CALL TO ACTION

Bill will hurt small newspapers like us

Posted

A proposal to create a statewide recycling program financed by paper and packaging producers is included in the House & Senate Environment Omnibus bills (HF 3911/ SF 3887). However, unless there is an exemption for ALL news publications, this bill will affect the Midway Como Frogtown Monitor with its circulation of 23,500 and its sister publications, the Longfellow Nokomis Messenger (circulation 22,000) and Southwest Connector (circulation 25,000).

The Minnesota Newspaper Association secured an exemption in the Senate version for ALL news publications from the requirements, but the House version only exempts publications with circulations lower than 20,000.

PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS TO LET THEM KNOW YOU SUPPORT NEWSPAPERS AND SUPPORT THAT EXEMPTION.

DID YOU KNOW?
The focus of the proposal is packaging waste. Newspapers are not packaging and the amount of physical newspapers are not growing with the digital economy, as is the case for consumer packaging targeted by the bill.

The function performed by newspapers is very different from that of most other products in the waste stream. Newspapers provide vital news and information to residents of the state, frequently addressing environmental issues.

Given the current degree of disruption in the newspaper business and the stress on newspaper budgets, the kinds of additional expenses imposed by House bill would literally deprive residents of news and information.

Imposing the obligations and expense of compliance with this new program would have a severely negative impact on us, a small-family business owned by a local woman, Tesha M. Christensen. Having this kind of limitation could also disincentivize a newspaper to grow to avoid crossing the threshold.

All states but one that have enacted producer responsibility-related laws have exempted newspapers. Minnesota should do the same.

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