Washington

Right-wing mega-millionaire Brian Heywood has bankrolled a suite of ballot initiatives attacking progressive policies, including two assaults on the climate:

Initiative 2117, the Prohibit Carbon Tax Credit Trading Initiative, would repeal the Climate Commitment Act, Washington’s climate cap-and-trade system. Over $31 million has spent on the initiative, equally split between supporters, led by Heywood, and opponents, led by Microsoft billionaires Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates). RESULT: NO

Initiative 2066, the Natural Gas Policies Measure, is an effort by the gas industry and its allies which would prevent the state and local governments from passing laws that promote electrification and efficiency and limit gas hookups in new construction. Result: YES.

Local Referenda

Arizona

Scottsdale’s Proposition 490, Sales Tax for Parks and Recreational Facilities Measure, would authorize a 0.15% sales tax for 30 years; the 0.20% rate is expiring. YES

California

The statewide $10 billion climate bond measure is complemented by several local measures.

Berkeley Measure GG, the Natural Gas Tax Measure, would raise $26 million a year with a new tax on natural gas for large buildings, excluding certain residences, to fund decarbonization programs. This measure is climate activists’ latest after an appeals court struck down the city’s ban on new gas hookups. (Result: NO.)

Long Beach Measure LB, Repeal of the Gas Utility User Tax Exemption Measure, would eliminate the gas utility user tax exemption for electrical corporations and government agencies that use gas for electricity. YES

Los Angeles County’s Measure H would raise $1.8 million annually from developed parcel taxes for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority Division 1, Santa Monica Mountains and Hollywood Hills. Measure GG would raise $614,000 annually for MRCA Division 2, covering Woodland Hills, Encino, and Tarzana. YES

Oakland Measure MM, Wildfire Prevention Parcel Tax Measure, would set a parcel tax of $99 per single-family parcel and $65 per condominium/multifamily unit for 20 years to fund wildfire prevention in Oakland's Wildfire Prevention Zone. YES

Sacramento County has Bond Measure L, to raise $24 million for the Orangevale Recreation & Park District, and Bond Measure Q, to raise $24 million for the Fulton El Camino Recreation & Park District. YES

San Francisco’s Proposition K would close the Upper Great Highway to private vehicles and establish public open recreation space. YES

Colorado

Denver has Ballot Issue 7A, the Allow Regional Transport Authority to Retain and Spend Revenue Measure. YES

Hawaii

Honolulu’s Question 1, the Climate Resiliency Fund Charter Amendment, allocates 0.5% of property tax revenues to a new climate resiliency fund, raising about $8.5 million annually. YES

Kentucky

Lexington’s Park Fund Measure would generate $8 million annually from property taxes. YES

Louisiana

The East Baton Rouge Parish Levy New Tax for Recreation and Park Commission Advancement and Maintenance Measure would raise $17.8 million annually. YES

Michigan

The Ingham County (Lansing) Public Transportation Millage Renewal Measure would raise $24.1 million annually. YES

Nebraska

Lincoln’s Stormwater and Flood Management Bond Measure would raise $13.9 million in bonds. YES

Omaha residents are voting on a Parks and Recreation Bond Measure to raise $10 million and a Sewer and Flood Control Bond Measure for $14.5 million. YES

New Mexico

In broiling New Mexico, greater Albuquerque has multiple bond and property tax measures:

• Albuquerque Metropolitan Arroyo Flood Control Authority Flood Control Bond Measure for $25 million

• Bernalillo County Parks and Recreation Bond Measure: $11.8 million

• Bernalillo County Storm Drainage and Utilities Bond Measure: $5.1 million

• Bernalillo County Transportation Bond Measure: $10.7 million

• Ciudad Soil & Water Conservation District Water and Natural Resources Property Tax Measure property tax of 0.25 mills. YES TO ALL 

Santa Fe County’s Bond Question 2, Water and Wastewater Projects Bond Measure would raise $12.5 million and its Bond Question 3, Trails and Parks Bond Measure would raise $16.1 million. YES

North Carolina

Charlotte has a $61.7 million Neighborhood Improvements Bond Measure and a $238 million Transportation Bond Measure. YES

Durham has an $85 million Parks and Recreation Bond Measure and a $115 million Streets and Sidewalk Bond Measure. YES

Oregon

Portland has Measure 26-251 (RESULT: YES), to clarify the city’s authority to manage sewers and stormwater, and Measure 26-253 (Result: NO), to allow a weatherization requirement for pre-1979 buildings without a citywide vote.

Libertarian climate deniers have allied with local tribes to oppose the construction of wind farms in federal waters offshore of Oregon, authorized by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management last February. Radical climate deniers Rob Taylor and Diane Rich are the faces of the conspiracy-theorist right-wing opposition; the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians have led the tribal opposition, citing their cultural and spiritual legacy in lawsuits against the federal government.

Taylor and Rich (who is is running for Coos County Clerk on a Trumpist purge-the-voter-rolls platform) successfully pushed non-binding ballot initiatives in coastal Coos County and Curry County—Measure 6-219 and Measure 8-116 respectively—opposing the development of offshore wind projects. (Results: YES)

The symbolic ballot initiatives helped achieve their goal; the Biden administration backed down in September, announcing it was mothballing the planned offshore wind sale amid lack of industry interest and renewed opposition from Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (D).

Pennsylvania

In Chester County, East Whiteland Township is voting on an Income Tax and Property Tax for Open Space Funding Measure and Uwchlan Township is voting on an Income Tax for Open Space Funding Measure. YES 

Tennessee

Nashville’s Transit Improvement Program Referendum would establish a sales tax surcharge of 0.5% for public transportation and safe-streets improvements. YES

Texas

Corpus Christi’s Proposition B is a $37.6 million Parks and Recreation Bond Measure. Proposition F, the Flood Control, Drainage, and Coastal Resiliency Sales Tax Measure, reauthorizes the expiring 0.125% per $1 sales tax that has gone for seawall funding. YES

El Paso County has Proposition A, Parks and Recreation Bond Measure for $95.6 million. YES

Virginia

Loudoun County is considering a Parks, Recreation, and Community Centers Bond Measure for $54 million. YES

Washington

Seattle (King County) has Proposition 1, a Property Tax for Transportation Funding Measure, which would raise $1.55 billion over eight years for the maintenance and growth of public transportation infrastructure. The Keep Seattle Moving campaign is backed by local climate and transit activists. YES

Wyoming

YES Laramie County voters will decide on a Conservation District Tax Measure for soil and water conservation programs.

1  We also recommend the excellent climate ballot-initiative guide by Reckon’s Christopher Harress.