As the campaign season is coming to a conclusion, I am reflecting upon the humbling experience that running for State Representative has provided me. I am deeply grateful to all the people of Addison-3 who have opened their doors to me and spoken candidly about the matters that concern them; escalating taxes and health insurance costs, seeing the landscape altered by the rapid proliferation of large solar arrays with no local control, watching their children move to other states for better jobs, and a pervasive feeling that state government is not focused on the things that matter most to them.
Two weeks ago a resident of my district wrote a letter to the editor in which he accused me of failing to disclose the work I did, when I lived in Maine, to establish new nighttime regulations on noise from large industrial wind turbines. The reality is just the opposite, as my successful advocacy on this issue was the subject of the very first sentence of the article that appeared in this paper about me shortly after I announced my candidacy. (Not surprisingly, wind developers testified against the proposal to reduce nighttime noise limits for their projects.)
There was also an intentional omission — the author failed to disclose is that he is the chief operating officer of Patriot Renewables, a wind development company with mountain-top turbine projects in Massachusetts and Maine. Had the author informed your readers of his particular self-interest, they would have been better equipped to judge the unsubstantiated claims made about me.
Given what is happening with the industrialization of our landscapes in Vermont, and the plight of communities trying to exercise some local control of these projects, my experience with regulatory agencies, advocating for citizens and taking on wealthy corporations will be an asset in Montpelier.
Similarly, as healthcare and the All-Payer waiver will be important issues in the next biennium, my background as a medical doctor will also be useful.
If elected, I will help bring to Montpelier the balance strongly needed for a democratic process, push for fiscal restraint and my strong sense of justice and a commitment to put the lives of my fellow citizens ahead of corporations and special interest groups as I have done throughout my life.
Monique Thurston
Ferrisburgh