To the editor:
On Monday, Aug. 6, at Monument Mountain Regional High School, the voters of Great Barrington will be asked to vote to rescind the ban on plastic water bottles.
The problem with the ban is it punishes our local businesses by barring them from selling the small water bottles. The ban doesn’t stop anyone from buying the water bottles in question from our neighboring towns and still disposing of them in our trash bins. And if found selling the bottles in question, the ban could cost merchants hundreds of dollars per day.
Let’s not forget that these businesses hire local people and pay outrageous taxes. The majority of taxes go to support an out-of-control school budget. When operating a business, every item in the store helps that business to survive.
If you think it’s easy to operate in Great Barrington, why then are there 30-plus empty storefronts from the radio station to the VFW in town?
Let’s vote to bring common sense back to town. Remember: If you stay home, don’t complain about losing your town one vote at a time.
Andy Moro
Housatonic