Issue Position: Make the Government Work for the Northeast Kingdom

Issue Position

State government should work to improve the lives of all Vermonters. I will fight to make sure that critical decisions -- like alternative energy siting and education reform -- will be made at the local level while ensuring that our region receives the necessary investments so that our rural community continues to thrive. I will focus on:

* Alternative Energy
* We need to invest in alternative energy projects that reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, are appropriately sized for Vermont, do not negatively impact the environment, and directly benefit local communities. Today the deployment of solar and wind energy is mostly developer driven. Most solar and all industrial wind plants sell the renewable attributes out of state which means that it is not renewable energy for Vermont. Many of these projects are owned by out-of-state and foreign companies who take the rate-payer's dollars out of state. I will fight to return local siting decisions back in the hands of municipalities and citizens. We can reach our renewable energy goals in a way that respects our communities and benefits Vermonters.

* Transparency and communication from our legislators
* Vermonters have lost trust in their government in recent years, partly due to a lack of transparency. Increasing transparency in Montpelier will rebuild the trust of Vermonters and ensure that we have a strong democracy that works for everyone. I support the enactment of clear laws relating to ethics, conflicts of interest, and financial disclosure, along with the formation of an independent state ethics commission to enforce those laws.

* Supporting our schools while controlling property taxes
* Vermont's school system is one of the best in the nation but our schools are struggling with declining enrollment and rising costs. The Agency of Education needs to support the unique educational needs of each community and help districts look for new opportunities for equitable and quality education. I support rethinking our school governance structure to enhance educational quality, find inefficiencies, and increase cost savings.

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