OLYMPIA, Wash., April 14, 2015—The Washington Farm Bureau (WFB) joined the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) today in launching a statewide advertising and awareness campaign on the costly effects of Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed energy agenda.
The online video and radio spots stress the acute impact costly new energy taxes would have on fuel prices, which would disproportionately affect the state’s farmers and small businesses, and the countless workers they employ.
“Washington state farmers are stewards of the land and are uniquely committed to ensuring and improving our state’s economy and environmental quality of life,” said John Stuhlmiller, WFB chief executive officer. “However, it is vital that Governor Inslee and state lawmakers realize that increasing the cost of fuel will not achieve either of those outcomes. The economic costs are significant, but the environment benefits will be minimal in terms of direct improvements to the air and water we rely on. Fuel is a major input at nearly every step of the agricultural process and the costs are a larger share of our bottom line. There’s no doubt that any hike in fuel prices, whether visible directly at the pump or hidden via a low carbon fuel standard, would make Washington-grown products less competitive here and in the global markets we sell to.”
Added Patrick Connor, NFIB’s Washington state director: “Small businesses and farmers are disproportionately affected by higher fuel and other energy costs. Proposed energy and environmental policies being pushed by Governor Inslee and other lawmakers in Olympia would substantially increase the cost of running farms and small businesses in Washington, and severely strain critical and already fragile sectors of the state economy. The pain at the pump would also disproportionately have an impact on local governments’ limited budgets, as well as cause great economic harm among the poor and those on limited fixed incomes such as seniors.”
The proposed fuel tax increases, if implemented, would mean Washington would have the second-highest gas taxes in the nation. In addition, Governor Inslee’s threats to impose a new hidden tax in the form of a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) could further raise prices more than $1 per gallon, according to his own administration’s estimates. NFIB recently launched a fuel tracker, highlighting the disparity of fuel prices between Washington state and California, which brought transportation fuels under their carbon program on January 1.
Washington small businesses overwhelmingly oppose both the fuel tax increase in the Senate and House transportation revenue proposals, and new hidden taxes in the governor’s climate plan. Recent polls show 95 percent of small businesses and 90 percent of voters oppose any unilateral action by Governor Inslee on LCFS.
Visit NoNewEnergyTaxes.org for more information on the campaign. The governor’s proposals were kept out of the Senate’s transportation budget, but are predicted to be put back in when House takes up its transportation budget today, Tuesday, April 14.
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For more than 70 years, the National Federation of Independent Business has been the Voice of Small Business, taking the message from Main Street to the halls of Congress and all 50 state legislatures. NFIB annually surveys its members on state and federal issues vital to their survival as America’s economic engine and biggest creator of jobs. NFIB’s educational mission is to remind policymakers that small businesses are not smaller versions of bigger businesses; they have very different challenges and priorities.
NFIB/Washington
711 Capitol Way South, Suite 505
Olympia, WA 98501
Twitter: @NFIB_WA
