Washington State residents are getting ready to cast their ballots, which includes the four important state ballot measures. However, many people need help understanding what they’re trying to say, causing misinformation.
The first initiative is 2066, which would change how gas is regulated in the state. This measure would stop state and local governments from withholding natural gas from citizens and promote gas usage over electricity. “ Woah, that was confusing, is it good or bad,” pondered Olympia High School Senior Julian Brickell while he read the initiative. Environmental advocates say that using more natural gas might delay needed investments in clean energy technologies.
The next Initiative is 2109 which concerns taxes and how they’re used. The initiative proposes ending taxes on certain valuable assets for those earning over $250,000 a year. Funding would drop significantly since the state uses those taxes for education, early learning, and construction. “Defunding schools will only exacerbate issues schools already face,” stated Charlotte Nelson, a student at the University of Washington. This law mostly benefits the 1% of Washington residents with that income.
Ballot measure 2117 is about prohibiting carbon tax credit trading. In the state of Washington, every company has a cap, or maximum amount of carbon they can emit. This initiative would eliminate the cap for each company and allow them unlimited access. “As someone who seeks progress, these bills seem to be taking up backward,” Nelson stated when asked about her thoughts on the initiative.
The final measure is 2124, which primarily gives people in the long-term care system the choice to opt out of it at any time. If this measure is enacted, it would make long-term care more expensive and likely negatively impact women, who often make up a larger percentage of recipients, and individuals with pre-existing medical conditions who rely on these services for their well-being.
As Washingtonians prepare to vote, understanding these measures is crucial to making informed decisions.
