Legislature directs Governon Patrick to study climate change idea

Submitted by State Senator Mike Barrett

Mike-Barrett-logoA state budget provision, backed by State Sen. Mike Barrett and State Rep. Tom Conroy and just enacted by the Legislature, requires the Patrick administration to study an innovative approach to fighting climate change in Massachusetts. 

The aim is to generate objective research into the idea of a carbon tax — sometimes called climate change pricing — as a replacement for current state taxes.  Rep. Conroy and Sen. Barrett have submitted legislation to create such a system.

State leadership on a carbon tax is aimed at inspiring national adoption of the idea.  “Massachusetts should lead the country on fighting climate change,” Sen. Barrett says, “and this study will help us examine the implications of a very promising idea.”

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“Climate change is so big, we need to evaluate all the different ways we can address it, not just energy efficiency efforts or clean energy production,” Rep. Conroy adds.  “The people of Massachusetts might be quite interested in how a carbon tax could lead to lower sales, income and corporate taxes, while reducing pollution at the same time.”

“Because consumers keep all their options, including lower-polluting and higher-polluting choices, conservative economists tend to be with liberals on this,” Barrett says.

“Granted, a carbon tax is a fresh approach,” Conroy adds, “but we think it has real promise, so we want to get the public conversation started.”

The study proposal originated in the State Senate.  Barrett wrote the amendment and submitted it with Sen. Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton), Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, who has long advocated for similar policies.

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