Priorities

During my first term in the Vermont Senate, I consistently voted in support of the Senate’s democratic priorities. I voted to override the Governor’s vetos, as I believe all of the overrides are important to growing our workforce and economy, fighting climate change, building climate resilience and ensuring the health and wellbeing of all Vermonters.

I supported:

• clean energy bills and environmental policy reform
• criminal justice reform
• updates to act 250 and new housing legislation
• lower healthcare costs and oversight of pharmaceutical prices
• major education and education funding reform

 I was lead sponsor of five bills that have been signed into law. 

1. S.220, An act relating to Vermont’s public libraries
2. S.204, An act relating to supporting Vermont’s young readers through evidence-based literacy instruction
3. S.184, An act relating to the temporary use of automated traffic law enforcement (ATLE) systems
4. S.109, An act relating to Medicaid coverage for doula services
5. S.114, An act relating to the establishment of the Psychedelic Therapy Advisory Working Group

A sixth bill that I authored became a provision of the Agriculture bill, adding new labeling requirements on rat poison and more guardrails around its application.

I was part of the Senate Education Secretary hearing and was one of 19 Senators to vote no to the confirmation. I had the courage to sponsor two cost-containment amendments to the Yield Bill on the Senate floor. These amendments would have put an end to sending public dollars out of State and would have ended the practice of allowing private schools to charge “publicly tuitioned” students more that “privately tuitioned” students. 

Education Funding and Reform

Act 60 was landmark legislation that fundamentally changed the way Vermont paid for education. With its passage, we created a system that provided equity across the state and allowed for high quality education regardless of zip code. This statewide system placed tax money into the State Education Fund so that it could be equitably distributed to towns and meet student needs regardless of whether a town had high rates of poverty and limited opportunity or a robust local economy and a high standard of living. And with Act 127 Vermont recommitted to the idea that students have unique needs and require different investments to learn by adjusting and updating the funding formula. 

Vermont’s way of funding education is not simple but it does provide a level of equity and opportunity to schools and children that many states don’t enjoy, while also providing approximately 60% of Vermonters with income sensitized tax credits. 

I do not want to go back to a time when the quality of education was tied to the wealth of a town, however, I do understand that tying school funding to property taxes can create dissatisfaction and can result in the failure of school districts to pass budgets. But before we radically change the way we fund schools, we must first dig into the hard work of examining the efficacy of local control, we must right-size the entire system and we have to create cost-effective systems that allow for shared resources and efficient buildings that run at capacity.

Housing

I voted in favor of H.687, a bill that includes Act 250 reform.  This reform uses a tiered approach that will promote housing development in certain areas of the state while streamlining the environmental review process in these areas. This bill also aims to preserve green spaces and nature corridors across the state which are important to climate change mitigation, wildlife and to preserving the “Vermont brand,” which is an important part of our economy. The Act 250 reform that is part of H.687 is a good start in addressing our lack of housing. 

As part of housing reform, Vermont also needs to make concerted efforts and investments in the development of manufactured home neighborhoods, modular homes that are quick and easy to build and changes to zoning laws that allow for accessory dwelling units. A range of housing options must be provided including low-income housing as well as missing-middle housing for folks who do not make enough to buy a house but do not qualify for government assistance.

We also need a comprehensive plan that deals with both emergency shelter and provides housing with wrap-around services to those suffering from mental illness and addiction. 

Because there are many renters throughout Vermont, we need to strengthen laws that protect renters and create clear expectations for both renters and landlords. 

Homelessness is a housing problem, so the way to address the problem is to build and provide more housing to Vermonters. 

Currently Vermont has no comprehensive plan to deal with homelessness, and that is a huge problem that requires immediate action. With no plan at the State level, local municipalities are left to deal with the needs of the houseless and the effects of folks who have nowhere to live. With local budgets already stretched, the end of Covid-relief funds, rising healthcare costs, it is nearly impossible for our cities and towns to solve this problem on their own. Leadership at the highest levels must come up with creative and immediate solutions to house those with nowhere to live.

Healthcare

Recently, an independent healthcare system consultant has called Vermont’s system “badly broken.” From high insurance costs to long wait times and understaffed hospitals and facilities, we need major reform. To increase access to services, Vermont will need to invest in housing. Some hospitals and primary care facilities have been unable to hire staff because they have nowhere to live. 

The creation of more housing will also allow us to invest in a well-funded and professional emergency-medical system. We currently rely on part-time or volunteer emergency-medical providers and they are struggling to provide necessary care statewide. Licensure policies need to be updated to increase the healthcare workforce and pharmacists should be a more integral part of healthcare delivery. 

Upstream investments need to be made so that our most vulnerable have the necessary care to thrive. I sponsored a bill that will require Medicaid to pay for doula services. These services provide families with care and assistance before and during the birthing process as well as postpartum care.

Invest in People

Robust, affordable childcare and early education are a must if we want reduce the opportunity gap, increase student outcomes and simply provide all Vermonters with a good start in life. The same is true for health care. High quality health care that focuses on prevention and wellness must be available to everyone and is an investment that pays dividends and strengthens every aspect of our state.

 

Equity

I joined the Coalition for Vermont Student Equity and along with educators and leaders from across the state we pushed for legislation to change how we fund education. The decades old “student weighting” formula did not properly address the needs of students living in poverty, English language learners or students living in rural areas. With the passing of S.287 and Governor Scott’s signature, the new funding formula will more accurately support our most vulnerable children. 

In both the Essex and Burlington School Districts, I have fought for equity and inclusion, serving on the Racial Alliance Committee, the Youth Family Engagement Team and serving on the Strategic Planning Coalition.