Carbon tax: Say no to I-1631 slush fund

Initiative 1631 purportedly addresses carbon dioxide pollution. It creates a fee starting at $15 a metric ton of CO2 and increasing by $2 a ton plus inflation for a minimum of 15 years.

Any fee on energy producers would be treated as an expense and passed along to consumers.

If passed, I-1631 will generate about $19 billion over the first 15 years. This amounts to about $7,000 per family (based on 2.84 million family units in Washington).

This cost will be reflected in a significant increase in the cost of a gallon of gas (15 cents in year one and an estimated 60 cents in 2035). It would also increase heating and cooling costs.

No reductions in CO2 are claimed, none! Per the latest EPA data, the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has been declining since 2011 as a result of converting to more efficient fuels, primarily natural gas.

Does your family really want to provide $7,000 of your hard-earned money to this slush fund? The answer for mine and I hope for yours is a resounding no!