In Addison County House and Senate races, here’s a key point to consider: What has caused the crises Vermont faces and who is in the best position to help solve the problem?

If one were only to listen to Gov. Phil Scott and Republicans running for office, you could believe it’s the liberal Legislature that is causing Vermont’s problems and that the only responsible action is to veto significant measures proposed by them.

That’s a shallow and uninformed platform reminiscent of a “do nothing” party.

The problem the state faces isn’t the Legislature passing legislation to tackle specific issues, but rather fundamental changes to the state’s demographics that will soon bankrupt the state if significant changes aren’t made. The numbers aren’t hard to understand: Vermont’s working age population, 25-60, is shrinking as a percentage while our oldest demographic, 65-85, is rapidly increasing. That trend is expected to continue until 2040, along with a decline in young families and students to fill our schools.

In short, we’ll have fewer people to do the jobs Vermont so desperately needs filled along with less revenue to grow the state’s economy, more older residents who’ll require a growing share of the state’s health care funds, and fewer students to fill classrooms.

Former Vt. Sec. of Education Rebecca Holcombe, who is now a House representative from Windsor/Orange, writes an astute op-ed in today’s issue, in which she outlines the problems caused by this demographic trend and the way forward. (I won’t repeat those points here, so please read it.)

In a nutshell, Vermonters face tough choices. We either need to rapidly invest in growth — and I mean real growth that requires state and local subsidies — or resign ourselves to a shrinking pool of workers and young families and steel ourselves for the serious cuts that will require. In fact, we’ll need to do both.

The property tax crisis witnessed this year, and which looks inevitable next year (to a slightly less degree), means schools consolidations are inevitable. Hospitals and health care systems will also need to be consolidated, and medical services will need to be provided in less expensive ways.

While stark choices confront us, too many Republican candidates are not suggesting viable solutions.

Just saying ‘no’ to high property taxes, for example, doesn’t cut it. If school district pass budgets, the legislature has to fund them. That’s the law. So, the question is, what would those Republican candidates propose to reduce spending? They won’t say. That’s because none of them, including Gov. Scott, will advocate for school closures, even though it may be what they mean. Rather, too many hide behind empty slogans.

And when Republicans advocate for less regulation to make housing more affordable, they’re behind the times… that’s been the Legislature’s focus for the past four years and they’ve made significant process, though more is needed.

Also, when Republicans complain of living costs being expensive, what’s their answer? Nothing. They just want to point blame at local Democrats for nationwide inflation they had no control over.

To solve any of these problems, the first thing Vermonters must do is elect candidates who are honest in assessing the problem, and willing to address the root causes.

In the Addison County race for the two Senate seats, we remain impressed by the serious efforts of Sen. Ruth Hardy and Sen. Chris Bray to address the issues head-on in creative and effective ways. Both study the issues thoroughly and seek affordable solutions.

Over their years in office, both have achieved significant pieces of legislation, including Sen. Hardy’s recent championing of legislation to resolve the childcare crisis Vermont had faced for the previous decade. With the passage of Act 76 in 2023 more than 1,000 new childcare providers have reduced the shortage of workers and opened new childcare slots. Subsidies for families have enabled more families to be able to afford care. The small payroll tax imposed, which Republicans are railing against, is what solved this crisis and made it more affordable for families throughout the state. That’s real leadership and an example of the state subsidizing what was a broken marketplace to create a long-term solution.

Sen. Bray has long been a champion of the farm-to-plate movement, which he developed in 2009. Since then it has created more farms, created 6,400 jobs in the state’s food system and over $100 million in additional revenues for Vermonters, plus now provides healthy food to Vermont students through school lunch and breakfast programs.

Those are examples of solutions that make a real difference. Democrats were also early creators and supporters of the Efficiency Vermont program, which has benefitted thousands of Vermont families and reduced the state’s carbon footprint. Sen. Bray’s effort to apply that template to the Affordable Heat Act is similarly well-intended, and his caution in creating a two-year study to first test the premise ensures Vermonters no legislation will be passed until an affordable outcome is certain.

It’s disappointing that local House and Senate Republicans, supported by the fossil fuel industry and with encouragement from Gov. Scott, have deliberately waged a misinformation campaign on the issue and specifically targeted Sen. Bray. To be sure the topic is a legitimate campaign issue, but suggesting the current bill would spark increases of up to $4 a gallon is just fear-mongering of the worse sort and reflects poorly on those candidates and the state GOP.

To that end, vote your preference in local state House and Senate races, but do so knowing the fearmongering on the Affordable Heat Act, the silly suggestion that Democrats are at fault for high property taxes, the high cost of housing and health care are all nonsense.

Every candidate, of every party, strives to make Vermont affordable; they all strive to keep taxes as low as possible; most strive to provide affordable housing and adequate, affordable health care. Take that as a given. Then, decide who is in the best position with the most thoughtful ideas (not complaints) to make solutions possible.

ENDORSEMENTS IN STATE, U.S. RACES

For Governor:

There are five candidates for governor, three of whom you’ve likely never heard of — June Goodban, Kevin Hoyt and Eli Mutino. If you’re interested in their stories, go to VtDigger’s candidate profiles here.

The race will be between incumbent Gov. Phil Scott, R, and Democrat/Progressive Esther Charlestin. Scott is a shoe-in for re-election. That’s because he’s portrayed himself as a brake on the legislature’s Democratic/Progressive supermajority with a clever mantra, Keep Vermont Affordable, that resonates with everyone.

The just criticism of the governor is that he has failed to lead on any of the major issues, preferring to either veto legislature or give it his signature. That’s hardly the measure of a strong leader Vermonters deserve.

Moreover, any objective voter who asked if the state is better off today than it was eight years ago when Scott was first elected would answer no. Vermonters face a worsening health care crisis, a school funding crisis, a housing crisis, and a demographic trend — along with a lack of labor — that will only make each crisis worse if significant change doesn’t happen soon. Scott’s not responsible for those maladies any more than the Legislature is, but when the governor offers no solutions and little to no support for any legislative initiatives, that lack of cooperation is one of the reasons Vermont keeps falling behind.

We need a governor who’s bold enough to lead. Who will help motivate voters to make the tough choices we all must face. Scott hasn’t shown that kind of leadership. Maybe in what will likely be his last two-year term, he’ll show he can.

For moderate to liberal voters focused on policy positions, Democrat/Progressive Esther Charlestin will check a lot of boxes as a supporter of those party’s key platforms. Her life story and background also make her a candidate who connects with working families.

A small business owner and current co-chair of Vermont’s Commission on Women, a mother, and the eldest child of immigrant parents, as she says in her candidate biography, she has “witnessed firsthand the virtues of hard work and the American dream.”

Her experience as a candidate for the state’s top job, however, is lacking. She was elected to the selectboard in Middlebury and re-elected for a second term, which she was unable to fulfill because, at the time, she wasn’t able to find affordable housing in town. While that experience has spurred her focus on Vermont’s housing crisis, not serving as a legislator or any statewide office is limiting. It has showed in her under-financed campaign that has failed to gain traction.

Zuckerman For Lt. Governor

The race for lieutenant governor pits well known Progressive/Democrat David Zuckerman against Republican John S. Rogers, who has made it a race with a well-financed campaign and a combined 16 years serving in the legislature. Rogers grew up on a dairy farm in West Glover and has owned and operated JS Rodgers Masonry for the past 30 years. A resident of Glover, he was first elected to the House in 2003 and served eight years before being elected to the Senate in 2013, where he also served four terms. He has the credibility and the experience to serve Vermonters well as lieutenant governor.

Zuckerman has been a public servant for 24 years and owns and operates a large organic vegetable, pork, CBD, egg and chicken farm, at which he raises 1,000 chickens. He was first elected to the House in 1997, serving 14 years until 2011. He was elected to the Senate in 2013 for two terms. He served as Lt. Gov. from 2017-2021. In 2020, he was the Democratic/Progressive candidate for governor losing to incumbent Phil Scott.

Zuckerman has an extensive list of accomplishments in the agriculture sector, having served for six years on the Agriculture Committee and four years as its chair. A strong advocate for workers, families, small businesses, a strong public education system and equity issues, Zuckerman’s progressive zeal puts him in the same political tradition as Sen. Bernie Sanders. As a counter to Gov. Scott’s lack of leadership, Zuckerman is in the best position to help the public understand the tough choices ahead, if he will, and is our choice for lieutenant governor.

For more about Zuckerman, see his lengthy responses to VtDigger’s questions here; Rogers chose not to respond to most of VtDigger’s questions, though his positions can be found on his website.

Clark for Attorney General:

Democratic incumbent Charity Clark has done an excellent job in her first term as Attorney General and deserves the public’s support for a second term.

In answering the question, what is the most important thing voters don’t know about you, she responded:

“Motherhood is my first job, but my ‘mama bear’ mindset doesn’t stop when I put on my suit to serve as your Attorney General. My commitment to our kids – the future of Vermont – is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about protecting kids’ online privacy, addressing the youth vaping crisis in our state, holding companies accountable for the harmful impacts of social media, safeguarding our natural environment, and prioritizing the criminal prosecution of child sexual abuse cases.”

Read more about her accomplishments here.

Hoffer for Auditor of Accounts:

Democrat/Progressive Doug Hoffer was first elected as State Auditor in 2012 and continues to serve the state well in this role. He deserves re-election. For more on Doug’s positions, look here.

Hanzas for Sec. of State

Incumbent Sarah Copeland Hanzas has done an adequate job in her first term and earns our vote for re-election.

She’s challenged by perennial Republican candidate H. Brooke Paige, a conservative who is fond of running for statewide office in any position that doesn’t offer a Republican option. Give Paige credit for that. As for his ideas, some lack solid reasoning.

Pieciak for State Treasurer

Mike Pieciak has shone in his first term as state treasurer and earns our enthusiastic endorsement for a second term. His qualifications are well chronicled on the state website, which notes he championed the passage of “Vermont Saves” – a publicly administered retirement program for the 80,000-plus Vermonters who currently lack access to a retirement plan through their employer.

He also expanded the “10% in Vermont” program and made the development of new housing a top priority. In September 2023, his office announced $55.5 million in low interest housing loans that is expected to leverage an estimated $340 million in additional capital to support the construction of over 1,100 housing units in Vermont.

Pieciak previously served six years as the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) where he was first appointed by Governor Peter Shumlin in 2016 and reappointed by Governor Phil Scott in 2017. During the pandemic, he served on the COVID-19 pandemic response team providing regular data and modeling updates at the Governor’s weekly press conferences. Under Pieciak’s first term, the state has maintained a top credit rating. Read more about Pieciak’s responses to questions and his goals here.

He’s challenged by Republican Joshua Bechhoefer, a life-long resident of Addison County and a credit analyst in the Farm Credit System. Bechhoefer has a strong background in economics and some combative ideas, which can be read on VtDigger here.

Balint for Congress

Democrat Becca Balint is running for her second term as Vermont’s lone representative in the U.S. House. Her re-election is vital if Democrats have any hope of recapturing the House majority — a must if America is to protect its democracy (if Trump were to win) and a huge bonus if Harris-Walz wins and progress can be made with a House majority that’s not dysfunctional.

Sanders for U.S. Senate

Without question, re-elect Vermont’s Bernie Sanders to the Senate. It’s crucial in the slim hope Democrats can keep control of the Senate, but also because Sanders works hard at getting things done, including working across the aisle. He’s also a tireless champion of bridging the income and wealth inequality gap, addressing climate change and much more.

Here’s his response to the single most important issue for Congress to address in the next term: “We are living in the richest country in the history of the world. Despite this, far too many Vermonters struggle to afford the most basic human necessities – a safe, stable place to call home; healthy food; physical, mental and oral health care, including prescription medications; quality childcare and education after high school. We are also facing unprecedented levels of injustice: from racism and bigotry against the LGBTQ community to the devaluing of the working class in this country – our teachers, nurses, firefighters and first responders – all of whom are being asked to do more and more to care for their fellow Vermonters while also fighting for fair wages and safe working conditions. All of this is happening as we experience more extreme weather, like flooding here in Vermont to wildfires and devastating hurricanes in other parts of the country. But we, as a nation, cannot begin to make progress on these critically important issues if we fail to address the very real threat to our democracy.”

That’s Bernie. He’s honest, straight-forward, passionate and deserves Vermonters’ continued support.

Harris-Walz for President/Vice President

In the race for president, one issue overrides all others: whether Americans want to preserve our democracy by electing Kamala Harris for president or allow ex-president Donald Trump to remake the government into a single-party autocracy as spelled out in Project 2025. He has clearly stated and shown how he intends to rule — with fear and intimidation as weapons and with strong-arm tactics doling out retributions to his perceived enemies.

Based on his past actions, voters should believe him. His actions on Jan. 6, 2021, in which he undeniably provoked his supporters to march on the Capitol to stop the peaceful transfer of power, was the clearest example of his willingness to use violence against fellow Americans. Voters also have seen how he uses lies, false information, and his support system (which includes Fox News) to manipulate public opinion for his personal gain. That he has been so successful in taking over the Republican Party and bending so many Republicans to his will is proof of the danger he presents to our democracy.

For those voters who may think Trump won’t follow through on such serious threats, they should listen to more than 100 former Republican national security and foreign policy officials and former staffers who have called Trump “unfit to serve.” Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff, John Kelly, a former Marine general, recently restated his view that Trump would rule like a dictator and has little understanding of the Constitution or the concept of the rule of law. He said Trump fits the definition of a “fascist” and that he “certainly prefers the dictator approach to government.” He added that Trump “never accepted the fact that he wasn’t the most powerful man in the world — and by power, I mean an ability to do anything he wanted, anytime he wanted.”

Moreover, voters should believe what they see at his rallies. He spreads hate and vitriol on every occasion. He demonizes immigrants, people of color, the LGBTQ community, and calls anyone who’s not his supporter “the enemies within,” adding they should be singled out and punished.

He’s also wrong on the issues: his proposal to levy huge tariffs is the surest path to more inflation, trade wars, serious harm to our nation’s farmers and larger deficits; his plan to extend tax cuts to the wealthy will only worsen the nation’s already lop-sided wealth disparity; he believes climate change is a hoax, despite overwhelming evidence, and has promised to drill more oil and extract more natural gas than ever before while stopping progress on renewable energy; his isolationist foreign policy and his embrace of dictators, particularly Russia’s Vladimir Putin, would undermine NATO, empower a foe of America and seriously compromise the spread of democracy. In policies that impact every American at the local level, he says he’ll shut down the department of education, would promote religious and charter schools at the expense of public schools, and will undercut Medicaid to those most in need. He has no plan to make health care more affordable while maintaining he will dismantle Obama’s popular Affordable Care Act, no plans to address the housing crisis, nor improve any facet of the nation’s infrastructure that will improve the lives of everyday Americans. Rather, his appeal to supporters is his willingness to seek retribution and vengeance for those who feel aggrieved.

Harris is his opposite. Eminently qualified, rational, well-intended, a prosecutor by profession who will be tough on crime and has embraced a tougher approach to illegal immigrants crossing the nation’s southern border, she is also a foreign policy leader who understands the threat to democracy and the world order poised by Russia, China, Iran and others. She also has the moral character to heal the nation’s divisions. Harris also embraces science and empirical evidence, which is essential if America is to help address climate change and, equally important, the fast-approaching changes artificial intelligence will bring — for good and bad. It’s crucial America has a leader capable of understanding the opportunities and challenges AI will present to the world over the next four years.

For those reasons and more, cast your vote for Harris and Walz — our democracy and way of life may well depend on it.

Angelo Lynn