Audubon Encourages Washington Voters to Say Yes to Country’s First Statewide Carbon Tax
Initiative 732 would make polluters pay, reduce the state sales tax and help birds and people.
SEATTLE, Wash. (November 4, 2016)—In an op-ed for the Huffington Post this week, National Audubon Society President and CEO David Yarnold (@david_yarnold) called on voters in Washington state to make history by passing the United States' first statewide carbon tax.
"Voters in Washington state have the chance to do something many people only talk about: put real measures in place to fight climate change," wrote Yarnold.
Initiative 732 is a revenue-neutral tax swap that would put a rising price on carbon pollution while reducing the sales tax in the state by one percent, fund a rebate of up to $1,500 for more than 400,000 low income families and eliminate the business and operations tax for Washington manufacturers.
Audubon Washington, the organization's state office, formally endorsed the initiative back in July of this year after surveying its members and chapters in the state.
“How much longer can we wait to finally take meaningful action on climate change?" asked Gail Gatton (@GailGatton), executive director for Audubon Washington. "Initiative 732 will help birds and people by reducing carbon pollution and lowering our sales tax. Opportunity doesn’t knock very often, so let’s open the door to a cleaner future.”
The 2014 Audubon Birds and Climate Report shows that more than half of North American bird species could lose more than half of their current ranges by 2080 if action is not taken to reduce carbon pollution. Up to 189 species in the report are found in Washington state, including the Bald Eagle, the Rufous Hummingbird and the Osprey. Economists and climate scientists agree that a price on carbon pollution is the most effective way to reign in the greenhouse-gas emissions warming the planet.
“The Yes on I-732 campaign shows that large numbers of people are tired of seeing too little happen to fight climate change and are dedicated to taking action,” said Yoram Bauman, economist, author of I-732 and founder and co-chair of Carbon Washington. “With I-732 we have a historic opportunity to become the first state in the country to put a price on carbon emissions, accelerate the shift to a clean-energy economy and make our tax system more equitable for everyone.”
The most recent poll in the state found that 51% of Washington voters support or are leaning toward supporting I-732. Washington state is one of three states in the country where voting occurs exclusively via mail-in ballots. Voters received ballots on October 21 and can mail them in through November 8.
Other supporters of the initiative include former Secretary of State George Shultz, U.S. Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA), world-renowned climate scientist James Hansen, actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Don Cheadle and editorial boards across the state, including Seattle Weekly, Seattle Business Magazine and The Stranger.
To learn more about Audubon Washington's efforts to pass Initiative 732, please visit http://wa.audubon.org/732.
The National Audubon Society saves birds and their habitats throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. Audubon’s state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, Audubon’s vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Audubon is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more at www.audubon.org and @audubonsociety.
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Contact: Nicolas Gonzalez, ngonzalez@audubon.org, (212) 979-3068.