To the residents of Barnet, Ryegate, and Waterford.
By Debbie Powers
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the trust you have placed in me as your representative in Montpelier. I am honored to serve you and hope to continue this work next year as your House representative from our district.
There is much work to be done to get Vermont heading in the right direction to support all Vermonters and our ability to live and thrive here in this beautiful place we call home. This past legislative session, we began that work with more balance in the Statehouse. Although I would have liked seeing no increases in taxes and fees and reductions in overall spending/costs to Vermonters a short list of progress made include the following.
There were significantly less tax increases than previous years with property tax buydown.
I supported repeal of Tier 3 and Road Rule for ACT 181 to protect landowner rights and burdensome ACT 250 regulation.
I advocated strongly for S.64 (optometry bill) and moved it out of the Healthcare committee. With bi-partisan support this passed and was signed by Governor Scott to increase healthcare access for rural Vermonters!
I was also able to help develop and support the passage of Act 156 which created oversight for AI generated mental health advice.
As a member of the Healthcare committee, I am focused on addressing rising health care costs hurting so many and significantly increasing our property taxes. The Governor’s recent Executive Order starts this process to allow for more insurance plan options and lower costs.
I will continue to fight for REAL affordability, to help restore the balance we need for our rural communities and amend existing laws to decrease costs. I will always stand up for our students and the independent schools that have served our communities for generations. I am proud to support the Republican’s Vermont Promise plan which maps out priorities and a detailed path to achieve these goals that will directly help Vermonters.
It is a true honor to work for you and to bring the voices of our towns to the Statehouse and ensure they are heard. I remain dedicated and focused on my work as your representative. I respectfully request your vote for the next session to continue this work for you, our communities and Vermont.
Please contact me anytime with questions, concerns or to share information. I will always do my best to help you.
Thank you for your consideration
Gratefully and respectfully,
Debbie Powers
802-535-6661