Too many Vermonters are being squeezed by rising property taxes, housing costs, energy bills, and the everyday cost of living. David believes state government needs to focus on whether its decisions are actually making life more affordable for working families, seniors, farmers, and small businesses. Vermont can invest in strong communities while demanding greater discipline, transparency, and value from state spending.
Access to good health care should not depend on how far someone lives from Burlington. Vermont’s rural hospitals, primary care providers, emergency services, and other local health resources are essential infrastructure for the Northeast Kingdom. David supports protecting access to care close to home and approaching health care reform in ways that strengthen, rather than further destabilize, rural communities.
Vermont’s economy is built from the ground up by farmers, entrepreneurs, tradespeople, and locally owned businesses. As a small business owner and someone who has worked directly on the future of Vermont agriculture, David understands the challenges they face. He believes state policy should make it easier to start, grow, and sustain businesses here, support working lands, and create more opportunity in rural Vermont.
Good roads, bridges, broadband, water systems, and other basic infrastructure are essential to thriving communities and a strong local economy. Too many parts of rural Vermont have been asked to make do with aging systems and deferred investment. David believes the Northeast Kingdom deserves its fair share of state resources and a practical, long-term commitment to maintaining the infrastructure our towns depend on.
The people closest to a problem often understand it best. David believes Vermont should respect the knowledge and independence of its towns instead of continually shifting more decisions to Montpelier. State government should listen to local communities, explain how decisions are made, measure whether programs are actually working, and be accountable for the results.
Vermont’s small schools are at the heart of our communities, and decisions about their future should not be driven by one-size-fits-all mandates from Montpelier. David believes communities deserve a meaningful voice in how their schools are governed and that we should strengthen educational opportunities without forcing rural towns to close or consolidate schools that work for their families.