Secretary of State Kim Wyman announced August 2nd, that Initiatives 1631 and 1634 both gathered enough signatures and are certified for the November ballot. This comes just a few days after the Secretary certified I-1639, which has been challenged in court.
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I- 1631 – the latest carbon pricing initiative, or “carbon fee,” submitted 349,063 signatures and was certified after examination of 10,507 randomly-selected signatures. If passed the proposal would institute a charge a $15 per metric ton carbon emissions fee beginning on January 1, 2020. Revenue from the fee would fund air quality and energy programs and projects and quality and forest health projects.
As of Friday Aug. 3rd, the pro-carbon fee group Clean Air Clean Energy WA has raised over $2.76 million in support of the initiative from donors like the Nature Conservancy, the Washington Environmental Council, and the Washington State Labor Council, as well as many smaller donors. The anti- I-1631 group, No on I-1631, has raised much less coming in at $1.74 million from supports such as Andeavor, operator of the Anacortes petroleum refinery, the Western States Petroleum Association, and U.S. Oil and Refining Co.
I-1634 – submitted 381,479 signatures for review and was certified after elections officials examined 11,483 randomly-selected signatures. The initiative addresses the taxation of groceries, or rather limiting the taxation of groceries. It would prohibit local government entities from imposing any new tax, fee, or other assessment on grocery items, but would not prevent the state itself from taxing groceries.
It is backed by a PAC called Yes! To Affordable Groceries, but don’t let the name fool you. The group’s $6.11 million in contributions as of Aug. 3rd come primarily from Coca-Cola, Pepsi Co., Dr. Pepper/Snapple, and Red Bull North America. Groups that oppose the measure, like the American Heart Association, Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition, and the Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition, contend I-1634 is a thinly veiled attempt to prevent local jurisdictions from passing their own soda taxes designed to curb consumption of sugary beverages like the one passed by Seattle last fall. However, the opposition seems fractured with no specific campaign group registered in opposition and no consolidated contributions.
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