SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Council passed a resolution Monday night voicing their opposition to Initiative 2117, set to appear on the November ballot.
If passed, Initiative 2117, also known as the ‘Hidden Gas Tax Initiative,’ would repeal the Climate Commitment Act, which aims to cap and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Washington’s largest sources.
The City Council’s vote passed 5-2, showing the majority of the council’s support for the Climate Commitment Act. Councilmembers Cathcart and Bingle voted against the resolution.
2117 has garnered widespread attention due to its potential impact on millions of dollars of funding.
Spokane City Councilmember, Paul Dillon, voted in favor of the resolution on Monday night and said 2117 is bad for climate change efforts.
“It is important to look at the local impacts of what happens if we move backward on climate change. The city has been a leader on greenhouse gas emissions and looking at new advancements in sustainability, so this was a priority for us to address,” he said.
Councilmember Dillon said opposing the initiative shows Spokane wants to continue taking on climate change.
“We are the second-largest city in the state. We have really led on sustainability efforts over the last 20 years, and there is so much more that we could be doing and we plan to do and every step matters,” he said.
Councilmember Jonathan Bingle voted against the resolution, showing his support for Initiative 2117.
“The Climate Commitment Act has seen an increase in energy costs, particularly gasoline. When you increase the cost of gasoline, you increase the cost of transit, which increases the cost of literally every good,” he said.
Dillon said the Climate Commitment Act is not to blame for the increased cost at the gas pump.
“There has been a concerted effort from a lot of big oil lobbyists to fight to increase what people are paying at the pump. I wish a lot of that frustration and anger would be directed at those companies,” he said.
It’s been proven that Washington’s gas prices, however, are higher due to taxes and costs from climate initiatives.
Proponents of Initiative 2117 have raised almost $9 million, and opponents have raised over $16 million.
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