Politics & Government

ERNC Not Happy with Kevin de León's Opposition to Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban

An ERNC councilmember says the proof of job losses has not been demonstrated.

The city and county of Los Angeles have both banned single-use plastic bags at grocery stores and pharmacies, but recently the California State Senate shot down Senate Bill SB405, which would have enacted a statewide ban. 

Democratic State Senator Kevin de León, who represents Eagle Rock and other Northeast L.A. neighborhoods, voted against the bill. The move prompted the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council to vote on Sept. 3 to send a letter to León telling him it did not like his vote. 

"I want the senator to know that Eagle Rock does not agree with that vote. It’s really that simple," ERNC Councilmember Baker Montgomery told the rest of the board. 

Montgomery recently outlined his views on the topic in an op-ed on Eagle Rock Patch, where he gave details about his exchange with León when he visited the ERNC in August. 

Chief among León's opposition to SB405 was that it would eliminate local jobs, “more than 1,000 Latinas, many of them immigrants, at several plants in my district,” León said at the August meeting.

Mongtogmery said the proof of those job losses has not been demonstrated.

"I agreed to delay this resolution vote a month, pending proof of those job losses. There is no proof, unfortunately," Montgomery said. "The objective data shows, in fact, the city of Los Angeles did a lot research on this when they passed their own ban, that there would be up to 15 jobs lost."

Read more about the issue of single-use plastic bags here:

L.A.’s Plastic Bags Ban: What Your Neighbors Think
Why Kevin de León Helped Kill the Plastic Bag Ban
Stop Sweeping Ban on Plastic Bags: Letter to the Editor  


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