Issues & Accomplishments

Below I've listed just a few of the Legislative issues I'm working on, and some highlights of accomplishments in my first term as a Citizen Legislator.

Healthcare for All Vermonters
We need to adopt universal healthcare coverage.  In the Legislature, I voted for healthcare for all Vermonters, and unfortunately the governor vetoed what would have been historical legislation.  Still more than 60,000 Vermonters have no healthcare coverage, and most who pay for coverage have outrageous deductibles, premiums, and co-pays. That's why it's not an option to do nothing.  I voted for the progress we made last year by passing a law that will address the largest cost-drive of healthcare (chronic diseases), and will take us a step closer to universal coverage.

Invest in Society, Not Prisons
This is an area that I focused much of my attention over the past two years, visiting four prisons in Vermont, and publishing a far-reaching report on the state of our jails (click here for a copy).  The findings are grim:  fifteen years ago, for every dollar we spent on corrections -- our prisons and jails -- we spent two dollars on higher education.  Now, for each corrections dollar, higher education gets 80 cents.  Why are we spending so much on prisons when it's not making us any safer?  I believe that we must curtail our corrections spending, and invest instead in society.  That's why I'm proud of some funding that I spearheaded getting passed, including over $400,000 for transitional housing that will help women and men get out of jail (after serving their time), PLUS get the help that they need to stay clean and sober, find jobs, raise their children, and become productive members of society.

Protect Our Environment
Vermonters recognize what a valuable treasure our environment is. I helped write and pass legislation that increased our efforts to clean our lakes & streams, including removing pollution from Lake Champlain.  I am proud to have been endorsed by the Sierra Club and the Vermont Alliance of Conservation Voters, and I've signed VPIRG's clean energy pledge.  See my posting on blog about this issue, by clicking here.

Jobs that Pay Livable Wages
All working Vermonters deserve livable wages.  Plain and simple.  It is an American value that if you work hard, you should be able to support yourself and your family.  I envision a state where full-time workers can support themselves.  My efforts to successfully raise Vermont's minimum wage was a step in that direction.  See my posting on blog about this issue, by clicking here.

Clean, Renewable Energy
We have a three-part energy problem:  (1) our energy costs are too high, (2) our current policies are causing global warming, and (3) we are too dependent on foreign oil.  The answer is to invest more in safe and energy efficient alternatives, like wind, solar, and biomass.  I'm proud of the legislation we passed last year that will invest more in alternative energy and provides incentives for efficiencies.

Invest in Education
I was raised by a loving mother who still teaches.  And I myself have tutored high school students.  As someone who attended public school from kindergarten through college, I remain committed to supporting public schools, including higher education, workforce training programs, and early childhood education.  We must revisit how we fund education.  That means tackling the inequities in our current property tax system by taxing more progressively. 

Pro-Choice
Healthcare decisions must remain between a woman and her healthcare professional.

Fair Taxes
Lower income and middle income Vermonters are paying more than their fair share of taxes.  Those who make more should pay more.

Support Seniors
When Medicare Part D was implemented, many Vermotners were locked out of the new federal system.  Vermont's Legislature quickly identified the problem, and within a day authorized $11 million so that all Vermonters could receive their medications.

Celebrate Diversity
Burlington boasts one of the most diverse populations of any city or town in Vermont. We have opened our arms to new immigrants, and we made history here in Vermont by passing Civil Unions.  We must protect everyone’s rights and liberties by adopting laws that outlaw discrimination against transgender Vermonters, and we should recognize equal marriage rights for same-gender couples (click here).  We should also find more ways to help new immigrants from Africa and elsewhere thrive in Vermont.

Etc., etc., etc.
These are just a sample of the dozens of issues that I've voted on in the past two years.  Literally, we voted on more than 200 bills.  For further discussion on some of these issues, please visit my blog, or contact me with specific questions or concerns.