Carbon Washington is collecting signatures for Initiative 732, a measure aimed at reducing carbon emissions in Washington State. The initiative is meant to be an alternative to Gov. Jay Inslee's cap-and-trade proposal, a batter on deck of sorts, if the governor's attempt at carbon reduction is defeated in the Legislature.
The initiative was filed on March 20, 2015, and needs 325,000 signatures to go before the Legislature. If supporters gather enough signatures, the 2016 Legislature would then have a chance to enact the measure. If the Legislature didn't act, the initiative would go on the 2016 ballot. KUOW highlights the details of the initiative, which involve phasing in a $25 per ton tax on carbon emissions by large firms, starting in July 2017, the proceeds of which would go toward reducing the state sales tax (by 1 percent) and the businesses and occupation tax on manufacturing. When the tax is fully phased in, gas prices at the pump would go up 25 cents per gallon; rebates would be provided to thousands of lower-income families to minimize the effect the tax has on the consumer.
Carbon Washington's initiative is based off a system already in place in British Columbia, which EarthFix provided coverage for. However some environmentalists are unsure if this plan is the right approach, KUOW spoke to Ross Macfarlane of Climate Solutions, a group that supports Gov. Inslee's cap and trade proposal but is wary of Carbon Washington's initiative: "We’re excited that people care so much about climate that they’re looking at ways to pass an initiative. But we're concerned that Carbon Washington's proposal is premature and ... is building their strategy around a particular policy and hoping that it results in a winning strategy."