it to justify the ban.   Now, the survey shows that 57 percent of Lacey residents want the ban lifted – -and  now the results aren’t scientific enough.”

Gadman said he was uncomfortable with the survey questions used this time and couldn’t  justify lifting the ban.

Ryder brought the discussion to a halt, when he informed the council that the Solid Waste Advisory Council (SWAC), which took both surveys, had put money aside to do a scientific survey sometime next year.

That was enough for Councilmember Michael Steadman, who was the swing vote.   “I’m going to wait for the results of that scientific survey,” Steadman said.   “But, if they don’t have it done by July of next year, then I’m going to vote to lift the ban.”

A 4-3 vote followed with Ryder, Pratt, Gadman and Steadman voting to keep the ban in place – – the same four which had originally instituted the ban in the first place.