- OR residents’ value this program. Ninety-two percent of respondents indicated the need for this type of program was “somewhat important” or “very important.” OR residents’ acceptance of the fee may be linked to the inherent value they place on the goals and services provided by such programs. The degree to which consumers value such programs may indicate their willingness to pay a certain fee. This information may be used in refining fee structures within and across states. Understanding and leveraging consumer attitudes may also prove useful in navigating the legislative process, where, as the PPSI learned in MN, without evidence of public opinion and providing evidence of the public’s willingness to pay a fee, legislation based on a fee mechanism may be rejected by executive or legislative leadership even with broad bipartisan legislative support.
- A full understanding of the impact of the fee would assess whether some consumers were deterred from buying paint due to the higher cost associated with the added fee. The fact that consumers are deterred at the margin may or may not be a good thing. On the one hand, a higher price may reduce the total amount of paint demanded by consumers and affect paint retailers revenues. On the other hand, reducing the total amount of paint purchased reduces the total amount of leftover paint that would have to be managed by the program in the future.
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