(The Center Square) – The Spokane City Council took action on Monday, voicing opposition to a ballot initiative that would effectively repeal the state’s Climate Commitment Act but lower gas prices at the pump.
The Legislature passed the CCA in 2021, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions businesses can emit into the atmosphere. The legislation enacted a “cap-and-trade” program for businesses to buy carbon allowances through auctions to reduce the state’s emissions by 95% by 2050.
A Washington State Department of Transportation whistleblower warned that the CCA would increase gas prices for residents by 45 to 50 cents per gallon; despite this and others, Gov. Jay Inslee told reporters in 2022 that the program would only increase costs by “pennies.”
Let’s Go Washington, the political action committee spearheading Initiative 2117, estimates that the CCA costs the average household an extra $500 annually. The group says the gas hike extends to the price of groceries and other industries facing increased fuel costs.
“It was sold to us as a way to drive down greenhouse gas emissions,” Spokane resident Will Hulings testified on Monday, “but it has accomplished nothing more than driving up costs for working families.”
While the state has yet to release data showing how the CCA has affected pollution, proponents of the measure say it provides critical investments for green infrastructure. The CCA has already raised more than $2 billion, and future revenue has already been allocated to state budgets.
If I-2117 passes, it could lower costs but potentially derail its climate goals. The initiative’s success would also impact the municipalities that have already committed some CCA funding.
“The CCA has allowed for $120 million in authorized funding across Spokane County …,” according to the council’s resolution, “with a total of $440 million in long-term funding.”
Let’s Go Washington raised over $9 million for its I-2117 effort and three others on this year’s general election ballot. It’s spent a little over $7 million so far, with the biggest chunk spent on gathering signatures to put the initiatives on the ballot. Around $1.4 million was spent on advertising.
Meanwhile, No on 2117, the political action committee against the repeal effort, raised over $16 million, nearly twice as much as Let’s Go Washington for all its ballot initiatives. Over $7 million was spent directly on advertising, and another $1 million was used for printing literature, fliers and more.
“After enduring months of aggressive, sometimes obnoxious paid petitioners outside of our local grocery stores,” resident Terry Hill testified, “I welcome the city council weighing in because it’s you, the council members, that are going to deal with the loss of revenue.”
The Spokane City Council voted 5-2, with its conservative minority dissenting, to approve the resolution stating its opposition to I-2117.