Garneau For State House

Background:

I was born and raised in Vermont and returned to school in my late 40’s to earn my Bachelors’ Degree from Johnson State College in 2005. I own my home in Pittsford and have grandchildren in Lothrop School. I own a successful marketing business which gives me a flexible schedule to serve the public. It also gives me the experience of being a business owner myself and understanding the strains that insurance and energy costs make on small businesses just struggling to survive.

Goals:

I hope to accomplish increased use of green power statewide, and an increase in business and good jobs in our state. I’d like to put the Green back into the Green Mountain State. I would like to encourage large sized businesses and individuals to put in large or individual wind and hydro generators as well as solar panels on rooftops across my district. I think that getting the cost of energy under control will attract industry, including manufacturers of green energy equipment.

I would also work toward encouraging residents to buy locally, Vermont products as well as products made in America. I think outsourcing our manufacturing to China and other places has enabled those businesses to abuse workers in other countries, pollute without repercussions and has decimated our economy.

I also will work toward Universal Healthcare and remove this expense from being a cost to businesses. Having your health insurance be part of a job benefit has put undue expense and managerial costs on the backs of businesses unfairly. Affordable energy and Universal Healthcare would work together to attract more good jobs to Vermont as well as being a much better system and economy for our residents.

Issues:

Economy: With a background in marketing, I am qualified to work on attracting new business to Vermont. Also, taking the burden of health insurance costs and management away from employers, we will have a better atmosphere for small business and farms to begin and succeed in our state. Closing the loop-hole that results in hard working Vermonters paying a higher percentage in income taxes than investors, would also help fund programs that are badly needed, such as road repair and infrastructure.

Energy: I will work to see larger businesses locate here that make and use green energy. Our state should also help families utilize small wind and hydro generators as well as solar panels to decrease carbon output as well as help homeowners’ affordability.

Buy Locally: With an advertising campaign and awareness of why residents should buy from our small local companies, and a policy not to buy from companies that outsource and take away American jobs, we will help stimulate the economy and make business in Vermont more likely to succeed.

Grassroots Support:

My campaign is "grassroots" because I don't belong to either of the two major political parties. As a third party candidate, my support is not from corporate interests, but rather from the people. Also, all of my experience in volunteering for other candidates has been from the grassroots perspective, so it's something I understand and appreciate as a vital part of my campaign.

DFA Values:

I have spent my life supporting organizations with progressive values. A small sampling of my volunteer work and memberships include: President of DemocracyFest Inc., Chair of Pittsford and Vice-Chair of Rutland County Progressive Party, Democracy for Vermont, AARP, Vermont Network Against Domestic Violence, NAACP, Vermont Sugar Makers’ Association, ASPCA, Pittsford Food Shelf, American Legion Unit #31 Auxiliary and the Pittsford Historical Society. I won the Vermont Community Service Scholarship for 2005.

Regarding fiscal responsiblity; I have run my life on a fiscally responsible budget, I have run my business on a fiscally responsible budget, and I will run our government on a fiscally responsible budget.