00                        HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 11 am                                                                      
01 Urging the Washington House of Representatives and the Governor of the State of                                         
02 Washington to reject Senate Bill 5974, imposing a tax of $.06 per gallon on gasoline and                                
03 diesel fuel.                                                                                                            
04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:                                                                         
05       WHEREAS this state and the State of Washington enjoy a cooperative,                                             
06 interconnected, and mutually beneficial relationship; and                                                               
07       WHEREAS maintaining that strong relationship is in the best interests of the                                    
08 residents of both states; and                                                                                           
09       WHEREAS Senate Bill 5974, under consideration by the Washington State                                           
10 Legislature, would impose a tax of $.06 per gallon on gasoline and diesel fuel exported to the                          
11 state from Washington; and                                                                                              
12       WHEREAS this state provides oil necessary for Washington fuel refineries; and                                   
13       WHEREAS the proposed tax violates the intent, if not the letter, of the Commerce                                
14 Clause in art. I, sec. 8, Constitution of the United States; and                                                        
15       WHEREAS no state should initiate a trade war against its neighbor state; and                                    

01       WHEREAS the proposed tax would place a substantial and undue burden on residents                                
02 of this state for the purpose of funding projects and offsetting business costs in the State of                         
03 Washington; and                                                                                                         
04       WHEREAS residents of this state should not be subject to taxation without                                       
05 representation; and                                                                                                     
06 WHEREAS fishermen, fish processors, shippers, business owners, commuters,                                             
07 municipalities, villages, and residents of this state have demanded that the Alaska House of                            
08 Representatives take immediate steps to stop this unjustified tax and, if necessary, pursue the                         
09 passage of reciprocal legislation; and                                                                                  
10 WHEREAS the fisheries, shipping, and other related commerce in this state provide                                     
11 tremendous benefits to Washington's economy and residents, as well as the Port of Tacoma,                               
12 the Port of Seattle, other ports in Puget Sound, and surrounding businesses;                                            
13 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska House of Representatives finds the proposed fuel                                       
14 export tax on this state to be in direct conflict with the intent of the United States Constitution;                    
15 and be it                                                                                                               
16 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska House of Representatives implores the                                                
17 Washington State Legislature to strike the tax proposed in Senate Bill 5974 without further                             
18 delay; and be it                                                                                                        
19 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska House of Representatives urges                                                       
20 Washington Governor Jay Inslee to publicly denounce this proposed tax and commit to                                     
21 vetoing the legislation if it reaches the governor's desk with that provision intact; and be it                         
22 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska House of Representatives will take                                                   
23 whatever actions are necessary to block this unprovoked and reckless action against residents                           
24 of our state, who should never be subject to unfair trade practices or taxation without                                 
25 representation.