A carbon tax for state coffers

Governor Jay Inslee is pushing for a carbon tax in the state.

His proposal is intended to raise $3.3 billion over four years.

This would significantly increase costs to consumers. Electricity rates could increase 4 to 5 percent, natural gas could increase 9 to 11 percent and gasoline might jump as much as 9 percent.

The carbon tax, it is said, would cut greenhouse emissions and put Washington in the lead for fighting climate change.

In the first years of the tax, however, the new revenues would not go to mitigating climate change. The bulk would go toward public schools in general. This is on...