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October 24, 2025

Dear Neighbor,

Everywhere I go through the 20th District, one message keeps coming through loud and clear: life in Washington state is becoming too expensive.

Families are stretching paychecks further than ever to cover essentials, and small businesses are struggling to stay open under the weight of new taxes, fees, and regulations.

The two expenses I hear about most are gas prices and groceries. But families are also feeling the impact of higher child care and health care costs, made worse by new taxes on providers that inevitably reach all of us.

Affordability shouldn’t be a partisan issue — it’s something that affects every Washington household. Yet this year, the majority party and Gov. Bob Ferguson advanced the largest tax increase in state history while cutting more than $700 million from Medicaid.

I’ve spoken with parents trying to find affordable child care, seniors managing higher medical bills, and business owners struggling to keep employees on payroll. These conversations guide my work in Olympia and remind me why it’s so important to keep listening.

Please take a few minutes to complete this short affordability survey. Your input helps me better understand how rising costs are impacting your family and what priorities you believe the Legislature should focus on in 2026.

Take the survey by clicking here or on the graphic below.

Fighting for affordability and common-sense spending

Throughout 2025, I have been focused on protecting Washington families and small businesses from rising costs and unsustainable spending. My op-eds on affordability highlight the need for fiscal discipline, tax relief, and greater transparency in how your tax dollars are spent.

You can read some of these recent opinion pieces here:

• October tax hikes are scary | Click here to read full op-ed
• Financial security is foundation of health | Click here to read full op-ed
• Washington state’s pricey Labor Day | Click here to read full op-ed
• Olympia’s decisions make back-to-school shopping more difficult for families | Click here to read full op-ed
• Washington’s child care crisis demands real solutions | Click here to read full op-ed
• Washingtonians deserve better than record tax hikes | Click here to read full op-ed
• Standing up for small businesses in the wake of Olympia’s overreach | Click here to read full op-ed
• New taxes and fees pricing families out of nature in Washington state | Click here to read full op-ed
• Washington state families need relief – not more taxes | Click here to read full op-ed
• Washington’s affordability crisis and a tax hike too big for businesses to bear | Click here to read full op-ed
• Rising costs – How Olympia is shifting its responsibility | Click here to read full op-ed
• Washington state families need relief from rising costs | Click here to read full op-ed

You can find all my news and media by clicking here.

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this survey!

In the Community

During the interim, when the Legislature is not in session, I have had the opportunity to spend more time in the 20th District – meeting directly with residents, local leaders, and community organizations.

These visits are a reminder that the best ideas don’t come from Olympia. They come from the people who live and work in our communities every day.

Recognized for supporting the Tenino Agriculture Innovation Park

The Thurston Economic Development Council (EDC) recently honored me for helping secure state capital budget funding for the Agriculture Innovation Park in Tenino—an exciting project that’s strengthening Washington’s food production network and supporting family-wage jobs across southwest Washington. It is proof that when state investments meet local innovation, rural communities thrive.

Learn more in this press release: Rep. Peter Abbarno honored by Thurston Economic Development Council for championing Agriculture Innovation Park

Celebrating Great Futures Week with the Boys and Girls Club of Lewis County

I had the opportunity to visit the Boys and Girls Club of Lewis County to celebrate Great Futures Week and see firsthand how this organization helps young people build confidence, character, and academic success. Through capital budget investments, we have helped expand the Club’s reach in Centralia, enabling more students to access safe, positive after-school programs.

Learn more in this press release: Rep. Peter Abbarno visits the Boys and Girls Club of Lewis County during Great Futures Week

Highlighting innovation in rural industry

At Krume Custom Lumber and Regenerative Industrial in Onalaska, I toured an innovative project that turns mill byproducts into valuable construction and agricultural materials. It is a model for creating good jobs, supporting sustainable forest management, and keeping our rural economies strong.

Learn more in this press release: Rep. Peter Abbarno highlights innovative Onalaska project as model for rural jobs, responsible forest management

Touring Three Rivers Care in Centralia

Access to quality care in rural Washington is essential. My recent visit to Three Rivers Care underscored both the challenges and the successes of our local health care providers. Their investment in expanded skilled nursing services and local workforce development is making a real difference for seniors and families in our community.

Learn more in this press release: Rep. Peter Abbarno visits Three Rivers Care facility in Centralia; Highlights community impact

Supporting STEM education at W.F. West High School

I also joined students and instructors at the University of Washington STEM Camp at W.F. West High School to see how local students are exploring science, technology, engineering, and math through hands-on learning. The program, hosted in partnership with the University of Washington, Chehalis School District, and the Chehalis Foundation, gives middle and high school students the chance to apply classroom lessons to real-world challenges – from engineering design to teamwork and creative problem-solving.

Seeing their excitement and curiosity reinforced the importance of investing in programs that connect education with opportunity. When our community comes together to create learning experiences like this, we are investing not just in students’ futures, but in the future of our region as a whole.

Learn more in this press release: Rep. Peter Abbarno visits UW STEM Camp at W.F. West High School

Grant opportunity: Strengthening early learning in Washington

If you are an early learning or child care provider, I encourage you to apply for the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Early Learning Facilities (ELF) Expansion and Maintenance Competitive Grant before the October 31, 2025, deadline.

This grant program helps sustain, expand, and improve early learning facilities – particularly in rural and underserved areas. It supports providers offering affordable, high-quality child care options that help parents stay in the workforce while preparing children for success in school.

Learn more and apply here: Rep. Peter Abbarno encourages early learning providers to apply for state grant funding by Oct. 31

Access to affordable child care is vital to Washington’s economy, and these investments represent an important step toward building stronger communities and helping families thrive.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and for allowing me to serve as your representative. Your feedback is invaluable and helps ensure the work I and the House Republican Caucus do in Olympia reflects the real needs and values of our communities.

Sincerely,

Peter Abbarno