Make big polluters pay under I-1631

Practically everybody — individuals, small businesses, large businesses, manufacturers, schools, churches, etc. — pay some sort of fee to dispose of the waste they generate. We all do this, except for one segment of our society. The fossil fuel industry releases their waste product (CO2) into the atmosphere at no cost to them. It would be similar to a feed lot freely discharging their manure into a river. Initiative 1631 would help correct this problem by adding a fee to carbon pollution. The fossil fuel industry would then be paying a fee for discharging their waste (CO2).

I-1631 will charge a fee of $15 per metric ton of CO2 discharged starting 2020. The revenue from this fee would be used to help promote clean energy, improve our forests, help people affected by climate change, etc. Please vote yes for I-1631 this November.

Time is running out to control climate change. A recent United Nations report by climate scientists around the world says we have about 10 years to get climate change under control. We can’t afford to waste any more time. The sooner we act, the easier the job will be.