Change? YES! But to What?
The recent flurry of posts on Front Porch Forum has made it clear to all of us that change is needed. What our current legislature has put in place is unsustainable. As I’ve met and talked with voters in our district, one of the most common questions I get asked is “Rob, you’re running to make a change. What do you propose to change?” Great question!
The first thing we need to change is the members of the Vermont House and Senate. For the past two years, our legislature has been composed of a super-majority of Progressive Democrats and a small minority of Republicans. Regardless of which party you like or dislike, the fact is that in any group that is faced with tough decisions, the best results come from diversity - true diversity - that is a diversity of thought and opinions. Group think and echo chambers always leads to mob mentality producing irrational behavior and outcomes. That’s what we have in our current legislature. That’s the first thing we need to change. You, the voters, directly control that.
Second, we need some truly fresh ideas on how to fund and manage our education system. It is VERY broken. We just experienced a state-wide average increase of 13.8% in our property taxes because of this broken system. Here in Ferrisburgh it was 15%. That increase is NOT going to improve anything for the students. It just maintains the status quo. And, according to Gov. Phil Scott “School property taxes will rise at least seven percent [again] next year even if all spending is level funded at the state and local level – which is unlikely.” We have the 3rd highest spending per student of all states in the US, and the highest by far as a percent of taxpayer income at 5.33%, while performance-based metrics show Vermont educational outcomes near the middle of the pack. (See World Population Review, Per Pupil Spending by State 2024) The current legislature has refused to address the thorny issues involved in making any real change here, simply continuing to kick the can down the road and the ever increasing costs onto us, the taxpayers.
My third primary area of change would be Vermont’s legislation on addressing global warming. I do not deny the globe is warming. Similar to Gov. Phil Scott, I do vehemently oppose the way the current legislature has dealt with it. Please see my previous blog for a discussion on this topic.
Other areas where change is needed include housing and Act 250. Having been appointed to serve as an alternate Act 250 Commissioner in Addison County for the past 2 years, I have seen first hand how the system is terribly inequitable. Only the most wealthy can afford to get through the laborious process of obtaining an Act 250 permit, and the latest rules highly favor some cities & towns leaving others with little hope.
Remember in November! You have the power to make these changes to bring sustainable living back to Vermonters. You have the power to stop the super-majority. Vote REPUBLICAN for STATE HOUSE and STATE SENATE.
Vote ROB NORTH for STATE REPRESENTATIVE.
