Issue Position: Jobs/Growth of Industry/Environmental Issues

Issue Position

At one point in my thought process, these were individual items on a list, but in reality the interconnect between them forces them to be considered jointly-as if on the balance of a scale. Our "brand" in Vermont and the quality of life that we enjoy is significantly dependent upon our environment, but we must recognize our sustenance is dependent upon our ability to maintain a good economic standard of living. Having a great place to live isn't so great if you can't afford to heat your home or feed your children. And, of course our individual tax rate for schools, roads and other infrastructure is also influenced by the availability of corporate/industrial assessments.

We have branches of state government that concern themselves with economic development, but I am not sure that they are doing their "job" as effectively as they could or should. Good paying jobs within an industry that is environmentally sensitive should be at the top of our "to do" list. I pledge to do whatever is necessary to push state government into a more aggressive mode in hopes of recapturing an environmentally responsible industrial base for our state.

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