World
Three US governors look to state policies to lower living costs
The governors of Oklahoma, Maryland and Delaware are presenting US states as laboratories of democracy in the effort to lower living costs. On August 2, 2026, they exchanged policy ideas covering housing, education, childcare and energy. They see affordability as voters’ leading concern across party lines. Although states cannot control inflation or global energy prices, the governors say they can act by expanding housing supply, strengthening consumer protection, investing in childcare, supporting economic growth and managing the effects of artificial intelligence and data centers.