High taxes

The need to work hard to pay high taxes.

Creating a State where our kids and grand kids can stay and earn a living wage, not from minimum wage but from competitive employers.

Elect a legislature who can lower health care costs, get out of the way of entrepreneurs, reform the permit process so small business stands a chance of succeeding

great place to raise a family. simpler way of life. beautiful environment. high taxes

preserving the environment; smart, efficient community growth;

Challenge: Attracting companies to the state to increase employment opportunities for young people. ACT250 process is broken. High taxes, high cost of education. Keeping young people in the state. Opportunities in green technologies. VT is ahead of most places and can attract and support cutting edge ideas in the green field which can provide good jobs for young people.

Attracting and supporting new business' to maintain and grow the job market to provide young people and families the choice to stay and live in this great state without having to expect less.

Jobs are decreasing in Middlebury as taxes rise forcing families away, a failing downtown. no way to entice young people to stay in Town or Vermont and no way to attract non-vermonters. wish i could work where i lived.

Vermont means: "The Green Mountain" State... literally. And that is what it means to me. I love that even our license plates are green! When I think of my Vermont home, I think of the natural environment first. When I am asked what state I am from, I am always proud to say "Vermont". This is a free thinking state, and I am grateful to live here.

I think we value the environment and all it has to offer, we also value organic agriculture and the independent farmer, craftsmanship and artistry, and the US Constitution, among other things. These things were my first, most spontaneous thoughts.

I see a need to protect what we have here: a national treasure. I have witnessed urban sprawl and social decline in other parts of our country, and how they impact the environment: both the broader natural environment and the specific habitat of humanity. Finding a way to keep life affordable and to help Vermonter's thrive economically is very important to the long term future of this state.

Education. Not just in schools, but education as a life long pursuit. Environment. Our natural beauty and organic farms are two of the biggest assets we have. Economics. We must do what we can to foster the growth of small business and livable wages for Vermont Citizens. We must find new and creative ways to consolidate services and reduce the burden of taxes here in this state.

I am concerned about ill-considered development, and the costs of home ownership/living in Vermont. I am extremely concerned about economic conditions deteriorating in Vermont, and how the costs of heating and transportation will impact lower income families living on the edge of poverty, (and poverty gives rise to social and spiritual decline)

A reprieve from the repetition of culture found in many other states. An opportunity to be engaged in your local community and in State government - we are still small enough. A place where the landscape - for now - is still the dominant feature rather than human development and engineering

A passion for the environment and conservation - however this is slipping into the older generations, was it always so or is this just perception? We all firmly beleive that we are different and that Vermont is still different - open while being respectful of difference and personal space.

We no longer share the same land values. Marking land as personal property and denying others the right to enjoy passive use of the land is on the rise. Lack of forward planning in energy, development and finance, a focus on re-election has weakened our government, and forced scarce dollars to address immediate emergency issues and not invest in our land, conservation, farming and communities.

To be an example of sustainable living, reducing the gap between rich and poor, pushing forward on renewable energy, alternative transportation, and ending partisan politics.

Living in Montpelier the rythm of the legislature has an impact, and raises awareness of how government is handling issues. Montpelier itself moves slowly, town commissions and committees are not charged with a future vision for Montpelier, as with the State and for easons that can be debated the focus is immediate tactical actions and not a long-term vision.

The Vermont way of life is creative and thinking outside of the box. I hope that it will continue and be encouraged rather than discouraged with negativity. There is a lot of hope for the future within the State. Vermopnters need to be asked to contribute, as they tend to hold back and not talk unless they have something to say. Norma Wales

A safe and undisturbed place. A great place to be born, grow up, and raise a family. Where we are forced to deal with the hardships and the benefits of 4 very distinct seasons.

I think most of us are looking for a quiet spot to call our own. A pace of life that is productive but not hectic.

Challenges:Declining enrollment in our grade schools.Cost of living too high, and lack of opportunity for younger generations.Lack of incentive and encouragement for small business. The emigration of young, productive, and ambitious adults. Becoming a retirement community for people that can afford to live here. Opp: Very many people still want to live here due to the quality of life.

Maintain the small town feel, but don't ignore the fact that we live in a desirable place where retirees and the wealthy want to live.Encourage businesses to stay, creating opportunity.Focus on creating or maintaining a very high standard of education.Look more closely at how our tax money is spent. Smaller government.

As a whole the country moves toward a much older average age. No where is this more apparent then in VT, not to mention my community. What do we have to offer that will keep a high school or college graduate from moving to Denver or Phoenix? Our infrastructure is old, our business opportunities limited, our taxes crushing.

VT was such a great place to grow up that I decided to make a go of it here raising my own family. Vt it the most beautiful place I have ever been. It has four distinct seasons, all of which I love. My dad always said..."live somewhere you would want to go on vacation. that way you don't always feel like you need to get away"

Respect for the environment. A slower "soak it in" pace of life. A common apreciation for the journey, not the destination. An apreciation of the know your neighbor mentality.

Small business' are the heartbeat of VT. without them we would have no small towns. We need to make vt more small business friendly. People who grow up in vt love it here. They leave because of the lack of opportunity career wise.

healthcare and small business costs (i.e. workers comp). Responsible growth. Growth is inevitable and good. Make sure that it is thought out though to preserve what makes vt unique (the setting, the farms, the small towns). HELP the small farmer. Be a leader on alternative energy sources for the whole state.

Energy, farm land, small business' all fall within New Haven.

A place where people live without much extravagance. People can live very well, but without the need for all of the metropolitian busy-ness. It's a place where you can live comfortably with a beautiful nature kingdom at your front door.

Most Vermonters enjoy nature and spending time outdoors. I also feel like Vermonters have a love for, and feel a responsibility to the environment. It seems that there are a lot of family generations who stay in Vermont, so a love and respect for family is a common value.

Balancing enough commerce to provide people with jobs, at the same time preserving our unique natural environment. I think it's especially tough for the 20/30-somethings just starting out to find a good paying job that will afford them to stay in Vermont and raise their families. It seems that real estate and the cost of living are very difficult to meet with the salaries offered here.

Maintaining the environment and finding ways to provide people with good paying jobs. Also to keep the cost of living, including taxes down.

Our taxes are $8100 a year which is going to be VERY difficult for us. It means we may not be able to participate as much in recreational enjoyments, such as golf and skiing because of the costs. It's also a struggle to find good jobs in Middlebury, as my husband now has to commute to Burlington for a good paying job.

I am new to Vermont. Moved here 1 year ago. Initially I was struck by the "Buy Local" idea. I support this notion- but didn't understand it until now. Vermonters help Vermonters survive. I now work for the City of Burlington and am a full time temp employee making $15 a hour with no health insurance. I wish the higher level of Vermont (political level) would help this Vermonter survive!

Keep local industry surviving- sometimes at any cost.

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My demographic can not survive in Vermont- and without us there is no future for this state. I think the industry needs to recognize this and promote earlier retirement and make room for my generation. My friends are overeducated and unerpaid and realize that they may not be able to make Vermont home. Vermont needs us.

Fortuntaly I am work for my community and try to bring benefit and teach the younger generation of Vermont. I work for Burlington City Arts- and have worked hard to combine what I do to all aspects of my life- its exhausting and I feel as if I have very little support.

Vermont is a truly unique state that provides a home for people who put quality of life and quality of people before material wealth.

Love of their state and care for those in their community.

The biggest challenge is encouraging new and growing businesses who's values match those of our residence and can provide for jobs for the next generation of vermonters. We are at a critical point, and the policies we set in the next few years will have a dramatic effect on the future of our state.

First, maintain the quality of life, landscape, and communities. Second focus on bringing in new businesses and growing existing ones who will bring the next generations of "quality jobs". This should focus on those management, design, creative, engineering, technical, and trade opportunities which are less likely to be outsourced in within this global economy.

I see Burlington and South Burlington as a key hub for these "next generation" jobs as it has a close proximity to many existing in-state businesses as well as the airport.