Local representatives oppose carbon tax initiative

A proposal by Carbon Washington, a group aiming to bring a carbon tax to the state, is headed to the November ballot, and Ninth District legislators, all Republicans, say they do not support the initiative.

Sen. Mark Schoesler of Ritzville, and Reps. Mary Dye of Pomeroy and Joe Schmick of Colfax, all said the proposed measure, Initiative 732, leads to winners and losers.

"I think it's a very poorly drafted initiative," Schoesler said. "You create winners, which means you have to create losers."

The measure is meant to impose a carbon emission tax on fossil fuels and fossil-fuel-generated electricity while also reducing sales tax by one percent and increasing a low-income exemption. The carbon tax on fossil fuels would be charged at $25 a ton, and some of this would be seen in the form of a gas tax, the representatives explained.

"And that escalates up to $100," Schmick said, explaining the amount of the tax would go up by $25 each year. "If you institute this, it's just going to go up."

Schoesler explained this tax will add 25 cents per gallon of gasoline for all consumers.

"Twenty-five cents a gallon, and you won't see a single improvement on Highway 26," he said. "That's on top of our state and federal gas tax, but at least that goes back to the roads."

The initiative would also cut the sales tax by one percentage point, and Schoesler also explained that the carbon tax would be distributed to low-income people.

"They will redistribute the wealth through the carbon tax," Schoesler said.

Dye said this could possibly lead to consequences to the state budget.

"It reduces sales tax by a percent, and that reduces the general fund revenue by $1.3 million," she said. "It reduces the Business and Operation tax, and that reduces the general fund by $200 million."

Schoesler and Schmick said a higher gas tax and reduced sales tax could hurt businesses in Washington, especially in the Ninth District, which is close to Idaho.

"If our gas price goes up 25 cents for a carbon tax and Idaho doesn't, people are going to go straight across the border," Schoesler said. "People will happily go across the border."

"Since we're so close to Idaho, if a business is coming to the area, they might go to Idaho," Schmick said.

All the representatives say a carbon tax is not needed because the state is already one of the cleanest in the nation.

"We're already at our 2020 goals," Schmick said.

"It doesn't do much in terms of environmental impact because we're already there," Dye said. "Our energy production in this state is extraordinarily clean. We have a very small carbon footprint."

Dye also said the majority of the carbon emissions in the state are transportation-related and also mostly related to transportation congestion in western Washington.

"It appears to me that it is a statewide solution to a local problem," she said.

Schmick agreed.

"The biggest portion of carbon is transportation," he said. "If we could get rid of the traffic congestion, that would help."

Schmick said he hopes people will be aware of this initiative, as well as others on the ballot, in order to make an informed decision come November.

"I think every voter should be educated so they know what they're voting for," he said.

Full information about this initiative and others can be found at leg.wa.gov.