Letter: Initiative uses market approach to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere

It is somewhat ironic that West Side voters may save East Side agriculture, but this could be the case next year with Initiative 732.

The purpose of I-732 is to use a market approach to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere. I-732 would add a $25 a ton tax to polluting fossil fuels to reduce their consumption. The plan is revenue neutral in that the money raised from the tax would be used to 1) cut the state sales tax by 1 percent, 2) fund a tax rebate to low-income workers, and 3) significantly reduce the manufacturing Business & Occupation Tax in Washington.

We only need to look at this past year to understand how agriculture will be impacted under a changing climate. The U.S. Department of Agriculture drought monitor indicates what farmers already know — Eastern Washington is in an extreme drought. Low reservoir levels and predictions of a warm winter and below-normal precipitation from El Nino suggest that next year will be worse.

We can ignore climate scientists and watch a major portion of our economy decline over the next decade or we can begin to do something about it. It is our choice.

This story was originally published November 19, 2015 at 5:13 PM with the headline "Letter: Initiative uses market approach to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere."