Fixing things and solving problems is my passion.
LIST OF ISSUES
Property Tax / Education Spending
You can thank the Democrats super majority in the house and senate. Why because the governor vetoed H .887, but the super majority overrode the veto. As a result, Vermonters get to pay an extra 13.8 % in the education tax this year. How nice of them. Unfortunately, in Vermont ever increasing education spending has resulted in ever increasing property taxes. High property taxes equals higher rent. High property taxes have given us a housing shortage and has stifled new and existing business construction.
The cost of education is about $ 24000 per pupal in Vermont. Of all the 50 states only, New York pays more per pupal then Vermont. About 80% of education cost is staff employment. Vermont's staff to student ratio is 4.4 students per staff member. Staff includes teachers, student to teacher ratio is 10.1 per teacher. Vermont has the highest staff members per student of all the states. Vermont doesn't have the abundance of wealthy property as a tax base to support this level of education spending.
Legislation and your wallet.
1) Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA), passed over the veto of the Governor Scott in 2020. GWSA mandates Vermont lower greenhouse gas emissions over a short period of time with ever increasing benchmarks in the years 2025, 2030, and 2050. Plus lawmakers inserted a provision in the GWSA that gives literally anyone a standing to sue the state if benchmarks are not met. Putting Vermont and its taxpayers in expensive legal jeopardy is a betrayal that defies common sense. As a legislator I will seek to end the GWSA unrealistic co2 mandates and replace them with realistic goals. I will also vote to end the provision allowing anywone to sue the state at taxpayers expense.
2) Act 18, Clean Heat Standard, This legislation created to meet the legally mandated reduction deadlines for the thermal sector under the Global warming Solutions Act. The NVS Consulting Group was charged to estimate the cost of Act 18 by the Vermont Legislature. NVS reported a $10 billion dollar price tag with an estimated carbon tax of $4.03 dollars per gallon for heating oil and kerosene, and $2,12 for propane. Final rules will be voted on in January 2025 to fully implement Act 18. If elected this legislation is a no vote.
3) A new payroll tax of 0.44 % has been added to pay for the new childcare bill. Most likely underfunded expect this tax to be higher in the future. I look forward to working with other legislators on making childcare more affordable.
4) DMV fees are up 20% this year. $91 for a 1-year license renewal.
% H 829 raises income tax on individuals making over $500,000 from 8.75 %to 11.75$. This rate is the second highest in the nation. This bill makes Vermont more unaffordable to live in. Have you ever been employed by a poor person?
5) Bill s.259 Vermont's Climate Superfund act. This feel-good legislation seeks to make oil companies pay for climate damages in Vermont. The cost of litigation for Vermont is very, very high. With almost no chance of winning. Even if successful big oil doesn't pay the bill, you do in higher gas prices.
Law and order
Unfortunately riots around the country in 2020 brought about a movement too (Defund the Police). Both the riots and the defund the police movement gave birth to a new crime wave around the country that has spilled into Bennington County. Local and state police need are support. Progress has been made but it is a never ending battle. I look forward as a state representative to help are law enforcement do a better job. Prosecutors need to prosecute. A repeat offender has many victims. Violent criminals need to be locked up.
Environment and energy production
I am a old school practical conservationist. I am old enough to remember the nineteen seventies when smog was a real problem in are cities and acid rain damage was a real thing. The automotive industry stepped up to the plate. Today with modern fuel injection and catalytic converters the modern automobile runs much cleaner and are cities are healthier to live in.
The Far left democrats war on fossil fuels is a major reason we have inflation, it doesn't have to be. if you drive an electric car that is your choice but in actuality you are doing little to nothing on reducing co2 emissions. It is an expensive mistake for local state and federal governments to push electric cars. What does have promise and produces zero co2 emissions is hydrogen fuel cells and combustible engines created to run on hydrogen. Safe modern nuclear power plants emit zero co2 emissions and is the only power source that could bring Vermont close to zero co2 emissions. I will push for nuclear energy, but it is very unlikely we will see a nuclear power plant in Vermont anytime soon. Hydropower is a good constant carbon free way to produce electricity in Vermont. Today almost half of Vermont's energy production is hydro generated. Most importantly hydro is affordable. As a state representative, when it comes to energy, first and foremost it must pass the affordability test.
Climate change?
I will concede that the earth's temperature has risen. The statistics say about 1 degree over the past 100 years. I also concede that when the earth temperature rises, so does co2 levels. How much co2 is the cause verses effect is debatable. I suspect a little of both. There are many variables why the earth's temperature rises and falls. My view is that man-made co2 emissions is not nearly the problem it is made out to be. How did we get here, (Science + politics= Politics). The real problem is the democrats delusional, expensive solutions.
The lefts fixation on climate change in drowning out real environmental issues. Clean air, clean water, dealing with invasive species and expanding healthy local food production. This is just a partial list of environmental issues I would like to tackle as state representative. I believe in the power of the people and the businesses they run to find solutions to the environmental problems we face.