Scott Bailey, Washington State Employment Security Department, recently said in The Columbian’s Clark County Economic Forecast for 2021, “So, here’s the call for 2021: a slow recovery that could accelerate in the latter half of the year, depending on virus distribution and acceptance; a recovery that, barring major policy changes, will perpetuate inequities and continue to send us towards a climate reckoning.”
Want major policy changes, Scott Bailey?
Washington Strong, SB 5373 is the pandemic economic recovery that will create jobs which heal racial and economic inequalities and mitigate climate change by directing $16 billion in direct investment with municipal “green bonds,” creating 150,000 jobs, funded by a per-ton charge on carbon. The municipal green bonds will prioritize environmental justice and minimize impacts to agriculture, moderate- and low-income households, and energy intensive and trade-exposed businesses.
The bill has 13 sponsors committing to a transformative green economic recovery for Washington. Is Clark County ready to identify projects to create jobs, lower carbon footprint and prioritize environmental justice?
