SEATTLE — Sponsors of a Washington initiative to tax carbon emissions say they have enough signatures to qualify the measure but are on the fence about whether to turn in the signatures.
Initiative 732 sponsor Yoram Bauman says on the campaign’s website that an alternative carbon proposal may be the best shot at climate action. He says leaders are discussing the issue with supporters and will decide by Dec. 30.
I-732 would add a $25 a ton to fossil fuels while cutting the state sales tax by one percent and reducing business taxes for manufacturers. Backers say they have gathered 350,000 signatures. They have already turned in 250,000 signatures.
A coalition of environmental, labor and social justice groups is working to put a competing measure to put before voters. That measure will likely imposes new fees on carbon pollution but would use the money for clean-energy projects, low-income communities and other causes.
