To the editor: We must make Vermont survivable for our youth, families

I am a proud mom of four — and all of my children have left Vermont to pursue careers and opportunities that aren’t available here at home.

My kids are doing exactly what they should be doing — exploring the world and finding what works for them. But my kids are hardly alone — this is the story of a generation of Vermont kids.

Look at UVM as an example — only about a third of our student population are Vermonters.

That means generations of young people are building their lives, careers and families elsewhere. And that’s okay, but imagine what Vermont could look like if even half of them came back.

We’d have fuller schools, more stable property taxes and more vibrant downtowns. Our communities would have enough young families to sustain the services that we all depend on.

Vermont needs young people, but young people need more opportunity.

So what can we do?

We must make our state financially survivable for young Vermonters. We can expand loan forgiveness for Vermonters who return after school and put down roots. We can explore reduced tuition at out-of-state schools for programs Vermont doesn’t offer — in exchange for a commitment to come back and work here. We must also make sure our programs to support first-time homebuyers are more robust and accessible.

I’m running for Vermont Senate to expand opportunities for all Vermonters – you can read more about my campaign by clicking here.  Thank you!

Heather Chase
Candidate for Vermont Senate, Windsor District 
Chester

Chase is  a nurse, a longtime business owner and served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 2022-2024.