READY TO GET TO WORK
Housing
The lack of adequate housing is a critical issue for Vermont where we have one of the highest unhoused rates in the country, a rate that has tripled in the last five years. In addition, median home prices have more than doubled in the last eight years, and strict regulations intended to preserve the Vermont way of life have worked to effectively stall the creation of new housing, preventing the creation of the infrastructure needed to provide Vermont’s population the quality of life they deserve. The current regulatory and funding regime is grossly inadequate to address the needs of Vermonters, and our state government must act quickly to address this issue which is essential to our ability to grow our economy.
Where the cause of the problem is lack of supply, the paramount response must be to work to increase that supply to meet demand. We need to build more homes in places where Vermonters want to live and in ways that don’t destroy our environment.
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Voter Participation
The act of voting is the fundamental right and responsibility of every citizen, and the preservation and exercise of this right is essential to any functioning democracy. Too many people today, both young and old, are disillusioned about politics and feel like their vote doesn’t matter, leading them to disengage from the political process.
At the same time, cynical attacks on voting rights are being launched every day as part of a coordinated attempt to keep the people’s voice from being heard and install those in power who do not represent the interests of the majority. These tactics seek to disproportionately disenfranchise young people, disabled people, minorities, women and the poor.
We live in a representative democracy where we elect officials to conduct the business of government on our behalf. It is essential to our future well-being that we have engaged and informed citizens who can choose wisely about who will represent them.
Public Safety
Vermonters cherish their close-knit communities and the trust, compassion, and cooperation they foster. As a child growing up in Essex, Ryan loved the freedom to ride his bike around town, spend time with other kids at Maple Street Park, and enjoy all the Vermont outdoors has to offer. Ryan remembers many of his neighbors never thinking to lock their doors. These bonds of local community are core to who we are in Vermont.
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But now, for too many in Vermont, that way of life feels threatened. Untreated mental illness, homelessness, substance use and addiction, and reduced spending on our social safety net are fraying the bonds of trust that have allowed our to thrive.
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A compassionate public safety policy is one that keeps us safe in our homes and towns while addressing the underlying issues that contribute to unsafe neighborhoods. Sitting by idly while watching members of our communities suffer from substance use, mental health issues, and homelessness is not compassion.
Education
All Vermont students deserve a high quality, 21st century education. Ryan believes we need to reform our statewide education delivery system so it guarantees access to exceptional classroom instruction regardless of where a child lives or how wealthy their parents are. We must do it in a manner that is cost-effective and doesn’t result in unacceptable, year-over-year property tax increases. With these goals in mind, it’s important we acknowledge Vermont faces a dual challenge as our education system falters: funding and outcomes. We’re now one of the top states for spending per pupil, yet our student outcomes no longer lead the nation. This has led to an erosion of trust for many Vermonters. Most agree the cost of doing nothing is too high and that the current system is unsustainable and must change.
Data Privacy and Responsible AI
Vermont’s digital future is already here: artificial intelligence is transforming our workplaces, our schools, our health care system, and our small businesses. But while innovation accelerates, the rules protecting Vermonters’ personal data have not kept pace. Families are left wondering who owns their information, how it’s being used, and whether powerful technology companies are accountable to anyone at all. Ryan believes embracing innovation and protecting privacy are not opposing goals. We can welcome the benefits of AI while setting clear, reasonable guardrails that put people first.
Housing
We must:​
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Give homebuilders certainty about WHERE they can build. That means identifying the areas in each community best able to support new housing and getting rid of artificial timelines in some current state laws.
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Give homebuilders certainty about WHAT they can build. Some Vermont towns have already started to do this by allowing dense infill development in specific, clearly defined areas as an obvious part of the solution.
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Listen to what Vermonters have been saying for years. Vermont’s commitment to protecting our environment has been essential to our state and we should celebrate our successes. But we no longer live in a world where the approaches adopted over half a century ago are adequate to address our current needs.
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Build on our momentum: Last year, the Legislature created a new program called “CHIP” that makes it more realistic to build the basic infrastructure homes require – roads, wastewater or other septic systems. This program is going to be a huge help but it won’t solve everything. Let’s keep the pressure on and codify our appeals process timeline and expedite permitting processes.
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Adequately fund resources for the unhoused. This includes providing temporary housing, mental health and rehabilitation resources, and funding programs that provide a path to obtaining stable housing
Voter Participation
We must:​​​
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Promote voting through sustained public awareness campaigns to ensure Vermonters understand when, where, and how to vote.
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Model consistent civic engagement by publicly and actively participating in every election, setting a clear example of the importance of exercising the right to vote.
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Engage and encourage all eligible Vermonters to cast their ballots by amplifying efforts led by local governments and the Secretary of State’s Office and by directly promoting voter participation among Vermont students.
Public Safety
We must:​​​
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Support and enhance housing development while providing transitional housing to those experiencing homelessness
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Expand the tools available to treat mental health crises and addiction. This should include better facilities available to treat those suffering serious mental health crises.
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Hold traffickers who are importing drugs into Vermont and preying on our communities strictly accountable.
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Ensure that our public safety officials have the tools they need to reduce rates of re-offense.
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Allow police to focus on their core public safety responsibilities by supplementing our public safety responses with mental health professionals and social services that address underlying issues and needs.
Data Privacy and Responsible AI
We must:​​​
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Establish strong, enforceable data privacy standards so Vermonters’ personal information cannot be sold, shared, or exploited without meaningful consent.
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Require transparency and oversight for high-risk AI systems used in hiring, lending, housing, and health care decisions, with safeguards to prevent discrimination and bias.
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Create clear, consistent rules of the road for major technology companies, including accountability for misuse of personal data.
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Streamline compliance standards that protect consumers while ensuring small businesses are not overburdened by complex regulations.
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Invest in digital literacy and workforce training programs so Vermonters can compete and thrive in an AI-driven economy.
Education
We must:​​​
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Invest in high-quality classroom teachers, recognizing that excellent instruction is the single most important factor in student success.
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Reduce back-office bureaucracy, beginning with consolidation of superintendent offices and administrative functions to direct more resources into classrooms.
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Pursue thoughtful regionalization of education delivery, ensuring robust community participation throughout the planning and implementation process.
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Address major cost drivers, including unchecked employee health care expenses that have grown disproportionately and require statewide reform.