The cost of living continues to be the challenge people feel most day to day. Housing, groceries, childcare, gas, and healthcare have become increasingly expensive, placing real pressure on working families, kūpuna living on fixed income, and young professionals who want to stay in Hawaiʻi. Residents are working harder every year just to keep up, and too many are being pushed out of the communities they call home.

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Lowering the cost of living requires policymaking that considers how decisions made at the Capitol affect everyday life. This means keeping taxes reasonable, avoiding unnecessary fees, and ensuring public dollars are spent efficiently and responsibly. It also means addressing the major costs families face (childcare, transportation, energy, and healthcare) and reducing those burdens through smarter coordination and better use of existing resources.

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Hawaiʻi also lacks a statewide paid family and medical leave program, leaving many workers without support when life happens. Providing paid leave would help families care for loved ones, supports kūpuna and caregivers, and helps businesses attract and retain workers.

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Andrew believes that affordability is about creating stability so families can plan for the future with confidence, not constant financial stress.