Legislative Priorities
As a member of the VT House of Representatives, I will always focus on:
Housing:
Housing in Vermont should be stable, accessible, safe, healthy, energy efficient, and, above all, affordable. No one should have to spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Families must have enough resources left to meet their basic needs and save for retirement. Therefore, we must take steps to increase the supply of housing, especially affordable housing, and address long-standing economic and racial inequities in our housing markets.
I support a housing-first approach to ending homelessness. This approach, prioritizes providing stable housing as the first and fundamental step toward helping individuals break the cycle of homelessness. By securing stable housing first, individuals are better positioned to address other challenges in their lives, such as mental health, substance use, or unemployment. Commiting to this approach reflects a profound understanding that having a place to call home is a foundational element for personal stability and well-being.
I moved to South Burlington in 2005 as a renter. I know first-hand about the difficulties of affordable housing in our city.Housing, and more specifically affordable housing, is critical to the health of our community and state. It’s inextricably linked to our local economy, moving Vermonters out of poverty, the physical health and welfare of families, and addressing climate change. For the past decade plus I have worked with affordable housing groups and currently serve on the House Committee on General and Housing and as Vice Chair of South Burlington’s Housing Trust Committee.
Climate:
Vermont’s July 2023 flooding reminds us that climate change is not a future problem, it is affecting us today. We now face the dual challenge of reducing emissions while building community resilience. We all know that the most serious challenge facing our state and the entire world is the existential threat of climate change. If we do not act aggressively in cutting our carbon emissions, there will be irreversible damage to our planet.
Through policy focused on equity, we have an opportunity to improve Vermonters' health, safety, and quality of life, while creating jobs and saving working people money. We canhelp all Vermonters while doing our part in the global challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to zero.
Investments in weatherization are a proven way to improve quality of life, reduce heating costs and create good paying jobs. Another way to reduce our carbon footprint and improve quality of life is with sustainable transportation solutions including: expanded public transit, safe pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, statewide transportation demand management policy, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
A commitment to these investments is important, but equally as important is the ability for Vermonters to afford to make these changes: the affordability of green energy will be the key to allowing all Vermonters to do their part in reducing our carbon footprint.
Healthcare:
Every Vermonter should have access to quality healthcare when they need it regardless of income or employer. No one should be faced with the impossible decision of choosing between putting food on the table and paying for their prescription medications or a visit to their doctor. Though we have a high rate of people with health insurance in our state, far too many can’t afford to use theirs. While we work toward universal healthcare, we need to:
Increase price transparency for all healthcare providers in the state so that individuals can make informed choices
Increase the availability of mental health and substance use treatment for both adults and children and remove the stigma associated with accessing these supports
Place controls on the cost of prescription drugs
Support flexible home and community-based care options that reduce dependency on emergency rooms and allow seniors to age in place
Reduce tax burdens on working Vermonters and resolve our education funding crisis:
When I talk with my neighbors here in South Burlington, the most common economic issue that I hear is that South Burlington’s property tax burden is too high. I am committed to finding solutions that reduce the tax burden on seniors, support our small businesses, and encourage growth while protecting the social services and safety net policies that are vital to our community’s success.
This year school districts across the state saw unprecedented increases in education costs or in their budgets. This created urgency around establishing a modern vision for public education in Vermont. We need an education system that encourages efficiency with a funding formula that is simpler and better suited to our current education needs.
The legislature should consider a wide variety of options including consolidation of school buildings and districts, the delivery of special education services, the delivery of mental and emotional health services, and the public tuitioning system. It is imperative we have an open and robust public engagement process to ensure that all Vermonters can share their ideas and concerns. Public education is critical to ensure all Vermonters have an opportunity to learn and thrive and is vital if we want to retain and attract families to our beautiful state.
Education:
I’ve had many amazing teachers in my school career but no one taught me more than my own mother, a special educator for over 45 years. As the daughter of educators, I firmly believe that when students, teachers, and schools have the resources they need, our whole community thrives. From preschool through college, we need to support public educators and education that lifts up youth of all abilities and backgrounds. We need:
Fully-staffed high-quality special education programming
Policies that promote racial and social equity and give schools the tools to become truly inclusive spaces
Expanded affordable educational opportunities for every age
Vermont for all:
I believe in the importance of elevating diverse, underrepresented, and marginalized voices. Rather than seeing equity as its own separate issue, we need to see it as the core value of everything that happens at the statehouse. A government that only works for some is unacceptable. While we work toward a goal of true inclusion, we need to take an honest look at existing barriers and do everything we can to dismantle them, even when it’s difficult. In my role as a state representative I am committed to:
Fully supporting equity and inclusion work in state government and in our community
Identifying and eliminating policies and programs that negatively affect Vermonters based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, or economic resources
Advocating for solutions that come directly from underrepresented communities
Implementing policies that make democracy and the work of government accountable to those with the least access to it
