By Ande Finley
The dire effects of climate change are all around us. Drought in California, Texas, and the Midwest, Katrina in New Orleans, Superstorm Sandy in New York and New Jersey, dramatic sea level rise on both coasts, extreme weather conditions affecting crops, wildlife, and human survival. An excess of Carbon dioxide emitted by the burning of fossil fuels, wraps the Earth in “greenhouse gases” and traps heat radiating from our planet’s surface, making it warmer than it would be naturally.
What can we do to start reversing this disastrous trend?
Enter Carbon WA, a revenue-neutral carbon tax proposal that aims to strengthen the Washington State economy while reducing carbon pollution. On Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. at the Lopez Library, the Carbon WA chapter for the San Juan Islands will kick off its campaign to put this proposal as an initiative on the 2016 ballot.
Imposing a tax on fossil fuels consumed in our state while lowering the state sales tax, funding a rebate for working families, and giving manufacturers a tax break, the Carbon WA initiative will encourage us to reduce carbon consumption and allow for increased spending on low-carbon goods. A similar program has been very successful in British Columbia where after five years, the province saw an 16 percent reduction in fossil fuel consumption, compared to a 3 percent rise in Canada overall, while keeping economic growth strong.
This tax swap works like this: the carbon tax of $25 per metric ton, phased in over two years, will generate $1.7 billion per year. This pot of money will fund the reduction of the state sales tax one full percentage; provide $200 million to the Working Families Rebate (an addition to the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit), and effectively eliminate the Business and Occupation Tax for manufacturers. As fossil fuel consumption decreases, the carbon tax will increase about 5% per year to maintain revenue neutrality.
There’s something for everybody in this proposal. Putting a price on carbon through a revenue-neutral approach assures that consumers, families, and the business community will see little change in their standard of living or level of competitiveness. This strategy also stimulates our market-based economy to innovate and develop new clean-energy technologies. Carbon WA’s tax swap will more accurately capture the true costs of making and using goods, including the costs associated with polluting our air and water without sacrificing our state’s economic health.
Finally, a painless way for us all to start reducing carbon emissions. If Carbon WA is successful, Washington will become the first state in the nation to enact this kind of win-win environmental tax reform.
The San Juan Islands’ Chapter has committed to a goal of collecting 4,000 signatures between April and December. Join this energetic group on April 25th for a brief overview of the campaign, signature gathering training and practice, and plenty of time to eat goodies and socialize. For more information, contact Ande Finley, Chom Greacen, or Gretchen Allison at lopez@carbonwa.org.
