A program to distribute free reusable bags to low-income residents could help minimize any potentially regressive effects while allowing the city to pursue the fee as a viable policy option.
The boy's parents, who have other children, are both committed to the principles of comprehensive education and only with great reluctance opted to pursue the fee-paying route.
The New York attorney general, Eliot Spitzer, has declined to pursue the fees and has formed an unlikely alliance with New York's outside lawyers and the tobacco companies to argue that Justice Ramos, who inherited the tobacco litigation after the settlement was agreed upon, does not have the authority to review the matter.
Ms. Ellingsworth had argued that each customer should have to sue Block individually -- a procedure that would have discouraged lawyers from pursuing the cases, because filing fees alone would exceed the damages that could be recovered by any one customer.
Indeed Visa was, according to Martin, the first to pursue the high-fee strategy.
But an applicant's expenses don't stop at the application fee; immigrants pursuing the American Dream have additional expenses for English classes, civics preparation and legal filing assistance, all of which can add hundreds or even thousands of dollars to the process.
Count it all including tuition fees, books, miscellaneous fees, supplies, housing and some other expenses upon pursuing the program.
Since then, millions of dollars in management fees, legal expenses and other costs have been spent pursuing the failed plan.
Pursuing the hard-money angle.
Finding that no one involved in the settlement would pursue the question of the fees, the judge in January appointed two independent lawyers to represent New York.
