The Brief
Washington's cost of living is among the highest in the U.S., with groceries and gas prices significantly elevated.
Rep. Chris Corry criticizes state policies for contributing to high costs, including new taxes affecting businesses and consumers.
Despite high costs, Washington's population continues to grow, though the rate of growth has slowed recently.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - From housing to groceries and gas, the cost of living just keeps going up.
Average Washingtonians are priced out of the Seattle metro region. A federal report in December shows the region is the fifth-most expensive region in the U.S., and the fourth-most expensive to raise a child, according to a June report from Smart Asset.
Meanwhile, Washington's grocery bill is the sixth-highest in the country, according to an April report from Lending Tree. Gas prices currently sit at the third-highest in the nation according to AAA.
What they're saying
Recently, Washington Rep. Chris Corry went online and blasted state policies, saying it’s a large part to blame for high prices.
FOX 13 invited Corry on Seattle News Tonight to discuss the issue more in depth.
"This year the legislative session was no exception. We were told by the progressive majority it would be a year of progressive revenue, we were going to tax the rich, and unfortunately what ended up passing was just more regressive taxes on working Washingtonians across the state," Rep. Corry said.
Corry disagreed with raising the gas tax by six cents, saying the increase and the extra cost from the Climate Commitment Act will result in some of the highest gas prices indefinitely.
The Republican lawmaker also took issue with the largest tax increase in state history. But those taxes went after businesses, especially large businesses, and that it does not directly impact low-income Washingtonians.
Corry said he disagreed with that logic, saying the B&O taxes not only went up on large companies but covered new businesses never touched before like storage companies.
"Research showed us that the majority of people that are utilizing, let’s say, public storage or U-Haul type of facility, those are renters, typically lower and moderate income folks," Corry said.
He says there are now new fees on Zyn and nicotine alternatives to alcohol licenses that will be passed on to consumers.
Corry says he is also watching grocery prices to see if they will go up even more with the legislature passing the Extended Producer Responsibility. He believes the policy will increase some packaged grocery items.
When asked what his constituents are worried about the most, Corry says it’s housing affordability, with Washington state costing around 53% more than the national average.
"I think that has entirely to do with a lot of policies that are being passed in Olympia, both direct or indirect," Corry said.
Corry says the state has to make it less costly for builders to create housing and cut the red tape.
Despite high prices, FOX 13 asked why Washington remains very attractive with people wanting to move and work here.
"Actually, the numbers are telling us that that is starting to reverse," Corry said. "For every Jeff Bezos which was a very public move away from this state, I think he did that to make a point. There is a lot of what I am calling quiet quitting in this state, people who say we can’t afford it, we are going to leave."
Corry is talking about net migration. FOX 13 checked in with the Office of Financial Management, which looks at that data.
It shows that overall the Washington population continues to grow, with the Seattle metro experiencing a high volume of international migration. However, the rate of growth has slowed. Washington state ended up with 79,000 more people in the past year compared to around 98,000 people on average from 2010 to 2020.
The Source
Information in this story came from Smart Asset, Lending Tree, AAA, the Office of Financial Management and an interview with Washington State Representative Chris Corry.
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