Californians should never have to choose between protecting our environment and being able to afford to live here.

Yet that is exactly the choice too many families feel Sacramento has forced upon them.

Every week, I hear from parents trying to stretch another paycheck to cover rising utility bills, commuters wondering how much higher gas prices will climb, seniors on fixed incomes making difficult decisions about household expenses, and small business owners struggling to absorb yet another increase in the cost of doing business. These aren’t isolated stories. They reflect a growing reality across California.

A new statewide survey from the Public Policy Institute of California confirms what families have been telling me all year: California’s energy policies are failing the affordability test.

As a lifelong Californian, I believe deeply that we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the incredible state we’ve been entrusted with. Protecting our air, our water, and our natural resources should never be a partisan issue. Conservatives believe in conservation, and we should continue pursuing practical solutions that leave a healthier California for future generations.

But stewardship also means protecting the people who call California home.

When government policies make........

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