Recently, a study from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy rated Washington State’s tax system as the most regressive in the nation. This report states that we tax “the poorest residents at 16.8 percent, while taxing the top 1 percent at only 2.4 percent.” Working families, who are struggling, to get by are shouldering a disproportionate share of the cost for our state’s basic services.

During this legislative session, our elected leaders have an opportunity to alleviate this inequity. The Carbon Pollution Accountability Act will sell carbon permits to the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the state, and use those revenues to fund Washington’s Working Families Tax Rebate, benefitting over 450,000 of the lowest-paid workers in our state. The bill will also generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new funds for educational initiatives such as childcare, preschool, college outreach, and school counseling, in addition to critical transportation infrastructure projects such as expanded light rail.

I know we can do better when it comes to protecting our environment, providing essential services, and establishing a fair revenue system; the Carbon Pollution Accountability Act gives a chance to do all three. As a concerned citizen, I urge Rep. Ross Hunter to support this historic bill.

Karen Tennyson, Kirkland