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Senate Republicans: Cap-and-tax
scheme likely to result
in job loss and higher utility
bills
February 3, 2009
OLYMPIA…
Today the
Senate
Environment, Water and Energy Committee held a public
hearing on
Senate Bill 5735, which would authorize the creation
of a regional cap-and-tax program. Several Republican members of
the committee offered comments explaining why the bill is bad
for electricity consumers, workers and the overall economy.
From
Sen. Jim
Honeyford, R-Sunnyside, the Republican Deputy Floor
Leader and the ranking Republican on the Senate Environment,
Water and Energy Committee:
“Considering our state is facing a deficit of $7 billion or more
and jobs are already fleeing Washington, now is especially not
the time for expensive, job-killing environmental plans that
have never been proven to reduce energy costs or protect the
environment.
“We Senate Republicans support environmental proposals aimed at
promoting new technologies to increase energy efficiencies,
reducing fuel and heating costs, creating jobs, boosting
national security and – most importantly – respecting individual
choice and personal freedom. This bill focuses on the state
controlling the lives and choices of citizens and businesses,
creating a bureaucracy that will inevitably drive businesses to
the point of extinction.
“Some say these jobs will be replaced with ‘green collar’ jobs
and spur a ‘new, green economy.’ What are green jobs and will
they really replace the job you could lose? If you live in
Longview, Sunnyside or Aberdeen and your ‘traditional’ job goes
away, how many green jobs will there really be? Will they pay
the same? Unless you’re willing to move and retrain to do
something different you may be out of luck – and out of work.
“Last year I offered an amendment that would have defined a
‘green job,’ but the majority party rejected it.”
From
Sen. Jerome
Delvin, R-Richland, a member of the Senate Environment,
Water and Energy Committee and the governor’s Climate Action
Team:
“Since July, Washington has lost more than 24,000 jobs. Under
cap-and-tax the cost of electricity, natural gas, fuel – and any
product made or transported in Washington will skyrocket. It’s
an economy-killer. Our small businesses can barely keep their
doors open now. Jobs are hanging by a thread.
“This is not about changing the environment. Our state is
already so clean if we reduced our emissions to zero it would
result only in a .00135 percent decline in CO2. No, this is not
about the environment; it is about the state getting more tax
money – and this will give government the mother lode.
“If you don’t believe this bill will kill jobs just look at
California. Companies are fleeing from that state in order to
remain competitive. And California is bankrupt.
Cap-and-tax is not only a bad idea…it’s a disaster.”
From
Sen. Janéa
Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, a member of the Senate
Environment, Water and Energy Committee:
“At a moment when we have serious issues to address – from
failing infrastructure to funding basic education to addressing
our 7 billion-dollar deficit – why is the majority party using
valuable time to push a bill that kills jobs, increases energy
costs and does very little, if anything, to actually improve the
environment?
“Whether it is taxing the size of your engine, the miles you
drive, your vehicle’s emissions, or this new cap-and-tax bill,
all of these proposals have at least one common denominator:
They all function as a gimmick to generate more money for
government by taking more of your money.
“I want my constituents to know I am against this bill because
the consequences of this cap-and-tax scheme will be
significantly higher electricity bills, higher costs for
gasoline and heating fuel, and higher prices for all goods in
the economy generally. Why would we punish families by
supporting this type of irresponsible, job-killing legislation?”
—30—
For more information contact
Booker Stallworth
at (360) 786-7536 or
stallworth.booker@leg.wa.gov.
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