The voices of our rural communities are extremely important as we face unique challenges. Our voices deserve to be amplified within the legislature to ensure we continue to develop the resources needed for the community to thrive. 

Rural Vermont has historically had poor broadband access. This hinders the capabilities of small rural businesses and further affects Vermonters’ abilities to work, learn, and live from home. High-speed internet is an important resource that needs continued support.

Many rural areas within Vermont do not have access to public transportation. Developing affordable public transportation infrastructure is essential to increasing Vermont’s overall livability.

Child care is critical infrastructure to our workforce and economy and enables Vermonters to stay and engage in our communities. The State’s current system is greatly under-invested in, leaving families to make difficult decisions.

I am committed to contributing to a comprehensive child care system that meets the needs of children and families while fairly compensating educators and caregivers.

Act 45 of 2021, relating to child care systems and financing, is the beginning of Vermont’s journey to invest in accessible and affordable child care. Act 45 expands access to subsidies through the state’s Child Care Financial Assistance Program and provides scholarships and student loan repayment programs for caregivers. By building on Act 45 and investigating the regulatory and financial barriers to opening and operating child care centers, we can further sustain the future of Vermont’s child care system and educators.

Affordable housing is essential to retaining and attracting young professionals who contribute to our communities. The overall production of new housing units has seen a sharp decline over the past thirty years. Last year’s housing needs assessment conducted by the VT Housing Finance Agency found that Vermont needs nearly 6,000 more primary residences by 2025 to meet the current demand of renters and buyers within the state. We must focus on building housing for low and middle-income families if we are going to combat the state’s housing shortage.

I have collaborated with experts in the housing industry and supported policies that expand our housing stock while centering the need for affordability.

The topic of short-term rentals often comes up when discussing Vermont’s housing crisis. While short-term rentals supplement our tourism industry, Vermont’s role as a vacation destination is increasingly affecting the availability of our housing stock. I would not dismiss a proposal regulating short-term rentals. I suggest we start by considering residency requirements for property owners and exploring protections for long-term tenants who could otherwise lose their housing to short-term rental development.

As a young working Vermonter, I have witnessed and experienced the many challenges that come with rural living. Vermont is a challenging location for people to affordably live. We need to continue to invest in resources that support affordable housing, childcare, health care, education, and mental health services for Vermonters of all ages.

Working Vermonters deserve adequate pay, childcare support, and paid medical leave. I support comprehensive paid family and medical leave so Vermonters do not have to choose between their income, their health, and the safety of others. 

Our older demographic of Vermonters also face unique challenges. Many live off of a fixed income making affordability even more challenging. Transportation and the walkability of our rural communities are even more important as we continue to support our older Vermonters. We need to make sure that our communities are habitable for Vermonters of all ages.

As a legislator, I will advocate for a Vermont where people of all ages can thrive.

Agriculture is a principal engine for our rural economies. Having grown up on a rural multigenerational farm, I have witnessed what it takes for farmers to overcome adversity and pursue growth. With our population and land management practices changing, Vermont’s agriculture industry needs to attract diverse techniques and farmers in order to continue to adapt and grow. 

With approximately 6,800 farms in Vermont utilizing over a million acres, it is important that we as Vermonters recognize that our various types of agricultural commodities need to be equally supported. Within the 2022 legislative session, legislators made record investments in our farmers, producers, and those making a living off the land. This is only the beginning as we continue to support our farmers.

Vermont can continue to support its farmers through developing our value-added market and connecting young farmers to retiring farmers.

Traditionally, many Vermont farms have been passed onto the next child or grandchild, staying within the family for generations. This tradition no longer fits today’s landscape. Due to many factors that include economic challenges and the transition away from small dairy, many of today’s farmers who are aging out of the industry are questioning what’s next for their historic farms. This challenge drives an opportunity for thoughtful work around land succession plans and how Vermont’s agriculture sector can continue to be sustained and grow. It is important that there are resources in place to support upcoming agriculture professionals, especially those who are young and from diverse backgrounds.

Investments need to be made in Vermont’s value-added market and processing facilities at all levels of our agriculture industry.

For many farmers, there isn’t a market beyond in-state purchase and consumption. In good years, much of what’s produced ends up being wasted. In bad years, farmers are scraping by until the next growing season. With expanded and creative markets, farmers would have the opportunity to capture more sales, increase shelf life, and sell to new markets. By building more processing infrastructure, surplus products can be canned, frozen, or turned into new products to further support our farmers and local economies, and to reduce waste. 

It’s also extremely important that our agriculture community stays involved in the legislative process. I look forward to collaborating with Vermont’s farmers to ensure policies regarding those who make a living off of the land are made through an inclusive and listening-oriented process.

Much of Vermont’s economy depends on our beautiful natural resources, tourism, and working lands businesses such as agriculture and forestry. Climate change is already apparent in Vermont, and the effects continue to grow. From warming temperatures to increased damage due to storms, as time goes on we will continue to be affected by the consequences of our past actions. We need to invest in our environment for the generations to come while prioritizing crucial weatherization changes today.

We need to consider how we can stay warm during the winter months while continuously keeping affordability in mind. With over 34 percent of Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from the heating sector, the transition to diverse renewable energy must be front of mind. Through careful, considerate, and collaborative work I believe we can reduce our emissions in a way that does not harm the quality of life across various demographic groups in Vermont. 

We have witnessed Vermont policies influence national policies before. How Vermonters as lawmakers address climate change and greenhouse gas emissions while wholeheartedly considering the effects on our communities can be extremely impactful outside of our borders.

I support a future where Vermont provides accessible and equitable sexual and reproductive health care for all. Since the overturn of Roe, Proposition 5 of 2022 was necessary to create a clear constitutional protection of reproductive freedoms and choices for all Vermonters. The amendment will protect critical health services like abortion and access to birth control. People across Vermont use reproductive health care services for a variety of reasons, and their decision to do so should ultimately come down to their choice.

Since 2000, Vermont has been a leader in enacting protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community and continues to make updates. The LGBTQ+ community still faces unique challenges, especially regarding the intersectionality of race, gender, sexuality, and identity.

I am committed to upholding and expanding the protections in place for members of the LGBTQ+ community. The words we use matter, it’s important that future legislation is inclusive. Our communities can help promote positive change by welcoming people to be their authentic selves.