Good Reasons Not to Raise the Hazardous Substance Tax

Don't miss this op-ed in the Herald of Everett by Don Sorensen on the Hazardous Substance Tax. We've written previously on it (see here and here). Sorensen writes:

First, increasing the tax will increase the price Washington consumers pay for gas and diesel at the pump. This will hit low-income families, already struggling with the recession, extra hard. These increases will also hit many other businesses, from truckers to farmers to retailers...

Second, increasing the tax puts good, family-wage jobs at risk. Proponents are touting the new jobs that could be created by the tax...But they conveniently fail to talk about the existing good jobs threatened by this major tax increase. The Tesoro Anacortes refinery that I manage is a prime example. These are tough times for the refining industry and our continued viability would be put at risk by this massive tax increase.

Read the op-ed. This potential tax increase has long-term negative consequences for families and businesses in the state.