Advisory Vote No. However, the greatest threat is to young people who may inherit a climate system running out of their control, with deleterious effects including large sea-level rise and loss of coastal cities. But they are not defending the perfect. Initiative 732 would incentive clean-energy technology competition and accelerate the transition to renewable energy by putting a tax on fossil fuels. A new climate change initiative will likely be on the ballot this fall, I-732 aims to tackle carbon emissions and it’s bad policy for Cowlitz County and the state of Washington. Washington has a singular opportunity, with approval of Initiative 732, to address the threat of climate change and alter the ineffectual course of national climate policies. In July, the Washington state chapter of the Audubon society made waves when it publicly endorsed Initiative 732, something few visible environmental groups had done. Financial regulation | 88% reporting By The New York Times Advisory Votes . [8], The group 350 Seattle rescinded their endorsement of Initiative 732, stating:[41], This was not an easy process for us, and was under discussion for a long time. [28], As of January 12, 2017, the ballot question committees registered to oppose this initiative received in-kind donations in the amount of $14,545.71. An additional $112.3 in revenue would be generated relative to the OFM's estimates. Last Tuesday, Washington State voters rejected a ballot initiative that would have created the first carbon tax in the United States. Olson was disappointed with the group's response, saying, "They essentially told me that they had been over and over this issue in many meetings, and they were not about to change." The rest of Canada reduced per capita emissions 3.7 percent during the same period. Ballotpedia features 319,543 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. There are clearly things to like about Initiative 732, the carbon tax on the ballot in Washington. Editor's Note: Washington begins mailing ballots to voters on Oct. 21. The carbon tax would be applied to exported power. The reports would be submitted every year from 2017 through 2027, and every two years after that. Washington has shown how to lead the way in reducing carbon emissions. Yet, unlike the gas tax, the carbon tax gas price increase does not put any money back into relieving our congested highways and bridges or provide new transit options. ★ Initiative 732: Add an external link to your content for free. The current state sales tax rate is 6.5 percent, though some local governments impose their own sales taxes that make the rate paid by purchasers higher. The duo said:[32], I-732 is not revenue neutral and dangerously pits climate activism against funding for education and basic human services. [2][3] In 2011, Washington ranked 28th in carbon emissions nationwide. 's GHG emissions have increased every year; as of 2013 they are up 4.3 per cent above 2010 levels." State expenditures would increase by $37.4 million. These communities will need investments and jobs to make an equitable transition to a forward-thinking clean-energy economy. I-732 fights climate change by making big polluters pay. Exported power would be taxed. Calculations show that unchecked greenhouse gas emissions put us on course for a climate far outside human experience. The chart below shows cash donations and expenditures current as of January 12, 2017. It’s an effective, bipartisan policy similar to one that’s been working successfully in British Columbia since 2008. Jock A. Finlayson, head of policy at the Business Council of British Columbia, stated, "We were not very happy when it was first announced... [Now,] within the business community there is a sizable constituency saying this is O.K." The law also mandated that Washington's Department of Ecology require greenhouse gas emissions information for specific large facilities and fuel suppliers if they release at least 10,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases each year in the state. The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Washington carbon tax. Groups taking this position include Climate Solutions, the Washington Environmental Council, 350 Seattle, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the Sierra Club. As of 2016, no states had a carbon emission tax. Public education | The Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) for 2016 and 2017 would be issued June 30, 2018. [28], The No on 732 campaign coalition included:[30]. View other Washington election results on our full Washington results page. …. As the Working Families Tax Credit is distributed at anytime during the calendar year, the institute estimated its cost in increments across the months. Climate policy must be comprehensive, so it doesn’t harm people and kill jobs. 732 concerns taxes. [2] The OFM deemed Initiative 732 revenue-negative, claiming it would have decreased state revenue $200 million or 0.95 percent per year. This revenue-neutral measure offers the most progressive change in our tax code in decades and represents a bipartisan effort that rejects ideology. Inslee took these steps to enforce caps on greenhouse gas emissions after other proposals stalled in the Washington State Senate, which was controlled by Republicans at the time. Because the plan would recycle the revenue it raised, none would be left over for “investments” that activists favor. [69], Initiative 732 was modeled after British Columbia's carbon tax. Global temperature in 2015 was the highest on record and is likely to be exceeded this year. Undecided voters composed 28 percent of the sample. Specifically, the measure was intended to decreases the sales and business and occupation tax rates and increase tax credits for low-income households in exchange for revenue created by the carbon tax. The following is an excerpt from the statement:[39], For these very important reasons Climate Solutions cannot support I 732. Elections calendar | What's on my ballot? Healthcare | It can raise much-needed resources for clean energy research and development and transit; it can help us invest in communities that will be the hardest hit by climate impacts. He argued:[20]. Vote Yes on I-732. Initiative 732 was a bipartisan approach that would help build consensus and address the threat of climate change. If I-732 were to pass, it would put at risk the State’s ability to fund basic human services, to meet a court-ordered mandate to fund basic education, and to fulfill other functions of government. 1-732 is a simple step in the right direction. The legislature chooses whether to enact the measure, send it to the 2016 ballot alone, or send it to the ballot alongside an alternative proposition. Enthusiastic grassroots climate activists across the state gathered more than 300,000 signatures to get I-732 on the ballot. Initiative Measure No. 735 concerns a proposed amendment to the federal constitution. The money raised would be used to fund tax cuts and tax rebates throughout the state. Washington is already starting to reduce carbon emissions. Initiative 732 was unnecessary. My thoughts on Initiative 732, Washington’s proposed carbon tax There’s been a lot of ink spilt about the CarbonWA proposal to introduce a carbon tax in Washington State. While no one policy can do everything, we believe Initiative I-732 has significant flaws which combined would make it harder to achieve the goals of effectively and equitably tackling climate change and rapidly transitioning to clean energy: Climate scientists and economists have long said that one of the best ways to fight climate change is to put a price on greenhouse gas emissions and raise that price over time, which would encourage the switch to cleaner energy sources, like solar and wind. Voters rejected Initiative 732 — Create Carbon Emission Tax — in Washington on Tuesday. State economists estimate that I-732 will reduce state revenue by $800 million. It was defeated. Local tax revenue would increase by $156.1 million. And it makes the tax system fairer and more sustainable by using the carbon tax revenue to reduce the sales tax and other regressive and burdensome taxes that hurt families and businesses. I-732 ignores this. District Courts | OFM uses a model assuming "a carbon tax would incentivize both buyers and sellers of unspecified power to identify the carbon content of this power.". Superior Courts | In addition to imposing the carbon tax, Initiative 732 would incrementally reduce the … This measure would impose a carbon emission tax on the sale or use of certain fossil fuels and fossil-fuel-generated electricity, at $15 per metric ton of carbon dioxide in 2017, and increasing gradually to $100 per metric ton (2016 dollars adjusted for inflation), with more gradual phase-in for some users. Initiative 732 would phase in the new tax at $25 a ton to start, reaching that price at the end of its first two years in 2018. Initiative 732 proposes the creation of a carbon tax that will almost immediately increase the price of a gallon of gas by $.25. The initiative would raise taxes by about 15 cents per gallon of gas initially, up to 25 cents per gallon, then gradually increasing after that. Finally, the measure would expand and fund a working family tax exemption. "[45], The Washington Environmental Council decided to "not support" the measure for the following reasons:[40], Climate change is not just an environmental issue, but a matter of economic, social and racial justice, and public health. (To get a sense of the landscape, please read the introduction to the first article in this series.) For most fossil fuels, the tax rate would start at $15 per metric ton of carbon dioxide emitted. Washington ultimately withdrew from the WCI under Governor Gregoire (D) in 2011, along with Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah. (1,760 of 2,000 precincts). External Relations: Alison Prange • Sara Key • Kari Berger A Department of Revenue analysis found I-732 will cut funding available for education, health care, and other vital services by $797 million over the next six years. The top donor to the "Yes" campaign was entrepreneur Peter Kelly. In 2009, 47 percent opposed the tax. And it returns the money polluters pay to everyone’s pocket by lowering other taxes. Revenue from this source would be $40.5 million per year. [8], Greg Ip, Chief Economics Commentator for The Wall Street Journal, claimed that Initiative 732 had a greater chance of achieving broad-based support relative to some other global warming regulations and that opponents were not acknowledging this. Their approach would be worse than what is on Washington’s ballot. Emissions fell in the years following before rising again until 2007, when emissions began plummeting. As scientists and citizens we urge you to join us in support of 1-732 on Election Day. If the movement cannot accept economically sound policy that would help solve the fundamental problem, there is something deeply wrong with the movement. This November, Washingtonians will have the chance to vote on a carbon tax: Citizens’ Initiative 732. Light trucks are pickup trucks, some sport utility vehicles, or minivans of up to 8,500 pounds used primarily for the transportation of people and cargo. Initiative 732 in Washington was a landmark attempt to address climate change and was expected to raise $2 billion annually through higher prices for gasoline and fossil fuel-fired electricity. Carbon Washington claimed Initiative 732 would increase state revenue $240 to $350 million or 1.1 to 1.6 percent per year. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; Communications: Kristen Vonasek • Kayla Harris • Megan Brown • Mary Dunne • Sarah Groat • Heidi Jung To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here. In 2011, Washington ranked 28th in carbon emissions nationwide. According to the New York Times, "British Columbia’s economy did not collapse. To the extent that the people who modeled it predicted this, I’m not sure that those of us on the policy end of it really believed it." Protects Working Families. The carbon emission tax would apply to electricity producers, but only on the proportion of electricity produced using fossil fuels. In Seattle, 51 percent supported the initiative. OFM is wrong to conclude that sellers of unspecified power would identify all of their power sources by 2018. Judicial Selection | These groups, as represented by Front & Centered, are strongly opposed to this particular ballot measure. Rather, the general goal behind the tax was to encourage families and firms to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. For a summary of in-kind donations, click here. This results from implementing a new carbon tax, reducing the state retail sales tax rate by 1 percentage point and reducing certain manufacturing business and occupation taxes. About 30 percent were undecided on the measure. I-732 changes that. disputes, lawsuits, and recounts, Submit a photo, survey, video, conversation, or bio. 2021 legislative session | This is on top of the recent gas tax increase of $.12 approved by the Washington State Legislature. Taking this into account would reduce the OFM's estimate of a $421 million cost in 2018 to a $157.7 million cost. [79], The legislature did not act on the initiative, which meant that, for Initiatives to the Legislature in Washington, the measure made the ballot for November 8, 2016.[80]. Cost of signature collection: Marc Lee, Senior Economist for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, said, "... don't believe the hype on B.C. Initiative 732 Initiative 732 was filed in 2015 as an initiative to the Legislature. Initiative 732 would cause cause household electricity costs to increase. Washington Initiative 732 would have, like the British Columbia carbon tax, impose a steadily rising tax on carbon emissions, while offsetting the state's sales tax and business tax, while expanding the state's tax credit for low-income families. By throwing money at imaginary sensible Republicans and Boeing, I-732 adapts us for nothing. [3] Implemented in 2008, British Columbia's carbon tax helped the province reduce its per capita greenhouse gas emissions 12.9 between 2008 to 2013, according to the Carbon Tax Center. In 2016, a group of climate activists put an initiative for a revenue-neutral carbon tax on the November ballot in Washington State. The state would adopt rules needed to implement the measure. Supporters received $3.15 million in contributions, while No on 732 raised $1.42 million. It would not apply to electricity produced using hydroelectric dams, nuclear power, wind, or solar power. 724, 729, 730 and 731. Revenue from this source would be about $81 million per year. The WCI had agreed to design and implement voluntarily a cap-and-trade system. Global fossil-fuel emissions and global warming are increasing. This is all unnecessary. It uses revenues from a carbon pollution fee to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy and invests in infrastructure for clean, abundant water and healthy forests that can stand up to the adverse impacts of climate change, while simultaneously assisting the most vulnerable workers and communities during our transition away from fossil fuels. This is equivalent to about a 25 cent increase per gallon of gasoline. The tax would on exported power would generate about $94 million per year. Then, the tax rate would rise to $25 per metric ton on July 1, 2018. A total of $442,529.00 was spent to collect the 246,372 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $1.80. Our state faces a $5 billion deficit and court orders to meet basic education and mental health needs. 732). Most of all, we hope that the divisiveness that has marked this fight subsides. Other organizations opposing the initiative included: Other unions opposing the initiative included: No on 732, sponsored by the Association of Washington Business, argued the following:[34]. Each Washington department was required to submit a greenhouse gas reduction plan for approval by the state legislature before December 2008. The rate would increase in 5 percent increments every two years after that until July 1, 2055, when it would be the same as the carbon emission tax rate imposed on other fuels. American Exploration and Mining Association, Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities, Washington State Council of Farmer Cooperatives, Aerospace Machinists Industrial District Lodge 751, Certified Electrical Workers of Washington. We have learned that in order to pass and sustain transformational carbon pollution policy, we must work with a broad, politically-powerful coalition. Initiative 732 would not provide needed investments and jobs in vulnerable communities. Second, it risks turning climate change into a one-party issue. Dirty fossil fuels pollute our air and water, threaten our forests, harm our kids, and damage our climate. ... No on 732 Sponsored by the Association of Washington Business, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, Energy policy is a major issue in Washington. Dallas Burtraw. Initiative 732 would not provide needed clean energy investment. Our reason, above all, is that we want to support our allies in people-of-color-led climate justice groups that represent those on the frontlines of climate change. Washington Carbon Emission Tax and Sales Tax Reduction, Initiative 732 (2016), Carbon Washington's "Yes On I-732: We're the ones we've been waiting for", Carbon Washington's "I732 - To Protect Our Future", Carbon Washington's "Let's take a swing at Climate Change!". Washington's nitrogen dioxide emissions were higher than Oregon's, but fewer than Alaska's. House of Representatives | Climate extremes are becoming more intense: heat waves, droughts and fires on one hand, and more extreme rainfall, floods and storms on the other. Vulnerable families in communities near pollution hot spots and workers in energy intensive industries are hardest hit by pollution. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. [56], As of January 12, 2017, the ballot question committee registered to support this initiative received in-kind donations in the amount of $604,195.04. I-732 alleviates its effects on the poor in two ways: it lowers Washington’s regressive sales tax by one percent, and provides a match of up to $1500 of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit for low-income working families. These federal regulations cover transportation and renewable fuels, mobile and stationary sources of greenhouse gases, and fuel economy standards for vehicles. And no, it doesn’t do everything. All unspecified power becoming specified by 2018 is unlikely. The measure, called Initiative 732, isn’t just any carbon tax, either. On July 1, 2018, it would be reduced again, to 5.5 percent. [6] To meet this goal of remaining "revenue neutral," Initiative 732 would have lowered the state sales tax from 6.5 to 5.5 percent, increased the Working Families Tax Credit for low-income families, and reduced the business and occupation tax rate from 0.484 to 0.001 percent. 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