CCA Exemption Update Pt 1
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Washingtonians have been paying one of the highest gas taxes in the nation over the past few years thanks to the state’s Climate Commitment Act that was written and passed into law giving a tax exemption on fuel purchased for agricultural uses.
However, …
LEWISON … “The Department of Ecology was the agency that was tasked with figuring out how to create an exemption for farms. And, they effectively said, well, we’re not going to. We’re just not going to do it.”
And that, according to Pam Lewison, Ag Director at the Washington Policy Center, was yet another big hit to the pocketbook for farmers and ranchers …
LEWISON … “So, we started sort of saying, you know, hey we would really like for this to be fixed because it is adding significantly to our cost increases. What is going on?”
So, after three long years of delays, Lewison says agriculture got a response …
LEWISON … “It finally, this year, came to fruition through many, many hours of negotiation to get a fix that gets something in place for farms to have the break that they have been promised for a long time.”
The governor signed the updated bill May 15th.
Listen tomorrow for more on the tax break on fuel and what farmers and ranchers need to do to make sure the state follows through on their exemption.
