The American oil industry gets $600 billion a year in subsidies (mostly tax preferences), according to a 2016 study by the International Monetary Fund. But all energy and all transportation is tax-subsidized, nothing more than private truck and automobile travel. One reason they say they oppose more solar and wind power is that these energy sources – like electric vehicles – are economically viable only thanks to tax subsidies. The irony here (there’s always an irony) is that carbon tax opponents like to paint themselves as champions of less government and more individual autonomy. If it also brings in another member or two, what’s wrong with that? They honestly doubt that greenhouse gas emissions are making the world hotter to begin with, so their opposition to the tax is genuine. For those writers, their objection to the tax is not a ploy to attract members or donors. For instance, the website of the Ethan Allen Institute seems positively obsessed with the carbon tax these days. This does not render the fulminations insincere. "It's really exciting, and now it's time to get to work and actually do it.By definition, then, those fulminations become effective tools for recruiting new members and raising more money for the anti-tax cause, whether it’s #NoCarbonTaxVermont or another organization. "This is a huge opportunity for Burlington to lead the country and do some really cutting edge policies on building decarbonization," he said. He suggested that the city could consider one that would use the revenue from carbon fees to fund incentives for people who otherwise couldn't afford the cost of switching to a renewable heating system. "I am proud of Burlington’s leadership on this effort, and I thank the Burlington and Chittenden County legislative delegations for their work to pass the Charter Change, and thank Governor Scott for signing the bill.”Ĭity Councilor Jack Hanson (P-East District) said he looks forward to crafting policies. “I look forward to working with the City Council as we continue on the path toward our bold goal," he said. Mayor Weinberger echoed those comments in a statement, saying that the best way to address the climate emergency is "to electrify everything." "I just think it's a great opportunity for us to work together to advance some additional policies, in this case focused specifically on the building sector." They both start with a tax of 5 per metric. In the last several years some Vermont-based organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, have preserved large parcels across the state for the specific purpose of sequestering carbon and. "It's a very ambitious goal, and we're going to need more policy," Springer said. In 2019, Vermont legislators introduced two carbon tax bills: H.463 by Rep. That led to the charter change ballot item, which ended up passing with 64 percent of votes despite opposition from business-oriented organizations.īurlington Electric Department general manager Darren Springer hailed the bill's signing into law as a major milestone in the city's quest for net-zero. Mayor Miro Weinberger subsequently proposed a "building electrification and carbon price ordinance" to reduce fossil fuel use that fall.īut officials soon realized that the city didn't have the legal authority to impose such fees. The concept of regulating heating systems was first broached in May 2020, when city councilors instructed city departments to explore banning fossil fuel use in new buildings. City Burlington has one of the most aggressive carbon reduction goals in the country, aiming to achieve net-zero fossil fuel use by 2030.
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