Is an all-green energy strategy worth the cost?

What if we could peer into the future and see the consequences of the decisions we make today? In a way, we can.

According to Washington state economists, a carbon tax high enough to achieve Gov. Jay Inslee’s stated climate change goals would increase gasoline prices almost 60 percent over time and raise natural gas prices — currently our most affordable energy — nearly 35 percent.

The carbon tax is only one part of Inslee’s climate change agenda. How much will the rest of it cost Washington families?

At this point, we don’t know precisely how the governor’s energy agenda will affect our econo...