Joint Statement

Carbon Washington and Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy

May 3, 2015

The Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy and Carbon Washington are united in our commitment to address the urgent problem of climate change and agree that putting a price on carbon pollution is a vital part of the solution. We believe that action in Washington State will serve as a positive example to advance climate action more broadly. Our organizations are committed to working together, and in particular we are committed to avoiding two competing carbon pollution-pricing measures on the ballot in November 2016.

Carbon Washington is currently gathering signatures for Initiative to the Legislature #732, a revenue-neutral carbon tax, with the goal of putting this measure before the legislature in early 2016. (If the legislature fails to act, the measure will automatically go before the voters in November 2016; the legislature may also create an alternative and place it on the ballot along with I-732.) Carbon Washington believes that a revenue-neutral carbon tax is the best way to build bipartisan support for climate action and that November 2016 is a “can’t miss opportunity.”

The Alliance is currently researching and testing various options for pricing and capping carbon pollution. Carbon Washington is part of this opinion research process and currently supports it. The Alliance will base its strategy and make decisions about the content and timing of any potential initiative on considerations including viability, effectiveness, equity, and building a durable climate movement. The Alliance aims to make a decision by this fall regarding the November 2016 ballot. Between now and then it will conduct public opinion research and continue to build the coalition and grassroots engagement across the state.

Because of the ongoing activities of both groups, we are not currently endorsing each other’s efforts. But we have no objections to individuals or groups supporting or working with either or both groups (or making a joint endorsement). We respect each other’s efforts to build a strong movement for climate action and will stay in close contact in the months ahead as the Alliance completes its research work and as Carbon Washington moves forward with its signature-gathering campaign for I-732.