If two ballot initiatives to repeal legislation limiting natural gas use and taxing companies' carbon emissions pass on Nov. 5, voters could cast doubt on outgoing Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's climate legacy. A major blow. [emphasis, links added]
Washington state residents will vote on two energy-related ballot initiatives, including Repeal laws restricting natural gas use (I-2066) and others Abolish the national carbon trading system (I-2117), which supporters labeled “Hidden Gas Tax”.
Supporters believe passage of these initiatives would send a clear message to the Democratic trifecta in Washington: Residents are not content with paying higher gas prices than most across the country in the name of climate change.
“Our radical green energy policies were developed by a small number of activists whose views were not widely shared and shared,” Jim Walsh, chairman of the Washington Republican Party and author of the ETS repeal initiative, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “They are an unsympathetic interest group.”
Inslee called the referendum “the most important election in America besides the White House.”
Voters appear likely to pass natural gas ban initiativeAccording to the latest SurveyUSA poll, conducted Oct. 9-14, 44% of registered voters support it and 31% oppose it.
State residents appear less than enthusiastic about supporting scrapping carbon trading system48% said they would reject the initiative and 30% supported it. However, 25% remain undecided on the natural gas ban (I-2066) and 22% remain undecided on the ETS initiative (I-2117).
Walsh told DCNF he expected both ballot initiatives to pass, while also acknowledging The gas ban initiative has gained more support because the measure is ultimately about defending “consumer choice”.
“People like to cook with natural gas, even if they don’t have it in their home or apartment, They don't like being told they can't have it,“Walsh told DCNF.
“We are confident about 2117 [the carbon trading system repeal] and 2066 [the natural gas ban prohibition] through because We've been on the ground talking to voters for the past six months, and they all say the same thing: Prices are too high. Hallie Balch, a spokesperson for Let's Go Washington, a political committee led by Brian Heywood that funds the push to get these initiatives on the ballot, told DCNF.
Both petitions have collected more signatures than any initiative filed in Washington state in the past two decades.
The natural gas ban measure received more than 514,000 signatures, the second-most signatures in state history, while the petition to repeal the carbon trading system received more than 466,000 signatures, the fourth-most signatures in state history.
Walsh told DCNF that nearly 60 percent of the signatures came from independents and registered Democrats, and he expects voters who voted for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris to also vote for the measures.
Let's Go to Washington and Walsh cited cost-of-living concerns as the primary reason both measures have strong support among Washington residents.
Today's average gas price in Washington is the third highest in the country at about $4.04 per gallon, nearly a dollar higher than the national average of $3.13.
Association of Washington Business (AWB) January Forecast Washington carbon trading plan causes natural gas price to rise 45 cents Since being put into operation in January 2023.
On October 10, Haywood said during a debate on abolishing the carbon trading system at Seattle University: “I would bet you. If in 2117 [the carbon trading system repeal] After passage, natural gas prices will decrease relative to other states because [we currently have] 25% to 50% tax.
Haywood predicted that if I-2117 fails, natural gas prices will continue to rise as carbon prices increase under the carbon trading system. “It's designed for price increases,” Heywood added.
“I-2117 [the carbon trading system repeal] Save 30-50 cents per gallon of gas, lowering costs, I-2066 [the natural gas ban prohibition] By eliminating some of the strictest building codes in the country and not requiring people to spend tens of thousands of dollars retrofitting their homes to have electricity, it will reduce costs for homeowners and buyers,” Balch told DCNF.
Amazon, BP US, Microsoft, the Environmental Protection Foundation and more than 500 other entities strongly oppose scrapping the carbon trading system.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer are among the No On 2117 committee's largest donors, giving $1 million and $2.5 million respectively.
Let's Go Washington tells DCNF In total, more than $40 million has been spent on the ETS abolition and other measures.
Opponents of I-2117 claim repealing the state's carbon trading system would result in deep cuts to the state's transportation and infrastructure budgets, Part of the funding comes from government revenue from taxes on corporate carbon emissions.
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