Meet the six candidates for three Senate Windsor District seats

@2026 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Six candidates are running for three spots in the Vermont Senate representing the Windsor District, which is made up of 23 towns in Windsor County (except for Rochester) plus Pittsfield in Rutland County and Thetford in Orange.

Three are Republicans and three are Democrats, two of whom are incumbents. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.  The candidates are, in alphabetical order:

• Elizabeth Burrows, Democratic state House member;
• Jonathan Gleason, Republican;
• Joe Major, Democratic incumbent;
• Andrea Murray, a Republican;
• Rebecca White, Democratic incumbent, and
• Jack Williams, Republican.

Ground Rules: Now, each election year, The Chester Telegraph asks our local candidates specific questions about the current issues. The answers often speak of fighting for one thing or another or striving toward some goal. This year, we decided instead to present open-ended issues asking that they say what concrete steps – e.g. bills to introduce or programs to propose – that the candidates could take regarding those issues. They have limited their replies to no more than 250 words each.

Please introduce yourself

JACK WILLIAMS: a. My name is Jack Williams, I am a Republican candidate for the Vermont State Senate (Windsor).

b. I am a 35-year resident of Perkinsville, married with four grown children.

c. I am retired from the military, with 20 years in the U.S. Army.

d. I am also, retired from the State of Vermont, with 30 years in the VAOT Construction Section.

 

BECCA WHITE: I grew up in the village of Wilder in Hartford, and now live in White River Junction with my husband and my mother. My family ran a no-frills household, where the budget was tight and when the financial crisis of 2008 happened we were unable to ride the wave unscathed. Yet, my community was there for my family, I had Dr. Dynasuar, free school meals, and was able to use a myriad of other social programs.

Both my parents never stopped working full-time as small business owners, my mother running a daycare and my father being a plumber/electrician. But the economic system we have does not reward hard work as we aspire it to. At every turn a barrier would pop up out of our control: medical debt, housing, and energy costs rising, transportation challenges, and much more. I want to make sure that every working family in Vermont has the same support network I grew up with and to expand the resources further.

We have big challenges that my generation will be asked to live with if we do not respond proactively now. These urgent crises include income inequality, global warming, out of control health care costs, unaffordable housing, demographic challenges, and a corrupt authoritarian federal government. There is much hope though because we know the solutions to these entrenched problems, and I believe the democratic process at the state level can lead to a collective response that lifts up all Vermonters and not just a select wealthy few.

ANDREA MURRAY: My name is Andrea Murray, and I’m running to bring common-sense balance to Montpelier and represent the hardworking families of Windsor District in the State Senate. As a farmer, wife of a 33-year combat veteran, mom to a high-schooler, and small business owner, I live under the weight of Vermont’s soaring cost of living every day. Like so many of my neighbors, I see a growing disconnect between state policies and the everyday realities of Vermonters—from skyrocketing property taxes to struggling school budgets and a lack of affordable housing.

My path has always been about service and practical solutions. I’ve worked on life-saving medical code teams as a Respiratory Therapist, spent over two decades in banking and finance, and run a successful small business. On the ground, I serve on our town’s Development Review Board, the Veterans Committee, and am a Justice of the Peace. I am a licensed foster parent, a volunteer with several local organizations, and support multiple local food shelf programs with beef, eggs and produce from my farm.

In the state Senate, I won’t play partisan politics. I will focus on practical results: partnering with Gov. Phil Scott to lower taxes, creating transparent education funding that supports our students and local schools, modernizing land-use rules to build housing, and ensuring our communities remain safe and affordable for future generations.

JOE MAJOR: I am Joe Major, your Vermont state senator representing Windsor County, seeking reelection. I serve as vice chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and as a member of the Senate Institutions Committee. I also serve as Hartford Town Treasurer and previously served as executive director of the Upper Valley Aquatic Center for eight years.

Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., I graduated from Howard University and served as an Armor officer in the U.S. Army. My military service taught me the importance of leadership, accountability and bringing people together to solve difficult problems.

Throughout my career, I have focused on public service, economic opportunity, and strengthening our communities. In the Senate, I have worked on reducing healthcare costs, supporting farmers, protecting reproductive rights, improving benefits for veterans and retirees, and investing in career and technical education.

I understand the challenges facing Windsor County residents because I work and serve in the communities affected by these decisions. I believe the government should be accountable, practical, and focused on results. I am seeking reelection to continue delivering solutions that make Vermont more affordable, strengthen our schools and healthcare systems, and create opportunities for the next generation.

JONATHAN GLEASON: Jonathan Gleason resident of Ludlow. Education: Colorado School of Mines B.Sc. Engineering & Babson College M.B.A. Work experience: Engineer for a large multi-national corporation, worked predominantly in Europe and the Middle East. Business entrepreneur. Bought a small business, managed and grew it for 15 years. Successfully sold it in 2020 and it continues to operate today.

At present I work as a ski instructor in the winter and at Okemo’s summer activity center in the summer. Helping out in housekeeping and food & beverage as needed. My experience has given me an excellent understanding of budgets, financial management, and also interpersonal skills. I am accustomed to working across cultural and multidisciplinary lines, which require a good deal of listening and collaboration.

I have found being flexible in negotiation as a successful way to achieve win-win solutions for all stakeholders involved. Opportunity is the key to attracting families and young people to stay or come to live in Vermont. Housing, Schools, Hospitals and Jobs are all contributing factors to the equation. We can achieve these lofty goals that I speak about below, but we need a legislature that will align and work towards what is in the interest of a prosperous future for Vermont.

ELIZABETH BURROWS: I live in West Windsor with my husband and two kids. I am currently finishing up my third term in the Vermont House, representing Hartland, West Windsor and Windsor; I have also spent more than a dozen years on the Mount Ascutney School District and Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union boards, and am a founding member of Reading-West Windsor Aging in Place.

I am driven by fairness and a belief that our state is too small for any Vermonter to be left behind. I also believe that, besides natural beauty, working families and communities are our biggest assets— and that our smallness can be a superpower if we allow for more flexibility, cooperation, and connection.

As a legislator I have always enjoyed a two-way relationship with constituents, and that would not change if I moved to the Senate. From soliciting insights on what a bill looks like in real life, to showing up for people back at home and keeping them informed about what we are working on so they can raise questions, I work under the idea of being OF you, not above you, and I approach this job in partnership with constituents. I ask who is left out of conversations, who stands to win or lose, and how we can make Vermonters whole. We are truly in this together.

Making a quality K-12 public education affordable 

BECCA WHITE: I appreciate the bold and italics word-quality in this prompt for the question, because I think there is a misnomer that quality and cost savings in public education are at odds. As a Dothan Brook School, Hartford Memorial Middle School, and Hartford High School graduate who went on to the University of Vermont, I have the lived experience to advocate for a quality public education for every student in our region.

I support the implementation of the BOCES model of shared services to reduce cost and I would prioritize cost reductions in our healthcare system which are the main driver of rising education costs in Vermont. I also support the ending of public monies going to private religious schools. I supported the legislation to make Vermont school phone-free and would pursue moving away from the one-on-one device policy of a laptop or tablet for every student.

ANDREA MURRAY: Vermont has dedicated teachers and many strong schools, but student outcomes do not reflect that taxpayers are spending some of the highest costs per pupil in the nation. Our education system needs structural reform that focuses on student outcomes and fiscal sustainability rather than mandatory, top-down district mergers that threaten to close vital small rural schools.

When a small town loses its school, it loses its heart and its ability to attract young families. I support updating the state funding formula to prioritize classroom instruction and student achievement while consolidating administrative overhead and redundancy. However, this is just one part of creating an affordable education for future generations.

To restore excellence in our student learning proficiency, we must strengthen our core 3-Rs learning and return to clear letter grades in core classes so students and parents can easily understand academic progress. We also need to expand access to career and technical education, apprenticeships, and partnerships with Vermont employers so every student graduates prepared for college, skilled employment, or entrepreneurship.

JOE MAJOR: Vermont must control education costs without sacrificing educational quality or forcing communities into school mergers that do not serve their students. I oppose treating consolidation as the default solution to every budget challenge.

If reelected, I will pursue three concrete actions.

 

1. First, I will push for greater transparency and accountability in education spending, including clearer explanations of how state policies affect local property taxes and school budgets. Vermonters deserve to understand where their money goes and what educational outcomes it produces.
2. Second, I will work to reduce costs that fall disproportionately on local taxpayers by addressing expenses that should be handled more fairly at the state level. This includes pursuing state support for mandated PCB remediation in schools rather than leaving communities to absorb enormous, unexpected costs.
3. Third, I will advocate for policies that protect local decision-making, preserve access to educational opportunities, and strengthen career and technical education. Students should have pathways to college, skilled trades, and rewarding careers without requiring every student to follow the same route.We must also evaluate education reforms based on measurable results, not simply promises of savings. I will oppose proposals that reduce educational opportunities or impose structural changes without demonstrating that they will improve outcomes and control costs.My goal is straightforward: excellent public schools, fairer property taxes, and a sustainable funding system that supports students and respects taxpayers.

JONATHAN GLEASON: Consolidation and cuts to student facing programs and teacher benefits are not the answer. We need to  ensure that local schools are not closed, especially the K – 6 elementary schools. This practice erodes the local community and makes the towns without schools less attractive for future generations. The school budget growth has led to an increase in property taxes making housing costs unaffordable for homeowners and renters alike.

One of the main drivers of cost is health insurance for our teacher’s and administrator’s health insurance. We need to find a solution to lower health insurance costs or at least ‘flatten the curve’ of increases. This does not mean cutting the insurance or reducing benefits promised under contract. It does mean taking a serious review of our health insurance system and finding ways to make the system more affordable.

Another strategy would be to look for economic efficiencies inside our present system. For example, at present educational specialists are hired by each district. We could move away from that silo purchasing system and utilize a shared services model to reduce costs across districts.

Lastly, moving Vermont’s Education Property Tax Credit to the General Fund. This could save Vermont homeowners over $100M in property tax. Doing so would not reduce any services that schools provide students, orbenefits for teachers and administration. There are a number of solutions that the legislature can achieve, but we need to find a balanced group that can work with one another and leave politics aside.

ELIZABETH BURROWS: Vermont is the only state that pays for student mental health and social services out of its Education Fund; we could shift that so it’s paid out of the General Fund, which would bring an immediate reduction in property taxes. Our Education Fund has a number of drags to it that could be funded through more appropriate means. Addressing healthcare costs would go far since it annually represents the biggest rise in expenses. Re-establishing appropriate pupil weights for elements such as population density, economic disadvantage, and english-language learning could also alleviate budgeting pressures.

As a longstanding school board member I am also acutely aware that unfunded, unsupported mandates and other state and federal statutes mean there is painfully little wiggle room for budget cuts that don’t impact student learning. Some Vermonters talk about the “Mississippi miracle” as a point of reference for the quality of Vermont’s education system. Mississippi has turned around education quality because of sustained investment over the last decade, and only now has shown significant improvement.

If we want to improve education outcomes, we need a functional Agency of Education that provides consistently accurate data, supports teacher instruction, special education, and school culture, and faithfully administers laws as enacted. We don’t have to collapse our system in order to improve it, but we do need balance between strategy, planning, expertise, and care.

JACK WILLIAMS: a. Cap the cost per student, and property taxes at the national average of all 50 states.

b. Insure teachers pay their fair share of insurance.

c. Bring K-12 education standards to that of the strict 1955 standards. Eliminate WOKE and DEI programs from the school curriculum. Fire teachers who are not performing.

d. Keep schools and school budgets local in each town, and under local and citizen control.

More housing

ANDREA MURRAY: This is a multifaceted issue that doesn’t have a single solution. We will certainly not solve Vermont’s housing shortage by preventing landowners from building homes on their own property. Vermonters should be able to create a home for their children, subdivide appropriate land, and add a rental unit without facing years of delays, expensive duplicative permitting, and threats of massive second-home tax increases.

We must modernize Act 250, protect private property rights, and return reasonable land-use decisions to local communities. Rural landowners should be treated as partners in creating housing while preserving Vermont’s working lands and rural character. There must also be opportunities for incentivizing development where towns want to grow and restoring common sense mapping that balances conservation with community housing needs.

JOE MAJOR: Vermont cannot attract and retain workers, young families, and businesses without housing people can afford. We need more homes at different price points, while recognizing the infrastructure and land-use challenges facing rural communities.

If reelected, I will support legislation and funding that increase the supply of starter homes, apartments, workforce housing, and accessible housing for older Vermonters. I will prioritize projects near existing town centers, public services, and infrastructure where additional housing can be built efficiently.

Second, I will work to reduce unnecessary delays and costs in the permitting and development process. We should maintain environmental protections while making it easier to move responsible housing projects from proposal to construction.

Third, I will advocate for state and local partnerships that help communities finance the infrastructure housing requires, including water, wastewater, roads, and utilities. Small towns often lack the resources to make otherwise viable projects possible.

I also believe housing policy must recognize the realities of rural Vermont. Statewide land-use decisions should not unnecessarily burden rural property owners or prevent communities from determining how best to grow. We need a balanced approach that protects our natural resources while allowing communities to meet their housing needs.

Finally, I will continue supporting efforts to address homelessness and expand transitional and supportive housing. Increasing supply is essential, but we must also help people who are struggling to find a stable place to live.

Vermont needs a practical housing strategy that makes it possible for working people to live in the communities where they work and contribute.

JONATHAN GLEASON: Vermont’s affordable housing shortage has become acute and is a financial challenge for many. There are simply not enough homes that average working people can afford. Post Covid over 30% of Vermont properties are “investor owned.” Some of the targeted acquisitions by the out of state investors have been manufactured (mobile) homes. One strategy would be to legislate yet more rules and regulation on existing housing stock and even attempt to levy higher taxes on out of state owners of ‘second homes’.

These ideas have some potential merit, but become possible legal quagmires and provide no certain relief to Vermonters seeking a home to purchase. There are several existing programs including 802 Homes, CHIP, VHIP and MHIP. These programs should be evaluated and utilized where they are working best.

Allow local zoning boards to make more development decisions by reducing the permitting procedures in Act 250. Modernize local and statewide zoning to adapt to the changing needs of a modern Vermont. Our present system has served Vermont well, but it is not as adaptable as we now require to increase our affordable housing stock.

ELIZABETH BURROWS: I have served the House General and Housing Committee for the last four years. During that time, I have been pretty relentless in my push to prioritize our state funding where we need it the most: senior/adaptable/affordable/transitional housing. Our lack of each of these types of housing does not diminish the need, and ignoring the need winds up costing Vermonters millions of dollars in inappropriate stop-gaps.

We need to use what we do have and make it easier for people to rehab old homes, build their own, and not solely rely on private-equity-built housing. Accessible housing is non-negotiable when the majority of unhoused people have a physical disability and 0.004% of our available housing is accessible.

More accessible housing also means older Vermonters who want or need more assistance can make a change and open up more single-family homes. We waste so much in tax dollars when we fail to address these intractable problems.

We should also stop passing so many state-wide mandates, implementing instead flexible programs that towns can opt into or partner with other towns to expand. Lack of infrastructure support is an example; over the past few years we have created incentives for infrastructure improvements that create conditions for more housing, but not support or ways municipalities can partner with each other in infrastructure development. Vermont has “flexible pathways” in education— why can’t we apply the concept to municipalities? Our state’s smallness would allow for it.

JACK WILLIAMS: a. Repeal Act 59, 181, 250 land use laws.

b. Eliminate burdensome construction regulations, and support the building trades.

c. Set up programs at all financial institutions to support homebuyers of all age groups.

 

BECCA WHITE: If I am understanding the prompt of “More Housing” correctly, I believe this is asking to have us describe our ideas to expand housing access and affordability in Vermont.

I support updating our property tax code and housing classification system to encourage primary home ownership, workforce housing, affordable housing over commercial vacation rentals, investment properties and luxury second homes.

I am also a strong supporter of innovative capital programs like CHIP and TIF districts to invest funds in wastewater and water infrastructure which allows for dense development in our downtowns and supports municipalities. I support affordable housing programs like our first time homebuyers initiatives, allowing for more ADUs, and reduced zoning limitations for single family homes with quadruplexing by right for example.

Protecting rural hospitals

JOE MAJOR: Rural hospitals are essential to the health and economic stability of our communities. When a rural hospital struggles financially, residents face longer travel times, delayed care, and greater uncertainty. Hospital employees and local businesses also feel the effects.

If reelected, I will continue pursuing healthcare cost reforms that protect patients while improving the financial sustainability of providers. I supported legislation addressing healthcare costs, including S.190, which passed the Legislature but was vetoed by the governor. I intend to pursue this work again in the 2027 session.

First, I will advocate for greater transparency in hospital budgets, insurance payments, and healthcare pricing so policymakers can identify the causes of rising costs and develop targeted solutions.

Second, I will work to strengthen reimbursement and funding arrangements for rural providers, recognizing that smaller hospitals must maintain essential services even when they cannot achieve the economies of scale available to larger institutions.

Third, I will support practical partnerships among hospitals, community health providers, and other healthcare organizations to improve access, coordinate services, and reduce avoidable expenses without compromising patient care.

We must also address workforce shortages by supporting the recruitment and retention of nurses, physicians, and other healthcare professionals, including people trained through Vermont’s career and technical education and higher education systems.

Protecting rural hospitals requires more than emergency funding after a crisis develops. It requires a sustainable healthcare system that controls costs, supports essential services, and ensures rural
Vermonters can obtain timely, quality care close to home.

JONATHAN GLEASON: Rural and Independent hospitals are facing serious financial challenges. Hospitals are reporting substantial operating losses and being forced to cut staff and services. The primary reason is increasing costs vs. shrinking revenue. As people are unable to pay for expensive insurance, hospitals are unable to recoup costs for providing service. This is going to become a crisis if hospitals close and people living in rural communities are not able to access services in a timely manner.

One of the contributing factors is the high cost of health insurance in Vermont. Both individuals buying insurance on the open market and companies providing health insurance for workers are struggling to afford the premiums. If the premiums can be lowered, the assumption is that more people will purchase health insurance and our pool of coverage will increase.

We need to take a close look at our regulatory environment and work with the health insurance providers to understand if changes to our laws could lower costs, and potentially incentivize more providers to enter our insurance market.

At present only two companies operate in Vermont, leaving consumers with few options. A change to our existing laws could give insurance providers more flexibility in product offerings and allow local hospitals more decision-making ability to meet the needs of rural communities.

ELIZABETH BURROWS: • Fully fund Medicaid so hospitals have stable revenue streams and fewer uninsured patients.
• Explore Universal Primary Care so we can cut costs in emergency room visits and limit expensive catastrophic health outcomes, while bringing more primary care physicians into our state.
• Create more housing so we can reduce reliance on traveling nurses.
• Limit prior authorizations where possible.
• Limit the role of private equity in healthcare.
• Consider transportation part of the healthcare system.

JACK WILLIAMS: a. Use the Dartmouth Medical Center as the standard for New England, and place rural hospitals and clinics under the umbrella and jurisdiction of Dartmouth.

b. Insure rural hospitals are strategically located in Vermont, i .e. NW. NE, Central, SW, SE.

c. Surround each rural hospital with clinics that will overlap and cover every sections of Vermont to include rural and towns.

d. Dartmouth will manage, train, and set the standards for the whole medical coverage of Vermont.

BECCA WHITE: Our rural hospitals are critical, and whether you go to Mt. Ascutney, Springfield Hospital, Grace Cottage, Gifford Hospital, the VA or another example, we are all impacted when there are problems. Listening to our rural hospitals as both healthcare providers and economic engines for our regions is critical, and I work to develop relationships directly with those institutions.

I will be introducing a Universal Primary Care funded by the government bill if I am re-elected, and I believe that exploring this possibility will support our rural healthcare system immensely. There is a LOT I could say about this concept but I will leave it to that with a 250 word limit. I am also going to be re-introducing my community nurse pilot bill if I am re-elected.

ANDREA MURRAY: As a former hospital Respiratory Therapist, I know firsthand that protecting rural healthcare starts with keeping qualified medical professionals in our communities. Right now, our rural hospitals rely heavily on expensive traveling staff because healthcare workers can’t afford to live and buy homes here.

To protect local access to care, we must fix our housing shortage through Act 250 reform, lower tax burdens, and create an affordable environment where permanent doctors, nurses, and specialists can live, work, and care for our neighbors.

I support Gov. Scott’s efforts to expand affordable health insurance choices for Vermonters by removing unnecessary barriers that limit competition to allow individuals and small businesses greater flexibility to select plans that meet their needs and budgets. My priorities include working to end state taxes on Social Security that hurts our seniors’ ability to afford their basic needs.

We also need to improve access to healthcare by reimagining how we support transportation to access medical providers for those that need it. There are solutions that are proven successful in similar rural regions that we must consider.

We need a balanced approach that targets the most immediate barriers to access healthcare in rural communities. That doesn’t mean more bureaucracy, more administrative burdens that hamper a hospital’s ability to provide quality care or massive tax increases for government run healthcare we can’t possibly afford. The goal must be to lower the actual cost of healthcare, not shift those costs to patients, employers, and taxpayers.

Attracting families 

JONATHAN GLEASON: Vermont has an aging population and two-thirds of Vermonters ages 18 to 34 are planning to leave Vermont for better career and housing opportunities elsewhere. In order to attract and retain families, Vermont should continue the child care tax credits now in place. This helps families afford expensive childcare that is necessary for working families and overall childhood development.

Housing is also a primary concern for families and the conversation should be focused on what types of homes families are looking for and which existing programs are most effective at creating these homes. Monetary assistance in purchasing a first home would be another strategic idea that could aid families. There is a program in place through the Secretary of Treasury for this very purpose, and this program should be evaluated and potentially expanded.

Having a house is only part of the solution for attracting families; career opportunity would be another important aspect. The regulatory environment in Vermont is not business friendly.

In order to attract and cultivate businesses, small, medium and large, Vermont needs to relax the statewide regulations and allow more business to invest in our state. This could be done in a number of ways, and would not necessarily affect all towns.

Local communities could vote to create economic development zones and under local control the rules could be determined. Towns might decide not to adopt implementation, while others allow larger scale development. Especially in areas that had been previously vibrant economic centers (e.g. Springfield).

ELIZABETH BURROWS: Looking at attracting families through the lens of addressing the needs of families already here might be the best approach. It’s fairly well-established that families don’t move to towns without elementary schools.

It’s also well-established that lack of childcare prevents people from being able to access jobs. Paid family leave statistically encourages population growth. Fully committing to rural broadband would bring in remote workers.

High-quality education creates walking advertisements for Vermont. A clean and healthy environment; ample, affordable housing; thriving local economies with well-paying jobs; access to local food; decent healthcare, including pediatric and elder care; strong worker conditions; a sense of equality; and strong civic life and community spirit would all draw new families to our state. In Vermont we know well how interconnected all of these, and all of us, are.

JACK WILLIAMS: a. Rebuild the industrial infrastructure in Vermont, by developing a aggressive statewide strategy to attract high-tech companies and industries into Vermont.

b. Eliminate burdensome regulations and high corporate taxes, property taxes and income taxes, in order to make Vermont, business, industry, and family, friendly.

c. Bring Vermont’s K-12, tech schools, and colleges and universities into the 21st century, by setting educational standards that are par-excellence, and  the best in the nation, in order to trains Vermont youth and young adults to excel in the 21st century technology world.

d. Purge every aspect of Vermont’s educational, business, industrial, social, political and economic  entities of the WOKE and DEI policies that now permeate every aspect of Vermont.

BECCA WHITE: As a 32-year-old Vermonter, and as someone trying to get my friends to move back home, this issue is personal. I have a few ideas, the first would be to continue moving to universal childcare to reduce the cost of childcare for families.

In committee, I have worked on the professionalization of early childhood educators roles to expand the workforce, and open more childcare spots too. I think the same issues around healthcare costs, affordable housing, and transportation challenges also feed into the difficulty to re-locate to Vermont or to return so continue to prioritize solutions in those areas. I also support lifting the state refugee cap and being a welcoming place for new Americans and immigrants.

ANDREA MURRAY: Elected officials must remember that every dollar the government spends was first earned by a hardworking taxpayer. Affordability should be measured by whether working families and seniors can remain in Vermont, not by whether government programs remain funded.

Attracting young families to Vermont isn’t complicated, but it takes common sense: we have to make living here affordable. We must rein in excessive government spending, reject aggressive new taxes, and roll back arbitrary regulations that increase the cost of housing, healthcare, farming, and doing business. If we cut the red tape and let families build a stable financial future here, they won’t just move to Vermont — they’ll stay.

JOE MAJOR: Vermont’s future depends on our ability to attract and retain young families. People need good jobs, affordable housing, quality schools, accessible healthcare, and reliable childcare to build their lives here. We must address these challenges together rather than treating them as separate issues.

If reelected, I will focus on four concrete priorities.

First, I will support policies that expand affordable childcare and strengthen the early childhood workforce. Parents cannot participate fully in the workforce when childcare is unavailable or costs more than they can afford.

Second, I will pursue solutions to Vermont’s housing shortage, particularly workforce housing and starter homes that allow young adults to remain in the communities where they grew up.

Third, I will continue advocating for career and technical education, apprenticeships, and workforce development that connect students with well-paying jobs in Vermont. We should make it easier for young people to build successful careers without having to leave the state.

Fourth, I will work to make healthcare and education more affordable. Families should not have to choose between paying their bills and obtaining the services they need.

I also believe Vermont must create an environment where employers can grow, small businesses can succeed, and communities can welcome new residents without losing their rural character.

My experience in local government, community organizations, and the Senate has taught me that lasting progress comes from listening to residents and bringing people together around practical solutions. Attracting families is about them seeing a future for themselves.