BARTON — Governor Phil Scott and Lt. Governor candidate John Rogers threw their support behind State Senate candidate Samuel Douglass and other local candidates at a campaign event held at Sweet Scoops ice cream parlor on Tuesday.
The gathering, which drew approximately 300 attendees, focused on recent challenges facing Vermont, with speakers attributing many issues to the current Democratic supermajority in the legislature.
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Governor Scott and Rogers highlighted several concerns, including a recently enacted 14 percent increase in property taxes, a 20 percent rise in DMV fees, and the proposed Clean Heat Standard. The latter, if implemented in 2025, is expected to significantly increase heating fuel costs.
Douglass, addressing the crowd, emphasized his commitment to “common-sense governance” and outlined his vision for the state. “I want a Vermont where we raise families, not taxes – build homes, not bureaucracies – and have safe communities, not safe injection sites,” he said.
The candidate also used the event to raise funds for two local charities: The Northeast Kingdom Council on Aging’s Heating Fuel Fund and Friends for Life Dog Rescue.
Supporters waved rally signs with various slogans, including “Republicans for Common Sense” and “Vermonters for Affordability,” reflecting the campaign’s focus on fiscal responsibility and local solutions to state issues.
Douglass’s campaign distributed pamphlets detailing his policy positions, contrasting them with his opponent’s stance on issues such as the property tax increase and the Clean Heat Standard.
The event underscored the Republican Party’s efforts to gain ground in the Democrat-controlled Vermont legislature, with speakers emphasizing the need for balance and collaboration in state governance.
