Voters in Seattle may get the opportunity to repeal the 20-cent bag fee approved last month by the city council for paper and plastic bags offered at grocery stores and other retailers, according to published reports. The fee is set to take effect Jan. 1.

A petition with 22,252 signatures gathered by the Coalition to Stop the Seattle Bag Tax was submitted to the city last week, putting forth the view that consumers should have the right to vote on the measure.

The coalition is the brainchild of the American Chemistry Council and the Washington Food Industry, the latter a trade association representing independent grocers in the state.
To make the ballot, 14,374 of the signatures need to be verified by the King County Elections Division, the Seattle Times reported.

Regina Labelle, the legal counsel for Seattle mayor Greg Nickels, said it was likely that the measure would end up being voted on.