I humbly ask for your continued support in this year’s general election on November 4th. It’s been an honor and a privilege of a lifetime to have a seat in state government representing our little corner of Vermont. We are at a crossroads in many regards and on many fronts and I would like the […]
Thanks to everyone who checked my name in the primary election last week. I really hope to win your support in the general election on November 4 as well. As I campaign for re-election to the House seat representing Barnard, Pomfret, Quechee and West Hartford (District Windsor 4-1), I think about the challenges and opportunities […]
When the last gavel fell on the last day of the 2014 legislative session, it marked the end of my third year serving the towns of Barnard, Pomfret, Quechee, and West Hartford in the Vermont General Assembly. I am running again to serve for the 2015-2016 biennium. It has been an honor, a challenge, and […]
As one of the three lead co-sponsors and the floor reporter of H.112, The GMO Labeling Bill, I am compelled to respond to criticism of the new law and offer some counterpoints to opponents’ claims. Vermont’s action is being painted by some as misguided and based on irrational fear. It needs to be stressed that […]
With Town Meeting upon us once again, the Vermont Legislature is rapidly approaching “Crossover”, when Senate and House bills need to be finished and approved before passing over to the other body. Since this is the second year of the 2013-2014 biennium a Senate or House bill that doesn’t meet this deadline (expected to occur […]
It is unclear at this point if the House Ways & Means Committee will set the final property tax rates in time for Town Meeting. School budgets are still being set around the state so the statewide average is still in flux, but we are almost certain to see a rise in rates in the […]
H.62 aims to prohibit drivers from using cellphones in moving vehicles. As the bill was amended by the Transportation Committee this prohibition extended to the activation and deactivation of hands-free functionality while moving, without taking into consideration the fact that most smart phones allow for one-touch activation of hands-free functionality. I voted NO on the […]
On the first roll call vote of the year the House voted to approve S.82. To counter corporate and special interest money that can be donated anonymously to candidates through front organizations, the bill adjusts donation levels and allows political parties to donate unlimited amounts to candidates. This is a bad deal for Independents and […]
On February 6th, citizens came from far and wide to fill the well of the House and testify in support of H.112, a bill that I co-sponsored last year which would require that certain foods produced using genetic engineering be labeled in a simple and straightforward way. Vermont consumers, by an overwhelming consensus of approximately […]
Disabled veterans to get free hunting and fishing licenses – H.589, a Fish, Wildlife & Water Resources Committee bill, includes a provision that veterans with disability ratings of 60% or higher can obtain free hunting and fishing licenses. It is currently 100%. As of this writing I have drafted an amendment to lower the rating […]
Congressman Peter Welch reported to our committee that a new five-year Farm Bill has finally passed into law after years of stalled negotiations. The Farm Bill is an enormous, trillion dollar piece of legislation that is packed full of good ideas and bad ideas. Too many to even begin to mention in this short column. […]
“In recent months, most of the political and media attention has been focused on health care reform. However, there is growing concern that school spending in Vermont is rising precipitously – currently at two to three times the rate of inflation – with little end in sight.” The quote above is from a 2005 Shay […]
