Where I Stand on Major Issues

Most Vermont voters received their ballots in the mail this week for November’s Election Day. It’s a hugely important election for our state and country. I am writing to ask for your vote to continue as your state senator. I know you have a choice about how to vote, so I want to tell you about my work for you, how I serve my constituents, and where I stand on some of the biggest issues facing Vermonters. The issues are complex and can’t be boiled down to a few sentences in an email. If you’d like to read more about me and my work, please visit my website and read the candidate profiles and questionnaires from Vermont Public, VTDigger, and the Addison Independent.

Constituent Services and Communication – my top priority is to show up and communicate with my constituents about the issues we’re tackling in the Legislature. Since I was first elected to the Senate in 2018, I have kept an active constituent blog sharing policy updates and important information about state resources and programs. During the pandemic, I frequently updated constituents about the status of COVID in Vermont, public health guidelines, and resources to keep them safe and informed. I have done the same during the summer floods, making sure my constituents have a trusted local source of information during a confusing and stressful time. Although I often receive hundreds of emails & messages a day, I do my best to get back to most folks, particularly constituents who need help accessing services, solving a problem, or understanding a government program. Vermont legislators have no staff, office, or budget, so I do everything myself, but I commit to being transparent, accessible, and responsive to my constituents, and am proud of my record of the past six years.

School Funding and Property Taxes – I know Vermonters can’t afford another property tax increase like this year. Vermonters also love their local public schools and want what’s best for kids. I am committed to reforming our school funding system to make it more fair and affordable for Vermonters while protecting our public school system and the kids it serves. We need a multi-pronged approach, which includes reducing costs and moving more expenses off property taxes. Simply calling for a property tax cap, like my opponents have, won’t solve the problems and could be unconstitutional and harmful to our kids. In my various roles as legislator, school board member, and finance analyst, I’ve worked to solve education policy problems and balance competing needs, and I am ready to lead these efforts in 2025 and beyond.

Health Care Costs and Access – The cost of health care is out-of-control, driving up expenses for schools, businesses, and families, and too many Vermonters can’t get a doctor’s appointment without a long wait. Health care must be a priority next session and I have experience and plans ready to move forward, while my opponents have no health care experience or plans. As a member of the Health & Welfare Committee, I have worked to reign in prescription drug costs, help seniors pay Medicare premiums, make dental care more affordable, provide scholarships & training for medical providers, and improve access to critical care. I have introduced legislation to expand low-cost, public health insurance to thousands of Vermonters that I will work to pass next year. We must improve access to primary & long-term care, reduce soaring hospital & drug costs, and refocus health care services to keep our aging population healthy.

Childcare – Access to high-quality childcare is essential for children’s development and the ability of parents to work and make ends meet. I was a chief architect and lead sponsor of Act 76 Vermont’s Landmark Childcare Law which expands financial assistance so working and middle-class families can afford childcare. It also provides more support to childcare programs so they can increase the number of children they serve, pay teachers more, and improve quality. We have already seen the benefits of Act 76 locally with childcare programs expanding or opening in many communities throughout the Addison District. While my opponents support the Governor’s veto of Act 76, I voted to override the veto and make childcare more affordable to help children, working families, and employers.

Housing – Vermont is experiencing a severe housing and homelessness crisis. The number of Vermonters who are unhoused is a tragedy and the fact that so many people who want to stay or move to Vermont can’t find a place to live is unacceptable. I have voted to invest millions of dollars in primary home construction and housing supports, reform our Act 250 regulations to incentivize home construction in towns throughout Vermont, disincentivize second homes and short-term rentals, and create or expand affordable housing programs. While my opponents think the main answer to the housing crisis is simply more permit reform, I believe we need to fix our broken emergency housing system, invest in diverse supportive housing options, extend housing investments, lower property taxes, and continue to seek creative solutions to build homes for everyone.

Abortion and Reproductive Health Care – The national landscape is uncertain and troubling, so electing leaders who will protect your reproductive freedom in Vermont is more crucial than ever. I voted for the Freedom of Choice Act, codifying the protections of Roe v. Wade in state law, and the Reproductive Liberty Constitutional Amendment, ensuring that the government in Vermont could never deny Vermonters the ability to make their own reproductive health decisions. I was a lead sponsor of the Legally Protected Health Care Acts, “shield bills” to ensure that individuals seeking or providing abortions or gender-affirming health care in Vermont would be protected from harm or punishment. I have always fought for access to safe abortion care and reproductive justice and I will not back down in continuing this fight. My opponents have been silent about where they stand on protecting your access to abortion and reproductive freedom.

Energy and Environment – The devastation of climate change and habitat loss are rapidly increasing, impacting Vermont with mass flooding, extreme heat & warmer winters, and public health issues such as toxic algae blooms & mosquito-born illnesses. We must do our part to reduce emissions, conserve ecosystems, and become more resilient to climate change. Unlike my opponents who strongly oppose efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels and do our part to fight climate change, I have voted for bills to conserve vital forest and wetlands, create a climate council & reduce emissions, and promote local renewable energy sources & reduce Vermont’s reliance on imported fossil fuels. As these laws are studied and implemented, it is crucial that they are affordable and feasible for all Vermonters and I will not vote to implement home energy programs that are not affordable for my constituents. With significant federal funds available and the cost of renewable energy decreasing rapidly, helping Vermonters move away from fossil fuel use will likely save them money in the long run. We need to make sure the transition is affordable and equitable for all.

Flood Recovery and Resilience – When my constituents experienced devastating flooding, I sprang into action connecting them to federal, state, and local assistance and advocated tirelessly to help as many people and towns as possible. Last session, I spearheaded the Government Response to Natural Disasters Act to improve how state and local governments in Vermont plan, communicate, respond, and recover from flooding and other natural disasters, and created the Community Resilience and Disaster Mitigation Fund so towns can bolster infrastructure and disaster planning so the next flood is less destructive. I voted for the Flood Safety Act to improve management of rivers, dams, and wetlands. Difficult flood recovery continues, and as climate change increases the intensity of storms, we must make sure Vermont is prepared. Unlike my opponents, I believe Vermont can both work to improve our preparations for major weather events and work to reduce climate change.

Public Safety – Keeping Vermonters safe is a priority and requires multi-pronged solutions, not overly simplistic “tough on crime” rhetoric. I was a lead sponsor of a bipartisan bill to reform conditions of release for individuals charged with multiple crimes. I serve on the Opioid Settlement Advisory Council and am an advocate for harm-reduction, overdose prevention, and treatment programs for individuals with substance use disorder. I support common-sense gun safety measures and voted for the Reduce Suicide & Community Violence Act to strengthen our gun safety laws. I am a vocal advocate for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including campus sexual assault. Public safety also requires accountable and well-trained law enforcement, so as Chair of the Government Operations Committee, I have led efforts to reform oversight of county sheriffs, create the Law Enforcement Code of Conduct, and improve police accountability and training.

Thank you for reading and please let me know if you have questions. You can find lots of information about voting on the VT Secretary of State’s website and check your own personal My Voter Page for information about your ballot and the candidates in your district. I hope I can count on your vote on or before Election Day on November 5th. Thank you.