Put a price on carbon pollution.
We have a responsibility to tackle the root cause of global warming. That means we have to stop allowing oil and gas companies to pollute Vermont for free. Our plan will require these companies to pay for the carbon pollution created by the fossil fuels they sell.
Hold the largest polluters responsible, while giving Vermonters and Vermont businesses a rebate or tax cut.
By charging oil and gas companies for the pollution they create, we can finally afford to make substantial cuts to other taxes Vermonters currently pay. And even if oil and gas companies try to pass on the costs by raising prices, Vermonters and local businesses come out on top. In fact, carbon pricing would spur Vermonters’ incomes to rise by a whopping $100 million in 10 years (see below).
Invest in Vermonters by helping us save money and cut pollution.
Our plan will use some of the revenue from the pollution fee to create an Energy Independence Fund to help Vermonters save money on their home heating and other energy costs, and cut carbon pollution. We just need to boost our efforts to implement the efficiency and clean energy technology available to us today.
Why putting a price on pollution works for Vermonters
A price on pollution will save Vermonters money by helping them switch to clean energy and efficiency, create jobs, and keep Vermonters’ dollars local.
According to economic modeling performed specifically for Vermont by non-partisan firm Regional Economic Models Inc., this policy will not only slash carbon pollution, it will also help grow Vermont’s economy and create good-paying jobs. Read on to find out how.
By helping Vermonters weatherize their homes and make other investments to cut their energy bills and dependence on fossil fuels, this plan will save Vermonters hundreds of millions of dollars that they’d otherwise be spending on fossil fuels, while putting Vermont on track to meet our energy goals.
Now imagine what infusing the millions we’re saving into the local economy will do. Since $8 out of every $10 spent on fossil fuels goes straight out of Vermont, spending that money at local businesses will be good for Vermont’s economy, growing our GDP and creating jobs.
Keeping all that money in Vermont’s economy rather than sending it out of state to line the pockets of ExxonMobil and BP means more economic activity, and more jobs across sectors as diverse as construction, manufacturing, and hospitality. And the more Vermonters save, the more money gets put back into Vermont’s economy, so a higher charge to polluters creates more jobs for Vermonters.
The Bottom Line
Pricing Pollution is Simple, Fair and Effective
Economists and policy experts from across the political spectrum—from Paul Krugman and President Bush’s former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson to climate activist Bill McKibben and the World Bank—advocate for a price on carbon pollution because it harnesses free market forces to cut pollution and grow the economy at the same time.