SEATTLE -- Signatures are pouring in on petitions to force a vote on a grocery bag tax, independent grocers say. The petitions are part of the push against the city's push for green shopping.

At a Thriftway in West Seattle, 35 percent of all shoppers bring their own bags. But the store is located in a green part of a green city.

But when the mayor and city council decided to charge shoppers 20 cents for a plastic carry out bag or a paper one -- well, the green may stop there.

"I think 20 cents is a little excessive, but I might pay 5 cents. Twenty cents is crazy," said shopper Marcia Werlfelmann.

"I don't think much of this mayor," said shopper Harriet Benjamin. "I think he thinks all of his citizens are stupid and we need him to take care of us from the time we get up until we go to bed. I don't need his help."

That anger is helping independent grocery stores that are trying to force a vote on Seattle's bag fee.

"Our grocers do not believe citizens should be taxed on their grocery bills," said Jan Gee, president of Washington Food Industry. "Food prices are increasing significantly right now, and a tax on the grocery bill is the wrong way to go."

Signature gatherers have until August 28 to gather 14,400 signatures to force a vote. They are predicting success.

"I'll get 2,000 myself. I got 600 in the last four days," said Leonard Ruthford.

Some state representatives are declaring war, too. They say paper bags are made right here. Those plastic totes, on the other hand, are from China.

"I look at it as almost a slap in the face that we are going to take a product that's made in our own communities and transfer that to bags that are probably going to be made in China and other places," said Rep. Dean Takko, D-Longview.

Takko says the grocery bag fee may be an illegal tax. He plans to ask the state attorney general for a legal opinion. If that doesn't work, he plans to ask the Legislature to repeal the tax.