Plastic utensils ban shows NJ government’s complete failure

Starting Aug. 1, New Jersey’s new “Skip the Stuff” law means restaurants can no longer automatically toss plastic forks, knives, spoons or even ketchup packets into your takeout bag. If you want them, you have to ask. Online ordering will default to “no utensils” unless you check the box.

And that’s exactly the problem with this state.

Not because I have some deep emotional attachment to plastic forks.

It’s because Trenton never seems to miss an opportunity to spend time solving the tiniest problems while the biggest ones continue to crush New Jersey residents.

Property taxes? Still among the highest in America.

Housing affordability? Getting worse.

Roads? Pick your favorite pothole.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are high-fiving each other because they’ve figured out how to make you say the magic words if you want a packet of mustard with your burger. Freaking ridiculous.

Honestly, if plastic utensils are such a catastrophe, then have the courage to ban them outright. At least that would be intellectually consistent. Instead, we get this strange middle ground where the fork is apparently destroying the planet…unless I specifically request one.

So the environmental impact depends on whether I click a checkbox? That’s not leadership. That’s virtue signaling at its worst.

And who gets to deal with the hassle?

Thousands of small businesses. Restaurants now have to retrain employees, update ordering systems, change procedures and worry about fines if they don’t follow the rules. For large chains, that’s an inconvenience. For a mom-and-pop restaurant already struggling with rising food costs and labor expenses, it’s just one more unfunded mandate from Trenton. For example, eateries with seating for 10 or more can no longer give dine-in customers plastic utensils. Those have to be reusable flatware under the law, which of course requires washing, time and labor costs.

Government should be spending its energy tackling the issues that actually keep New Jersey families up at night. Lower property taxes. Reduce the cost of living. Improve public safety. Address concerns about election administration, including ensuring voter registration systems are accurate and that noncitizens aren’t accidentally being allowed to vote or sent jury duty notices.

Instead, we’re debating condiment packets.

It just gives politicians another opportunity to declare victory over a problem that was never near the top of anyone’s list.