Carbon tax is needed

It’s imperative that the Washington Legislature takes action on Initiative 732, a revenue neutral carbon tax that will move us away from dirty fossil fuels and toward a cleaner, healthier world. This measure will balance increasing fossil fuel costs with a reduction in the sales tax so that most Washington families will actually benefit financially, while we begin to tackle climate change’s dangerous impacts on our environment.

If we don’t start moving away from fossil fuels, the end results are clear and unambiguous. Our air will get dirtier, our rivers will go dry and our health will deteriorate. If you look around our community, you will see that it is already beginning to happen. Last year’s record wildfires, hottest temperatures and lowest snowpack will become the new normal.

We owe it to our grandchildren to make a clear statement that it’s time to move beyond fossil fuels and power the planet with energy sources that don’t destroy the environment. Call your legislators today and tell them to do the right thing. Pass I-732 and accelerate the switch to affordable, clean energy sources that keep our lights on and our money in our local communities.

John Covert

Spokane