Be watching the 2016 political races in our state closely, as several Democratic-backed special interest groups want to push through three significant tax increases that will affect everyone who has a job, or works for a living.

According to ShiftWA, a conservative watchdog group who monitor and report on politics in our state, the three economically damaging proposals are:

1)  A Carbon Tax.  Because the Senate Coalition has been able to largely thwart Democratic attempts (as well as those of Governor Inslee) to raise taxes, a powerful environmental lobby is pushing Initiative 732. They're working hard to get enough signatures to get it on the ballot.

Trying to take up where Gov. Inslee failed with his carbon tax idea, I-732 would place a tax on "carbon burned in gasoline, natural gas and other fossil fuels." Pushed by a group called Carbon Washington, they claim it will counter higher costs by placing more money in citizens pockets by cutting taxes the same amount as the tax raised - a zero-sum game.  Their idea is to reduce what they claim is carbon pollution.  Many liberals however, are unhappy with this idea because the money doesn't go to the government.  The legislature is unlikely to take up this idea, that's why Carbon Washington is trying to get it to voters.

2) A Cap on Carbon Emissions.  Another environmental front group called The Alliance for Jobs and Clean energy is made up of several different environmental groups, and they want to charge fees to companies they believe emit too much carbon (or pollution), charging them per ton of emissions. No other details have been released by the group however, shedding more dubious light on their ideas.

3) A State Income Tax.  In a classic redistribution of wealth idea, John Burbank of the dubiously named Economic Opportunity Institute believes a state income tax is the way to raise money for education and other governmental programs. Never mind that seven times since the 1990's voters have passed tax-limiting initiatives, most recently I-1366.

Burbank and his Institute believe redistribution of wealth is the way to go.  This is what some groups have in mind for your wallet for 2016.

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