TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- A Florida lawmaker is proposing a new way to pay for wastewater treatment, a sort of pay-as-you-go program.

Sen. Al Lawson, a Democrat, is suggesting a 2-cent per roll tax on toilet paper. He claims this could help small towns and counties fund and upgrade their sewer systems.

What Do You Think?

Local 10 News went to a Fort Lauderdale restaurant this morning to find out what people thought about the proposed tax. Everybody seemed to have pretty much the same reaction.

"I think that's the most asinine thing I've ever heard in my life," said one diner.

"I don't like it. I don't like the fact that they're going to tax us again. We're paying enough tax as it is. I can't afford any more taxes," said another diner.

Sound off on the toilet paper tax in our online discussion.

While Lawson is enduring lots of jokes -- bathroom humor you might say -- Lawson said the issue is a serious one, especially in some of the fast-growing Panhandle coastal counties in his district.

Lawson said there's a need for sewer improvements in many of those areas but they just can't afford it.

"They're experiencing a tremendous boom in growth and they're not able to accommodate the growth," he said. "We've got 17 million people in this state and all of them can contribute to protecting our underground water supply."

In a Republican-dominated Legislature that doesn't like new taxes, the idea is likely to pretty quickly end up in the tank.

Senate President Tom Lee, R-Brandon, said he didn't think it would get too far, but didn't rule it out.

"We'll be getting to the bottom of it real soon," Lee said.

The House is skeptical as well.

"We're not wild about tax increases," said House Speaker Allan Bense, R-Panama City. "But we'll certainly let it go through the system."

If it were to pass, the extra two pennies would start being charged in October. Lawson said it could generate $50 million a year.

It would also need approval from Gov. Jeb Bush. He said that if toilet paper is taxed, people might use less of it.

"That's not necessarily a good thing," noted the governor.

And what about consumers? Wouldn't they be squeezed by a tax on the Charmin?

No, says Lawson.

"Two cents is not going to hurt families at all," he said. "This is one thing people don't mind paying for."