Stronger than ever

Thank you – for all you did to help defeat I-2117. It was a team effort, and each of you, whether playing offense, defense, or special teams… whether a grizzled veteran of political campaigns or a green rookie, played an indispensable role in this victory.

Former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was famous for saying, “My opponents are not my enemies. My opponents are the people who offer me the opportunity to succeed. The tougher my opponents, the more they present me with an opportunity to live up to my full potential and play my best”. This fight to defend the Cap-and-Invest Climate Commitment Act (CCA) and defeat I-2117 pushed us all to bring our “A game”.

It could be argued that too much time, money, and attention was spent these past several months on defeating this misguided initiative, diverting time, money, and attention away from constructive forward motion on climate policy in Washington state. Then again, it can also be argued that climate policy in Washington state is in a far stronger position today than it was at the beginning of this year, thanks to the effort required to defend the CCA against the initiative attack. 

Consider that just 10 months ago, few Washingtonians were familiar with the CCA. Not many knew how it works, what it does, why it’s wise. Thanks to you, now they do. This week, over 60% of voters embraced the benefits of the CCA and voted to affirm the Legislature’s decision to enact the policy. 

This win is broadly shared across the state, with 23 of 39 counties rejecting the initiative to repeal. From Whitman and Walla Walla Counties in the Palouse, to Pacific County (and all 14 “saltwater” counties), voters from across the political spectrum affirmed their commitment to Washington’s clean energy future. Notably, the coalition that led the “No” campaign focused both on the environmental AND economic benefits to the state, and included nearly 150 businesses – from Amazon and bp America, to REI and Taylor Shellfish.

This voter validation is headline news far beyond the borders of our off-the-beaten-path state. Policy-makers and business leaders in other states will now move forward with confidence. While poll after poll shows that voters claim to care about climate instability, the only polls that truly count are those at the ballot box. And the message of this “poll” cannot be ignored: Voters understand that polluting can no longer be free, and that climate action is a win-win-win for our health, our environment, and our economy.

Now that we have clarity on the CCA’s future, please save the date to join us at the Clean & Prosperous Institute’s 7th Annual Future of Carbon Policy Forum on January 7th beginning at 3:00 pm. (Details to come.)