New York State Collected Millions of Dollars from This?!

According to News 10 abc, New York State collected over $100 million from unclaimed bottle and can deposits in 2016.  Here I am happy with maybe getting $5.00 from can deposits, but no way ever would I imagine this sum of money from bottle deposits. The fact that New York State got all the money? I'm not sure how to feel about that.  According to News 10 abc, New York State gets 80% of the money from unclaimed deposits by law, and usually distributors keep the rest.  But it looks like there were also some other issues over 2016, with a reported lack of mandated reports being filed by distributors, and a lack of penalization for not filing mandated reports.  Get all the details at News 10 abc.

But back to where the money should go.  I mean, this money is literally from 5 cent bottle deposits.  One local resident I spoke with stated "to be honest with you, that money should go to the people, not the state.  People over pay for the deposits- just give it to charity or something." Another local resident expressed a similar statement, stating "I'd like to see it be given back to the community."  I can't really speak to this as I'm not sure where the money collected goes, but nonetheless, I do agree that I'd like to see a sum of money that large go to help the Capital Region.  What are your thoughts?