Voters have big decisions before them in the November 6th general election. Control of the US House of Representatives is at stake, and Washington State Democrats are banking on a blue wave to strengthen their hold on Olympia. The Evergreen State could also become the first to institute a carbon fee and prove we’re serious about climate change mitigation.
The Urbanist Elections Board evaluated two Congressional candidates, nine state legislative candidates, two Prosecuting Attorney candidates, and six initiatives. From this pool, we have endorsed six leaders who both share our urbanist values and seem poised to implement them. We are proud to present our 2018 general election endorsements. Get those ballots in everyone!
Vote Yes on Initiative 1631: Carbon Pollution Fee
Washington has an enormous opportunity to do something to address climate change by voting yes to the ballot initiative I-1631. It’s our job as stewards of the planet for future generations not just to reduce climate pollution, but to prepare our state for climate change. That means protecting our communities from increasing wildfires, ensuring access to clean water, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, and investing in infrastructure to deal with storms and rising sea levels.
Initiative 1631 begins to make investments in future generations by placing a fee on large polluters, such as oil companies: $15 for every ton of carbon they release into the atmosphere. The funds, that will amount to about $1 billion a year, will be used to reduce emissions, help cities and towns transition from fossil-fuel industries, and support projects that counter the impacts of climate change across the state.
The carbon fee could be used to invest in cleaner transportation options, like phasing city bus fleets from carbon-intense diesel to clean electric, and helping rural communities replace aging, high-emission school buses.
