URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT

Washington State Considers Taxing Vehicle Emissions

In a misguided attempt to reduce motor vehicle emissions, legislation (S.B. 6900) has been introduced in the Washington State Senate by Senator Rodney Tom (tom.rodney@leg.wa.gov) to establish two separate progressive fees for state motor vehicles based on (1) engine size and (2) calculations of carbon emissions.  These fees would be collected by the state at the time of initial vehicle registration and at subsequent renewals of registration.   If this effort is successful, the expense of driving the vehicle of your choice in Washington State could be substantial.

We Urge You to Contact the Senate Transportation Committee Members (List Below) Immediately To Request Their Opposition to S.B. 6900

• S.B 6900 will limit consumer choice by making popular performance and luxury cars, as well as SUVs, light trucks and minivans, substantially more expensive to own.
  
  
• S.B. 6900 will potentially lead to more deaths on Washington’s highways as higher taxes on larger, safer vehicles forces consumers into smaller cars with higher accident fatality rates.
  
  
• S.B. 6900 would tax vehicle owners with an engine size of 8.0 or more $600 at time of registration or renewal; an additional tax of $600 would be assessed for vehicles emitting more than 362 grams per mile of carbon dioxide. Smaller vehicles would be taxed at a lesser, but still substantial, rate.
  
  
• S.B. 6900 will not conserve energy.  Motor vehicle emissions depends on a host of other factors such as total miles traveled.
  
  
• S.B. 6900 will do little to improve air quality.  Air quality has more to do with overall basic vehicle maintenance than it does with owning and operating any particular class of vehicle.

DON’T DELAY!  Please contact members of the Washington Senate Transportation Committee immediately by phone or e-mail to request their opposition to this bill.   

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to stevem@sema.org.  Thank you for your assistance.

Senate Transportation Committee

Senator Mary Haugen – Chair
Phone: 360/786-7618
Email: haugen.marymargaret@leg.wa.gov

Senator Chris Marr
Phone: 360/786-7610
Email: marr.chris@leg.was.gov

Senator Ed Murray
Phone: 360/786-7628
Email: murray.edward@leg.wa.gov

Senator Dan Swecker
Phone: 360/786-7638
Email: swecker.dan@leg.wa.gov

Senator Don Benton
Phone: 360/786-7632
Email: Benton.don@leg.wa.gov

Senator Jean Berkey
Phone: 360/786-7674
Email: berkey.jean@leg.wa.gov

Senator Jerome Delvin
Phone: 360/786-7614
Email: delvin.jerome@leg.wa.gov

Senator Tracey Eide
Phone: 360/786-7658
Email: eide.tracey@leg.wa.gov

Senator Janea Holmquist
Phone: 360/786-7624
Email: holmquist.janea@leg.wa.gov

Senator Ken Jacobsen
Phone: 360/786-7690
Email: Jacobsen.ken@leg.wa.gov

Senator Jim Kastama
Phone: 360/786-7648
Email: kastama.jim@leg.wa.gov

Senator Claudia Kauffman
Phone: 360/786-7692
Email: kauffman.claudia@leg.wa.gov

Senator Derek Kilmer
Phone: 360/786-7650
Email: kilmer.derek@leg.wa.gov

Senator Curtis King
Phone: 360/786-7626
Email: king.curtis@leg.wa.gov

Senator Cheryl Pflug
Phone: 360/786-7608
Email: pflug.cheryl@leg.wa.gov

Senator Tim Sheldon
Phone: 360/786-7668
Email: Sheldon.timothy@leg.wa.gov

Senator Harriet Spanel
Phone: 360/786-7678
Email: spanel.harriet@leg.wa.gov