Opinion

Oregon Gov. Brown to Inslee: Put the idea of a fuel tax ‘back on the shelf’

… Every day, Oregonians and Washingtonians cross our shared border for work, commerce and recreation. Our communities, our economies and our peoples are linked. That’s why, if Washington leaders are advancing a policy that impacts the working families on our side of the river without benefit, I expect, at the very least, the common courtesy […]

Read More

OPINION: Lawmakers must reject costly, ineffective fuel mandate

In the midst of the greatest economic downturn of our time, state lawmakers are pursuing legislation that would significantly increase fuel costs for Snohomish County families, farmers and businesses. In addition to a proposed gas tax hike and a carbon fee, legislators are once again considering a low carbon fuel mandate that would substantially increase […]

Read More

Opinion: Data doesn’t support clean fuel standard claims

A recent opinion piece in the Business Journal urged legislators in Olympia to adopt a clean fuel standard for economic and environmental reasons. However, based on the results of this fuel mandate in California and Oregon, also known as the low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS), many of those claims are not supported by actual data. First, […]

Read More

Latest state green bill needs more thought

Residents throughout Walla Walla County have voiced concern over House Bill 1091. … Though this low carbon fuel standard plan for Washington state has good intentions, its price tag at the pump is too much for state residents, particularly for farmers and long-haul truckers. … “I think there would be a significantly negative impact on […]

Read More

Combined with cap-and-trade, an LCFS simply becomes waste and graft

If the legislature passes both a CO2 cap-and-trade bill (SB 5126) and the low-carbon fuel standard (LCFS) – as now appears likely – it would have the same corrupting effect, rewarding insider special interests and favored political allies while doing absolutely nothing to reduce CO2 emissions. … A CO2 cap-and-trade system puts a limit (i.e., […]

Read More

Donnelly: Proposed bills chart wrong course for state

Washington’s economy needs some TLC. Last year’s employment decline was deeper than during the Great Recession. Recovery is fragile. Yet our Democrat-controlled Legislature is advancing four bills that would add costs and taxes, impose more government controls, and invent arcane new regulations without a rigorous look at either costs or effectiveness. … The Low-Carbon Fuel […]

Read More