OLYMPIA, Wash. — The state House and Senate budget proposals call for mailing out rebate checks to people who qualify in Washington state. But one of the proposed rebates could be cut in half, depending on what voters decide in the November general election.
The $200 rebates would be mailed to households considered low- or moderate-income.
Checks would be issued in full by the end of the year under the Senate proposal. Two $100 checks would be issued under the House proposal - one in October and one next February.
As written, if voters repealed the state's Climate Commitment Act in November, the second checks under the House proposal would not be issued.
House Republican Leader Rep. Drew Stokesbary called the House proposal "fishy."
”To send hundreds of dollars to people right before and right after an election where the second payment is based on how they vote in the election, that is really suspicious. I don’t think a sign of good government," said Stokesbary, R-Auburn.
House Majority Leader Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon disagreed.
"I'd be interested to know how Rep. Stokesbary would propose to pay for that rebate if the revenue from the Climate Commitment Act stops coming in. It would not be responsible budgeting to make a promise we can't keep," said Fitzgibbon.
State legislators passed the law in 2021 with the hope of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which requires companies to reduce carbon emissions by creating a carbon-pricing system for polluters.
Critics blame the law for the gas prices increases in the state. A group called "Let's Go Washington" submitted enough signatures to get an initiative to repeal the law on the general election ballot.