ASPEN, Colo. -- The Colorado Supreme Court has decided to hear a case brought by a nonprofit that claims Aspen's 20-cent charge on disposable paper bags should have gone to voters.
The Colorado Union of Taxpayers appealed the case to the state's high court in May, the Aspen Timesreports. Both a district court and the state appeals court have ruled that the fee is constitutional and did not require a public vote because it's not a tax.
The case stems from a 2011 ordinance passed by the Aspen City Council that requires shoppers to pay 20 cents to use a paper bag supplied by Aspen's two supermarkets. The measure was meant to encourage customers to use reusable bags.
The taxpayers group maintains the bag charge should've gone before a vote because it's similar to a sales tax.
