We need to ensure that Vermont is an affordable and welcoming place to work, play and retire. That means ensuring that Vermonters have a living wage, access to housing and home ownership, better funding and support for public education, accessible healthcare, a thriving arts and culture scene, and a clean and safe environment to enjoy it all in.
Accessible, Affordable, and Equitable Healthcare
Healthcare is a human right. So, we must ensure that healthcare is not only accessible but that is also affordable and equitable for all Vermonters. We need to work to improve health literacy, protect consumers from the impact of big insurance and pharmaceutical companies, dismantle racist and bias systems, improve funding for our hospitals and their workers, expand access to mental health services, and improve the transparency of government regulation.
PUBLIC Education
Supporting high quality public education is a central focus of mine as it truly is a bedrock of our democracy and a common benefit ensured to all Vermont children through our state’s constitution. We have made great strides in improving quality childcare and early childhood education , as they afford children the best start to ensure success throughout their lives. We must pay the same attention to our K-12 pubic education system, taking a closer look at the cost drivers of education, addressing the implications of the Carson v Makin SCOTUS decision, and uplifting our public education system in the process. We must also have universally affordable college and post-high school education working with our federal delegation to figure out ways to work to cancel out reliance on student loans. Expanding access to these invaluable resources positively impacts all aspects of economic welfare.
Racial Justice and Belonging
Government is not the solution to everything but no thriving society short changed its public’s needs. We have all been mis and under-educated. Therefore, it’s imperative that we look at our local history so that better decisions can be made. It is beyond time that we ensure that ALL Vermonters have access to the benefits of our state. That means committing to doing the work, digging deep, being vulnerable, disrupting racist and bias systems, linking arms, and finding the joy of our common humanity.
Taking Care of our Environment
I will continue to work through bold action to promote sustainable energy, divestment from fossil fuels, more accessible and affordable public transportation services, a renewable energy infrastructure, and a green economy in order to address the climate emergency and to ensure clean water, clean air, and sustainable communities for all Vermonters.
Arts and Culture
When thinking about economic and community development, you must think about arts and culture. It’s not merely the icing on a cake, but rather a main ingredient. Arts and culture are critical to our democracy, how we talk about one another, and how we relate to one another. The arts and culture sector are essential to the recruitment and retention of our job force and to ensure the economic vitality of our communities.
Veterans Affairs
As the proud granddaughter of one of the first women to serve in World War II and a military spouse, I am dedicated to supporting our veterans. I will continue to work with our federal delegation to provide more educational, vocational, and medical support for veterans and their families. I will also continue to support our Vermont National Guard in their recruitment and retention efforts that provide opportunities for vocational training, education, and citizenship.
Housing
To make a real difference in expanding affordable housing stock , we must continue the work we did this year to pass Act 250 reform and also commit to the long-term investment it will take. We have to take bold action to increase access for recovery housing for people exiting inpatient treatment for substance use disorders, ensure wraparound services for shelter housing (as well as increasing availability), continue to push for changes in zoning to allow greater density in our city and town centers, and advocate for housing development and conservation be prioritized and receive its full statutory share of state property transfer tax revenues.