Whether you look at the price of gasoline, groceries or housing, it’s easy to see how costs are going up across Washington. 

It’s harder sometimes to understand why. 

While national trends and policies play a role, Washington still stands among the costliest states in America for families and employers alike. Fuel costs $1.25 more per gallon here than the national average (according to AAA), and our state is the fifth-least affordable state to buy a home (according to Realtor.com). And the state remains an expensive state for business, ranking near the bottom in the nation (39th) for the cost of business and 42nd for business friendliness, according to CNBC.

Our lawmakers and agencies make decisions every year that add burdens to families and employers. Sometimes those costs take time to work their way into the system and hit consumers – but they always do. 

For instance, Washington’s fuel is among the most expensive in the nation because of policy decisions made over many years. And as painful as prices are at the pump, they hit us at the supermarket, too, due to shipping cost increases from diesel costs. 

Our housing affordability crisis goes back to policy directions taken – and difficult decisions avoided – over a generation. Why are houses so expensive? In large part, because it’s been too difficult and costly to build them. As a result, we’re hundreds of thousands of units short – and we know that by 2040 we will need at least 1 million new units of housing. Ultimately, we need supply-side solutions to build all kinds of housing for everyone. And we need them now. We are woefully behind. 

Every winter when the Legislature meets, and throughout the year as agencies put together new regulations, employers are at the table with practical ideas that come from a lifetime of solving issues with limited resources for customers who demand affordable options. 

Unfortunately, some lawmakers seem to lack understanding and appreciation for the employer perspective in Washington. 

In the last legislative session, rather than taking steps to make it easier for businesses, lawmakers passed the biggest tax increase in state history and added new layers of regulations on employers. Washington already has the costliest workers’ compensation system and second-highest unemployment insurance payments in the nation. But lawmakers keep piling on new burdens and costs.

This fall several key legislative races will be on the ballot, and voters will have a chance to send representatives to Olympia who value the pragmatic perspectives of employers. There are candidates on the ballot from both parties who are committed to being champions for the economy. 

We need lawmakers with a plan to grow the economy, not tax the economy more. Let’s unleash the creative potential of businesses and entrepreneurs to build stronger communities and a stronger economy that works for all of Washington.

It’s the best way to help make Washington a place where families, communities and the businesses that sustain them can afford to survive – and thrive. When a state becomes unaffordable, families feel it and businesses feel it.

Kris Johnson is president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s chamber of commerce and manufacturers association.