We're putting the (carbon tax) band back together!

Hello all: This blog has not had much traffic this year because the Senate climate bill was keeping us in a holding pattern, but now that the Senate bill is dead the time has come to make a strong push for a state-level carbon tax. I am personally committed to that goal, and I've talked to others who are also enthusiastic about trying to fill the vacuum left by the failed federal bill and the struggling regional (WCI) effort.

So:

1. I definitely think we should work on an economists' letter along the lines of the 2007 letter from BC. Anybody interested in working on that with me should let me know.
2. Someone (I think someone in our group!) posted a carbon tax proposal on the website the governor is using to solicit budget ideas. If you've got a free minute or two to register and vote please do: right now the carbon tax proposal has -31 votes :)
3. Other ideas from yours truly: Write up some guiding principles for our group? Write another op-ed? Update the website? (Some deeper thinking about how to best use technology would also be fabulous.) If you have other ideas please email me or comment below!
4. If you're interested in taking part in once-a-month meetings (we used to hold these but haven't for a while), please let me know your availability and preferences for lunchtime (or 5pm?) meetings in downtown Seattle.
5. FYI, Jon Yoder of WSU and I presented our economists' view of carbon pricing (PDF) before the State Energy Strategy advisory committee earlier this month, and as far as I know folks there and at Dept of Commerce are still seriously considering a carbon tax, as are some environmental groups in town. If I have additional updates on those fronts I'll let you know.
   

PS. If you're confused about the title of this post, it's adapted from a quote from the movie Blues Brothers. Video here :)