cOST OF lIVING

I live here. I shop at the same grocery stores, sit in the same traffic, and hear the same concerns from neighbors across the 47th Legislative District. Families are doing everything right, but the cost of living keeps rising.

Groceries, gas, housing, childcare, and utilities all cost more. Paychecks aren’t keeping up. And too often, Olympia’s decisions make it harder, not easier, to get by.

Affordability isn’t a talking point to me, it’s personal.

What I’m Hearing From Neighbors

Across Kent, Auburn, Covington, nearby communities, neighbors tell me the same thing:

• “We’re stretched thinner every month.”
• “Small cost increases add up fast.”
• “It feels like Olympia doesn’t understand what this costs us.”

They’re right.

A cARMEN’S Approach to Affordability

As your neighbor, I believe the government should live within its means, just like families do.

That means:

• Protecting working families and seniors from policies that hit them hardest
• Focusing state spending on real results, not bureaucracy
• Stopping mandates that raise prices without helping families

Before supporting any new law, I’ll ask a simple question:

Does this make life more affordable for my neighbors or harder?