WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Statement from Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (D-Burien), Chair of the House Environment Committee, on Governor Inslee’s carbon tax proposal

“The public is ready for meaningful action on addressing carbon pollution. The Legislature has been working on this issue for many years, but every year our state doesn’t act is time we cannot get back.

“The governor’s proposal is one of several efforts on multiple fronts to reduce carbon pollution and mitigate the effects of climate change on our state’s people, communities and economy. As chair of the House Environment Committee, I look forward to hearing this proposal along with other climate-related bills in my committee. In fact, today the committee will hear public testimony on House Bill 2338, which is my bill establishing a clean fuel standard in our state.

“I believe the Legislature is better suited to pass a carbon tax proposal than the initiative process, and the support from the business community on getting something done this year is encouraging. This will hopefully generate bipartisan support in both chambers to take the kind of action the public has been calling on legislators to take.”