With election day looming some issues rise to the surface during the election process. I would like to see Vermont governed by Vermonters. Just over half of our elected officials were born and raised out of state. I would like to see anyone running for a Vermont House seat or senate be a person male or female who has made the Green Mountain state their home for at least 20 years.
How many times have you heard of a candidate moving from New York or Massachusetts only to enter into local races here in Vermont? They come from a state they do not like and immediately try to change our little state to be more like their previous address. This is not serving the residents of our state with candidates that will have their seat in Montpelier as a retirement job.
In many cases, after securing a place in Montpelier they become career politicians never making a huge impact in their communities but holding down their position for decades. I’d like to see a cap on how many years they can serve.
If you work hard and keep focused and stick to your principles I would think a 20-year run should be sufficient. If you cannot build a team, get your views across, and make a positive difference in two decades it’s probably time for you to move on. And if you can’t accomplish what you set out to do in that time frame perhaps you are in the wrong business anyway.
It’s hard to tell how much area politicians are doing for our county. Several questions keep coming up and do not seem to be our local reps focus.
Ask them why milk prices for hard-working farmers are 16 dollars a hundred weight? Ask them why the entire state and a lot of New England dumps their garbage in our county? If they want to do that in the future they need to pay a lot more than they do now to benefit Orleans county citizens. Ask them why Newport City has a gapping main street block still barren and open after 4 years while other municipalities have millions of state funds directed into their area. Do our local reps have the power to influence these issues?
The world and our state is changing. Vermont is dominated by democrats with a huge edge in the senate as well as the house. Our state needs to be more balanced to maintain even-minded and fair decisions statewide. It would be good for all. And let’s face it, do most residents think this democratic majority has done a good job? Are locals’ ideas being brought to the forefront in Montpelier?
It takes time to make changes and we can start now. Let’s not vote for someone who will hang in the halls of our statehouse and huddle in corners drinking coffee. They talk a good political game yet seem to have limited results for Orleans County.
Let’s shake the status quo up a bit and listen to some new ideas instead of the same old song sung out of key and out of touch with the opinions of people in the Northeast Kingdom. The Northeast Kingdom, the place that is one of the last homes to real Vermonters. The area where the natural beauty of the region is envied by all outsiders.
Let’s get away from politicians. Let give someone a chance who has worked hard his whole life and has lived with the kind of everyday problems you and I do.
Let’s vote for Russell Ingalls and send a message to Montpelier that the way they do things just doesn’t benefit locals in the NEK. Longtime politicians have had their chance and have been ineffective.
On November 3rd, vote Russ Ingalls for Vermont senate, and we can begin that change now.
Ken Wells
Newport City
