I think its accruate and the tone appropriate. Some may choose to add a more
negative tone when describing  the current efforts of the opposition and it is
OK that you don't.

Eric G Hurley wrote:

> I've drafted a letter to the editor. I'd appreciate comments concerning its
> accuracy in representing the law as well as its tone. The recommendations I
> think reflect last year's proposed expansion of the bottle bill. I think I
> saw in the paper someone arguing for a 1.5 cent redemption fee instead of
> the 2 cents.
>
> Eric G. Hurley
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Iowa's Beverage Container Deposit Law or "Bottle Bill" was implemented in
> 1978. That summer a friend and I explored the roads of northeast Iowa on
> bicycle picking up cans from the ditches, parks, and wild areas secure in
> the knowledge that this sort of obnoxious, unsightly litter would not
> likely return. We were right. Iowa is far cleaner and far more beautiful
> because of the bottle bill. Iowans are justifiably proud of this law.
>
> Now grocery stores including Fareway, Hy-Vee, and Cub Foods here in Ames
> are attempting to gut this highly successful law and are mis-representing
> the law to do it. You have probably already seen the displays and petitions
> in the stores. The petitions state that the "Iowa container deposit law
> endangers our food supply by directing consumers to take unsanitary
> beverage containers to supermarkets."
>
> Since the inception of this law, grocery stores have provided a valued
> service to their customers by redeeming on-site the beverage containers
> they sell. Returning them to the stores is convenient and, thus, makes the
> system far more effective. However, it is not a requirement of the law.
> Stores could designate a convenient redemption center for the containers
> they sell. They have voluntarily chosen to redeem on-site presumably in
> order to retain customer loyalty. If on-site redemption is indeed a health
> risk, as they argue in their petition, then it is a risk they have
> willingly chosen for 23 years.
>
> Iowa's beverage container deposit law is successful, but needs to be
> updated. It should be expanded to include bottles and cans used for tea,
> water, fruit juices, and sports drinks. To assist the local redemption
> services, whether it be grocery stores or independent centers, the handling
> fee should be increased from 1 cent to 2 cents per container. These
> additional funds could be used by the grocers to improve their redemption
> facilities. To support the reuse of container materials, all beverage
> containers sold in Iowa should be required to have a minimum post-consumer
> recycled content of 25% by weight. And finally, to deal with trash issues
> not solved by this policy, the Robert D. Ray Beautiful Land Fund should be
> created using unredeemed deposits to support local litter and recycling
> efforts.
>
> Work to keep Iowa beautiful. Do not support the grocery store petition and
> contact your legislator to retain and expand Iowa's Beverage Container
> Deposit Law.
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to:
> [log in to unmask]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT
to [log in to unmask]