“Our state government and officials
(both elected and appointed) should at all times act in ways that are best for the common interest of V.ermont and her citizens.
All to often they appear to be (or are actually) working for the “special interest” that have aided in their election
or selection. Further it is all to often revealed that these same officials have a vested interest in the rules and legislation
they are considering and passing into law. While the press in Vermont labels this as cronyism, in other parts of the nation
it is recognized as corruption and is dealt with accordingly. It is time for us to return to the greater personal liberties
and smaller government that Vermont was known for - so long ago! H.
Brooke Paige
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Brief Outline of the Issues .
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Business and Employment Prosperity
· Streamline Regulatory Process to reduce time and expense for current
and future businesses.
· Make Vermont “Business Friendly”
while protecting citizens from unfair or predatory business practices.
· Provide resolution to the competitive inequity brick-and-mortar businesses suffer by state’s tax accommodations
to competitors operating in “the cloud.”
· Provide Tax
Incentives for hiring and training veterans and the long term unemployed.
.
Agriculture and Farming
· Continue Support for “Vermont Made” and “Farm-to-Table”
promotion efforts.
· Amend Inheritance Tax Law to provide
exemptions for closely held and family owned farms and businesses.
· Continue Property Tax Relief for Vermont Farmers through the land use program.
· Encourage and Support Farm Education Programs through youth groups including Future Farmers of America
and 4-H Clubs.
· Provide Financial Support to Improve Control of Fertilizer Run-off to
Reduce and Eliminate Water Pollution.
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Finance,
Taxation and Revenue
· Vermont is
rapidly gaining the reputation of being the “Land of Endless Taxes” raising and extending collections in nearly
every area. Income Taxes, Property Taxes, Sales Tax, Motor Vehicle Fees/Taxes, Cigarette/Tobacco Taxes, Liquor Tax - almost
everything is fair game. We must bring expenses and expenditures under control to allow us to reduce tax demands
· Vermont currently relies on the Federal Government to pay for nearly three quarters of
the state’s expenditures, in fact Vermont receives $4.3B annually from the Washington more than all taxes collected
from Vermonters by the Federal Govt. ($4.01B) - It is understood that the Federal Government cannot continue on its spending
spree and when the “cash flow’ to the states is cut down or cut off Vermont will be unable to increase taxes by
200%+or cut expenditures by 75%.
· Investigate the establishing
of a State Bank to manage state funds and create a more affordable method for marketing bonds.
· Investigate the establishment of Emergency Warrants to be used to satisfy creditors should
Vermont find itself in a period of exigency allowing the state to bridge a period of income (revenue) shortfall.
.
Healthcare
· Reject Single
Payer as an unnecessary intrusion into personal and professional relationship between patient and provider - Prevent
Single Payer takeover of healthcare providers.
· Reform or discontinue Certificates of Need (CON) process which will increase competition, availability of
services and reduce healthcare costs.
· Implement Tort
Reform to Protect Providers from artificial and frivolous lawsuits, reduce liability insurance costs and ultimately reduce
healthcare costs.
· Replace Vermont Health Connect
(VHC) with an open marketplace operated by the state Insurance Department to provide information on available commercial policies
allowing side-by-side comparison of rates, coverage, deductibility, co-pays, limits and exclusions.
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Law and Order
· Develop Effective
Protections for spousal and child abuse victims.
· Work to Prevent Judicial Activism. · Establish Uniform Sentencing and Incarceration Guidelines.
· Investigate and Prosecute Fraud and Corruption in State Government. · Increase Law Enforcement efforts to reduce drug trafficking.
· Legalize and Commercialize Marijuana ending the last vestiges of prohibition, removing the profits from the criminal
marketplace, while assuring that products allowed create no heightened danger to our citizens and allowing Law Enforcement
to concentrating on eliminating “hard drugs” and their criminal purveyors.
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Education
· Support and Protect Local Control and Locally Based Schools
· Allow Communities to decide when and if to combine schools without State interference
· Improve Educational Experience by restoring traditional subjects.· Support Teacher’s
innovative and creative efforts.
· Reject “Common
Core” curriculum and its mandatory “teaching to the test.”
· Insure that High School students possess the necessary knowledge and skills to flourish after graduation.
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Ethics and Transparency in Government
· Develop, implement and enforce Ethics Rules for the Legislative (Senate)
& Executive Branches.
· Make the “Financial Records”
of the state accessible on-line to improve transparency and restore citizen confidence that the state is
being run efficiently free of waste corruption and fraud.
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Energy Conservation and Affordability
· Support Energy Efficiency and Conservation Efforts.
· Develop Affordable Energy Resources (biomass, solar, hydro and small scale wind).
· Restrain the expansion of expensive and unreliable “Industrial Wind” \projects.
