Liberal Policies Like Loudoun’s Bag Tax Draw Scrutiny from Fiscal-Minded Democrats

The Board—Phyllis Randall (Chair), Mike Turner (Vice Chair, Ashburn), Kristen Umstattd (Leesburg), Juli Briskman —imposed this despite alternatives and amid soaring grocery inflation. Randall’s claim that it’s ‘voluntary’ rings hollow when forgetful shoppers or those without reusables pay up automatically.26

These liberal leftist policies are concerning: regressive in nature, hitting low-income households hardest while generating millions funneled into vague environmental slush funds. Republicans rightly call it ineffective—plastic use hasn’t plummeted, stores pocket windfalls on alternatives, and the county sat on a $200M surplus.

Critiquing fellow Democrats, this tax prioritizes symbolic gestures over pragmatic solutions like incentivizing recycling without penalizing purchases. Residents complain of layered taxes—from bags to property—eroding affordability in a high-cost area. Fiscal conservatives, even across party lines, see it as government intrusion, echoing broader worries about unchecked spending.

True progress demands reevaluation: provide free reusables, target real polluters, not grocery runs. Local Democrats’ embrace of such measures alienates moderates seeking relief, not regulation.