Sen. Steve Litzow recently announced his endorsement of Initiative 732, demonstrating growing bipartisan support for the policy.
Litzow (R-Mercer Island) joins former Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Finkbeiner and a number of Democratic legislators who have already endorsed I-732, including Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon, chair of the House Environment Committee. They are part of a growing community of leading climate scientists, business leaders, economists, public officials and social and environmental leaders supporting I-732.
“For our children and future generations, we need to start the long transition away from fossil fuels and the pollution they create,” said Litzow, who represents the 41st District, in a press release. “Pollution damages our air quality, waterways, health and climate. I-732 creates a market-driven, non-regulatory incentive to reduce pollution without increasing our total tax burden or the size of government. Please join me in supporting this fiscally responsible pollution reduction policy and vote yes on I-732.”
Yoram Bauman, co-chair of the Yes on I-732, said the campaign is “grateful” for Litzow’s “courage to take a stand on climate change and endorse I-732. Lawmakers such as Sen. Litzow and Sen. Finkbeiner have proven that Republican leaders aren’t opposed to climate action so long as the solution is fiscally responsible. We have a moral responsibility to our children and future generations to protect them from the harmful effects of climate change. In 2016 there is only one way we can take a meaningful step toward reducing carbon pollution, and that is to vote yes on I-732.”
I-732 is the nation’s first and only carbon tax initiative going to voters in the November general election. It is designed to move the state toward two goals — cleaner energy and fairer taxes — with the following policy changes:
• Tax pollution, not people. I-732 will add a $25 per ton tax to polluting fossil fuels.
• Pay less at the cash register. Reduce the state sales tax by one percentage point, putting hundreds of dollars a year back into the pockets of each household in Washington.
• Fund an earned income tax credit for working families. Fund the working families tax rebate to provide up to $1,500 a year for 400,000 low-income households.
• Reduce the business and occupation tax on manufacturing. Keep living-wage jobs in Washington by effectively eliminating the business and occupation tax on manufacturing.
For more, visit YesOn732.org.
