I’d like to thank everyone who has expressed support and interest in my bid for State Representative for St. Albans City. I’ve enjoyed meeting many of you and discussing the issues that face our city and state.
The main concern I’ve heard is that we need to act swiftly to reduce the cost of living in St. Albans and around the state. High housing costs, property taxes, education costs and the extreme price tag on doing business in Vermont threaten prosperity and encourage too many to look for opportunity elsewhere.
As your representative in Montpelier, I will work diligently to ensure that every tax dollar is spent efficiently and wisely. I will work to control spending so we can reduce taxes and make Vermont more affordable, which will ultimately make our economy more competitive, our businesses more prosperous and our families more secure.
I’ve also had the opportunity to talk with many educators about how to reduce the rising cost of education, without sacrificing quality.
An idea that all of them agree on, is finding a way to consolidate supervisory unions. We currently have 63 supervisory unions and districts, as well as a State Board of Education, while other states often operate systems with thousands more students and a quarter of the districts. Consolidation would allow us to save on administrative costs, enter into larger purchasing groups for books and supplies and reduce local property taxes, without sacrificing the top quality education we cherish in Vermont.
Safety is also a concern.
Just this past week, in my neighborhood, fourteen cars were broken into and thousands of dollars in cash and property were stolen.
There is no doubt in my mind that this rise in property crime is a direct result of a growing drug problem. It has become clear that the accessibility and abuse of prescription and other hard drugs has changed the way we live.
While I believe it is imperative that those who seek help have the resources and support to overcome these powerful addictions we, must also send a firm message, that those who choose to victimize innocent city residents will be held accountable. We deserve to be safe in our homes, and young people growing up in our community today, deserve a safe environment to achieve their potential.
Many of you have asked, “What pushed me to get into this race?” It’s an easy answer, this is my home and I worry that without a change of course in Montpelier, my generation will be forced to leave. My values were shaped by this community, by my parents and grandparents, neighbors, teachers and coaches. And I believe that our values are worth fighting for and deserve to be heard.
Dustin Degree
Printed in the St. Albans Messenger, 9/28/10
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