LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: On affordability, both sides are failing us...

Last year, we started running a weekly news piece on the cost of fuel in our area. We examined average costs for fuel in Grant and Adams counties and compared it to the rest of the country.  

Unsurprisingly, our reporting shows Washington is an insanely expensive place to fill up a gas tank. Frankly, that’s on the Democrats’ actions that established the Climate Commitment Act. Washingtonians were told by those in favor of the legislation that it would only add five to 15 cents per gallon. Republicans estimated higher, with some throwing out figures of $1 or more. Overall, it’s been about 50 cents, so somewhere in the middle of the best and worst.  

Last year, the Republican president dropped a bunch of ever-shifting tariffs on goods we all use or on the materials used to make the goods we all use. As an example, I drink a lot of Mountain Dew – I know it’s bad for me, but it’s delicious – and I was paying about $9 for a 24-pack of pop. Less, if I looked for specials. Now, I’m paying about $12 to $13 for a 24-pack. While it has inspired me to cut down on my soda consumption, it’s still a decent hit to the pocketbook. Aluminum tariffs – admittedly combined with higher transport costs for distributors due to the Climate Commitment Act – have added to my grocery bill.  

It seems to me that, objectively, neither the donkeys nor the elephants at the state and federal level know our priorities all that well, at least not in the executive branches.  

In the last few weeks, I’ve seen a budget proposed by a governor that slashes funding for sexual violence victims by about half. I’ve also seen a President say he wants to increase the cost of housing when we’re in a well-established housing crisis and most people younger than my wife and me are wondering if they’ll ever be able to buy a home.  

I also know we need to reduce spending at the state and national levels. I get that there are a lot of hard decisions to be made.  

However, I don’t think the folks making the calls on what should be prioritized in those decisions are really putting their ears to the ground and seeing what life is like for the average working American.  

Town halls held by our politicians to get feedback – or not in the case of Dan Newhouse, who hasn’t held an in-person town hall since his reelection – seem to have politicians showing up with earplugs in. Constituents say they want the affordability crisis to be addressed. They want Social Security to be firm up for future generations. They need medical costs to be addressed. They want crime victims to be taken care of.  

Instead of addressing these common wants, both sides are ranting and raving and sending me emails about how they blasted the other side for failing constituents on hot-button issues. Don’t get me wrong. Addressing immigration properly, managing national debt and making sure elections are secure are important. But they’re neglecting the things with the most impact on each of us.  

Maybe don’t buy the M1 Abrams tank at around $24 million a pop when we have parking lots full of unused ones. Instead, maybe fund services for domestic violence survivors or make sure we provide support to the farmers that feed us so that our family farms can survive. Maybe, just maybe, realize that we want our environment taken care of, but by raising the cost of living through the Climate Commitment Act, you’re just hurting your constituents when there are other options available. I know there are people in our community skipping medicines, going hungry and otherwise suffering because of actions by both parties.  

Let’s hope our politicians take the earplugs out soon. Maybe then they can accomplish something we all agree on – making life affordable. 

With appreciation for your readership,

R. Hans "Rob" Miller
Managing Editor
Columbia Basin Herald
Basin Business Journal