WA Families Actually Paid for Own ‘Low-Income’ Energy Credit
Monday, Gov. Jay Inslee held a press conference to talk about the state's 'new' Clean Energy Credit for Washington Families program (CECWF)
WA residents actually paid for the credit from their own pockets.
The plan involves the state taking $150 million from taxes collected through the Climate Commitment Act. It's the carbon taxes placed on business and industry, they have to buy pollution credits in order to operate.
Those credit costs are passed on to consumers in the form of higher gas prices, and other costs across the board. When the CCA credit auctions began, WA gas prices at the pump went up just over $ .50 cents per gallon and have stayed there.
The CECWF program is a one-time $200 credit aimed at lower-income families off their utility costs. There's a new website where people can go to figure out their eligibility and how much they might get. You're asked to choose from a drop-down list to find your utility provider.
However, in our region, Benton and Franklin PUD at not on the list, nor are a few other utilities around the state.
But beyond that, the website admits the funding for this credit comes from CCA money which came from businesses and industry (via the pollution taxes). In turn, in order to stay in business, these industries had to pass on the costs to consumers in the form of higher gas and other prices across the board.
"The Clean Energy Credits for Washington Families Grant Program is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov."
So, citizens who take advantage of this 'credit' will have paid for much of it from their own pockets.
25 True Crime Locations: What Do They Look Like Today?