Vermont is home, a place to work, and a place to share with others who are willing to commit to a simpler life style and who value the independent spirit. It is a beautiful place that offers relaxation after a hard day at the office, in the fields, or at school.

Faith in God, love of the land, honesty, integrity, frugality, and spirit of independence in decision making.

Keeping our law makers from spending worthless time making laws that are unconstitutional and ultimately unenforceable. Too much time and money is spent by lawmakers in Montpelier making laws to impede the landowner and adding expensive bureaucracy to a State budget that they may not even understand.

Let local governments decide what their priorities will be in spending money and investing in our future and our children's futures, if by chance they decide to make the sacrifices to stay in VT. If our children who are our future are educated effectively, they will be prepared to be critical thinkers and continue the Vermont tradition of independent thinkers and business men and women.

We need to focus our efforts on education for our children. We need to invest in smaller schools in our communities to bring communities together. Local governments controlling budgets benefits all by allowing careful examination of what values in the community are important to the general population.

Getting 'green products' industry to move into our state producing new jobs and getting the state to provide free high quality child care for all residents!

Openness, independence, alternatives, acceptance, vibrancy, bright prospects.

I find that most Vermonters value their immediate neighborhood/town community.

Mainstream corporate culture. Protecting and nurturing what makes VT special is hugely important and challenging.

Unite vs. divide. Protect and maintain the great things we already have, like Town Meeting and function village centers. We need services like Front Porch Forum that help people across the spectrum meet and converse frequently.

Lots of ways...

Vermont is the State of my birth and choice of residence.

Enjoyment of our natural setting

Respect for political and social views that distinctly Christian and simple rural life based.

Create at least one new Nuclear Power Plant to generate low cost electricity for us and to export.

I live in an anti-business climate community where our taxes are too high and schools too inefficient.

It is a lovely rural place with an incredible resentment toward anyone who has not grown up in VT, even though statistics show that those moving into the state have a higher annual income than natives. It is a state that seems to believe it can afford anything, It also has a substantial and deep-rooted negative attitude about business.

It depends on income class. Most place a high value on keeping VT as it has been.

Unaffordable housing. A lack of quality rental properties. Poor roads. An aging population. Very few high paying jobs.

Rid the state of its anti-business attitude. Offer job training to those who need it.

Charlotte has a lack of affordable housing, a lack of quality rental stock, restrictive zoning. One has to drive to Shelburne to buy most anything. The higher income of its residents isolate many from the state's economic realities.

Vermont is the place of my birth; and that of my father's ancestors. I have lived and worked outside of Vermont, but New England and especially Vermont has always been the center of the universe as far as my family. I returned here to have my kids and raise them.

Vermonters share values for plain talk, green spaces, honesty and personal freedom. Nearly all of us enjoy the outdoors, "creamies," and maple syrup. We value mountain scenery, privacy and approachable Legislature and Governor. we appreciate WCAX TV and are proud of Shelburne Museum, Green Mountain Coffee and whether or not we agree with their politics, Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

We take our forests for granted We stick pinkies in the development dam with UVA, but the attraction of wood for energy, the aging of forest landowners and neglect in planning for our landscapes increase the need for citizen understanding participation for orderly growth,affordable housing, dependable power and transportation.

Protect and enhance natural resources, watersheds, wildlife habitat and open spaces. Work on health care issues for inclusion, cost containment and wellness Work with communities to support planning, encourage participation of all citizens and effective governance. Improve energy efficiency, conservation and reliability for homes, transportation, institutions and businesses.

Berlin is a town in transition, needs to look beyond retail and medical offices, and pay attention to affordable housing, riparian area protection and forest retention when permitting development. They should spend less time attracting a post office and more on reducing stormwater run off and planting street trees!

Vermont is where I grew up and came back to live, at least for now. Vermont is a very beautiful place, and is also livable.

Participatory democracy at the local level, some amount of land-sharing, ie non-posted land, though this is changing. Committment to political issues as complex and as personal.

I fear too many second home owners coming to Vermont - driving housing prices up and posting their land. I don't think Vermont should put all its eggs in the basket of promoting tourism. I think there is a big opportunity to attract young people with new agricultural ideas and programs. I see the ski industry tanking, and I don't want to replace it with year-round resorts!

Smart and anti-sprawl development. Fostering walkable and bikable downtowns and regions. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION! Commuter bus ridership is already way up! Offering opportunities beyond the service economy for young people. Not expecting tourism to save us. Better internet access everywhere, including the Northeast Kingdom! More local food, more food security.

As a young person in Burlington, I know many other young people who feel trapped in the service economy and want real job opportunities. I'd also like more encouragement from state and city for young entrepreneurs. Burlington is fast becoming so diverse and that's a real opportunity to foster some anti-racism in Vermont, which it really needs.

Vermont is imbedded in forest with sufficient rain to be a good filter for air and supports agriculture. The sparse population helps keep us self sufficient. We less corrupt so far, but fading fast. We need a strong code of civil conduct and the local support structures to maintain the community members regardless of infractions.

Not so sure.

With the energy cost-shock, great adaptation is required. Will Vermont be allowed to adjust as required? Vermonter have no leadership which understands the principles of the Basic Community Unit, and does not know what the 12 basic functions are to be upgraded, nor how to organize around them. This is not comforting.

Learn about General Theory of Living Systems, the Basic Community Unit, to support a population at a sufficiently reduced cost as to be sustainable. The 12 essential function are: (1) Energy, Nutrition, Finance; (2) Eduction, Employment, Recreation; (3) Governance, health, Judicial (4) Tranportation, Communications, Structures. Use these systems to provide a highly efficient society.

I am working with our district school system. They are clueless, just as our government is. It is scary. We are all acting like everyting is as usual, and it is not. The organizition of the Basic Community Unit should be used as a tool to ger the organization necessary to sustaion the population with greatly increased costs of energy, food, and financing.

Vermont is thoughtful, cranky, full of spectacular scenery. Sadly its full of residents who are sometimes bitter and antagonistic towards differing opinions.

love of history and open spaces; interest in tradition and an entrepreneurial attitude; desperate need for equality

weak business community poor management of fish and wildlife exhaustion of community volunteers and donors exorbitant property and income taxes lack of will to implement important changes , willingness to close smaller elementary schools and supervisory unions to save money.

Identify areas of common ground such as the desire to support Vermont's wildlife and clean up its waterways. Eliminate outdated methods for managing these- such as only having the hunting and fishing community only on the FWL commission. Tap into private sector for suggestions about how to handle challenges such as issuing Garvey bonds to pay for improvements to our roads and bridges.

Our current elected officials are weak, have substantial conflicts of interest and often choose the path of least resistance but usually run unopposed because everyone else is working 2-3 jobs or is working and raising a family. I would like to have some young residents/students run for office to bring some light and freshness to the work of running our county and town.

my chosen home/state and good quality of life. no place else I would want to live.

independence, freedom, democracy, community, family, helping those most in need

both (i.e., both challenges and opportunities): affordable housing infrastructure, (particularly for those most in need), affordable education (i.e., primary and secondary) as well as the mechanisms of how it is paid for, health care financing & service provision, setting up & maintaining statewide broadband, public transportation infrastructure as well as roads & bridges

affordable housing infrastructure, (particularly for those most in need), affordable education (i.e., primary and secondary) as well as the mechanisms of how it is paid for, health care financing & service provision, setting up & maintaining statewide broadband, public transportation infrastructure as well as roads & bridges

get back to core basics of what actually works & is more sustainable over longterm, downsize state govt where & how it truly matters most, cut the fat where the fat is, not direct services, which means less chiefs, more indians, paying the indians better & more: e.g., do more with AHS field services at the local level & do *not* do away with the field service specialists positions, etc.

Localism, friendly neighbors, melting pot, respect for one another, respect for one's privacy and individualism, community centered.

Community minded yet still private and independent. Socially conscious and concerned about the environment.

Skyrocketing fuel prices will bankrupt families. My husband presently commutes from Berlin to Morrisville and it costs around $56 every 4 days that he commutes. We have put off having a family to become more financially secure, however with food and fuel being so costly we are back to not being able to save.

Sustainable living - local and government focusing on the unique needs of Vermonters and moving away from the federal government that seems to have it's priorities backwards. Focus on making living affordable - reasonable public transportation, bike programs in cities with downtowns, better roads.

People are doing what they can to get by. Not a day goes by that you don't hear people concerned with the economy, fuel prices, and cost of living in general. Everyone is just trying to keep their heads above water.

small, independent, humane, progressive, lots of support for all kinds of creativity. cool-cold. Not a lot of racial, cultural diversity Hidden poverty. some of the housing i have been in in Barre is shockingly inadequate and dangerous. We are lucky to border on another country. People are a little reserved (too much sometimes for my tastes.)

independence and cooperativeness and interdependence. Representatives are accessible so we tend to believe we have a right and obligation to speak up.

I think we have an opportunity to be leaders in America. By demonstrating forward thinking about climate change, health care, humane rehabilitative criminal justice system (we have a long way to go in regard to our jails that tear people down instead of healing them.) Because we celebrate our creativeness in all aspects we can be national leaders.

Health care for all!!! Alternative energy. Reducing consumption without worrying about hurting businesses outside of vermont. We can teach each other how to have different values re consumption. For example, why do we feel a need to have lawns that look like golf courses? We need to heal people that are in our jails. Affordable public transportation.

Our school, Twinfield, is on the right track working to foster community, celebrate our citizens, and teaching love instead of hate. need a public transportation system. need better comminication between selectboard & citizens. a web page that has detailed notes and agendas.

I would leave tomorrow if I could sell my home

isolation

too much time being spent on social and environmental issues, ie , same sex marriages and Act 250 . Little time on economic issues , heating our homes ; we are not business friendly and state and local taxes are killing us . '

Vermont is dead ! Not only economically but culturally as well . If we can get beyond the "green" mentality we can rejuvenate .

Rochester is a blue collar community being hood winked by the school system and tax structure . I may sound bitter but Vermont has been going straight down the tubes since I retired here in 1993 .

It means a state of natural beauty and home! I have lived here all of my life and will cherish it forever. Vermont is a very unique State. People are much closer here and value their home more than people of other States (in my opinion). Vermont also means a State that respects forests, wildlife, and other natural beauties.

Love and respect for nature, space (meaning less of a city life), keeping things natural. Most Vermonters I have known are very hard workers and dedicated to their careers, although their jobs may not pay well.

The rising costs of living seem to be the biggest challenge. I think that our economy relies mostly on tourism and of course at this time when things are toughest, we will and should have to ride out the storm. Opportunities...Buy local and support ourselves internally until the economy improves.

Stick with who we are. We just need to ride this out. If we start trying to come up with crazy ideas to change Vermont, we won't be the same as we used to be. The things that have made us the 'unique' state that we are, will eventually pay off again. We don't always have to figure out what's next or what to change when times seem hard. Just wait and let time take its course.

Orwell is a farming town, my family were farmers and teachers. Orwell is a town of people who don't care about how much money they make and I am proud to have taken a piece of that with me. Yes the economy affects them but I think if I asked them these questions they would think as I do,ride it out, remain the people we have been and don't over think things.

Open space and safe living

Honesty, commitment and a strong work ethic

Taxes. We need to get school spending under control and look for a better way to fund the school system. Act 60 is destroying us with out of control school spending What are we. We are at a cross roads. We need to deicide if we want to be a society of farmer or have industry.Currently we have trying to be the farmers with the big business tax base.

We need to get school spending under control and capped. Then our tax rate will drop. We need to get industry into the state to attract workers to add to our tax base.

Again taxes are killing us.

Sensible, character-driven ideals crafted through ingenuity, integrity and common experiences. Small, local-driven communities shaped by hard-work, artistic and fun-loving sensibilities that appreciate and embrace the landscape. An understanding and acceptance of certain realities and determination to deal, and not live in denial of them.

Kindness and caring for those within and around our communities with a mind that we're all in this together. See first answer...

We HAVE to deal with the impending implosion of the cheap-gas economy NOW, with increased investment in rail and mass transit services. We CAN NOT continue investing in any way shape or form in dislocated, isolated, auto-dependent communities or it will make the obvious and eventual dependence on higher fuel costs unbearable.

Energy and infrastructure that moves us away from the gluttonous consumer culture that destroys local communities We also have to keep our water sources in better shape, both above and below ground as clean, fresh water will be the primary resource in the coming years. Having a stronger and solid telecommunications infrastructure will also be imperative in refocusing our economic priorities.

Here in Burlington, we have a good focus on greater energy efficiency, on community supported agriculture, and on driving less. Suburban communities are going to wither and die under 8to10 dollar gas so we can either live in denial of that eventual reality or deal with it now before it becomes more a matter of survival and less of a choice.

Vermont is a rural area that allows diversity while maintaining many of the Old New England values. There are many small towns that are still communities that work together and care about everyone in it.

Community, sharing, hard work, good ethics, a sense of fun

Maintaining the sense of community and caring as bigger business and more people from outside the state move here.

Vermont needs to help its own expand their businesses and help them create jobs that exemplify all that is Vermont. Keep agriculture important. Help small towns keep their sense of community.

They need to look at creating more community and working to bring people together rather than splitting them. Help create more space where people can come together. Trails, bike paths, parks, and recreation bring old and young together and help you to know your neighbors and create more community.

Vermont is, well, the green state. It is environmentally friendly and consistently works to sustain that. Vermont is a natural state with many outdoor activities and getaways. What Vermont means to me: fresh air on a warm, sunny day!

Vermonters tend to be friendly to those they know and with that they are helpful. Native Vermonters, especially farmers, tend to be hard-working and dedicated to their profession. Many Vermonters are family oriented, especially in the Burlington areas, as you can observe in various family community projects.

Vermont's influx in diversity: Some communities appreciate the diverstiy as learning opportunities, while others rejct it because it is "different". Vermont's nature provides a huge opportunity to draw nature enthusiasts from around the country (and the world)- both as toursists & as residents who appreciate & want to preserve the natural environment.

Priority 1: Preserve and protect land from development. Keep Vermont natural! Priority 2: Create a plan to welcome young people into Vermont. This can be done through the job market - especially the hiring of young teachers just out of college. It can also be done by lowering the cost of state colleges and universities.

Burlington has a wonderful mix of city and nature. Church Street Marketplace is no more than a 10 minute drive for most, and the bike path is highly accessible, not to mention our beautiful lake. Diversity is accepted and their are many opportunies for families. As for keeping young people in Vermont, Burlington needs to create more jobs for college graduates.

. A clean and beautiful environment. Semi isolation from the masses of urban problems and population. General safety. Absence of massive traffic jams. A generous and caring population.... particularly in smaller towns and cities.

Strong heritage of sturdy and adaptable residents capable of surviving the best and worst of times,.... added to by a significant population of more affluent newcomers attracted for sports, retirement, second homes..... but, generally NOT for jobs or economic opportunity. The latecomers are more likely to be overprotective. The "natives" are more likely to want opportunity.

The need to redefine downtown areas and find ways to make them functional. Incentives to rebuild, repopulate and develop closer to the core, rather than more strip development. Stop urban sprawl. Find tax and development incentives for more cluster housing, as opposed to chewing up 1-100 acre lots for a single house.

Create incentives for those wishing to produce jobs..... clean jobs.... factories that blend into the greater plan of more centralized communities. Improve communications and transportation systems. Continue to promote a healthy environment, health care for all, mass transit... the things that matter most to people.

Totally.

It is a chosen place to live because of the beauty of the landscape, the sense of community and the people whom , as different as we can be, pretty much accept one another.

I fear that younger people cannot find jobs and leave the state and don't return. It bothers me that Vt may become a solely aging state. The ideal is to create intergenerational supportive communities so all ages can be part of the solution.

The fastest growing aging population needs to be considered for more housing options. Planning for sidewalks and a return to less compliance on driving distances for our basic needs. Supporting farmers markets which are more elder friendly.

Ironically, our town is building a new elementary/middle school at a time when the number of children is decreasing. Nonetheless, we need to plan together to make the communities meet everyone's needs.

Vermont is a place where I can live peacfully. A place where no matter where you look all you can see is the green mountains. Vermont is my home!

Community Involvment, Volunteer, Be part of your Community

I think in order to save Vermont's environment we need to shut down Vermont Yankee and turn to alturnative energy sources.

I grew up in NH and moved to VT a couple of years ago. The amount of culture that is here is amazing. I feel that the people in Vermont care more about their surroundings and are more proactive than in my former state. I love that.

strong work ethic, a sense of community

peace

everyone benefits

A great place to live

intelligence

Too much growth; keeping the youngsters home in VT

Clean air and water; keeping jobs here; getting rid of the Bush mess

they do

Vermont has an (ineffable) integrity manifested in its natural geography and, historically, how it was developed:. I can feel a difference when I cross the border into neighboring states. There is something intrinsically nurturing about Vermont, some thing so complete.

Appreciation for the environment, a desire to live more simply, and, traditionally, there has been a very strong sense of tolerance.

A strong work ethic and a love for the environment. I do think, however, that we are less considerate of each other than we used to be. I hear more foul language and experience more rudeness in public places.

As a native Vermonter, I do not want the state to lose the rural character and sense of community I experienced growing up here. I think we are experiencing more urban problems (like drugs and gangs), and that's too bad. Also, we are becoming a State of the very rich and the poor. I feel the middle class is shrinking. We are being taxed to death.

We used to be a hard working, ethical, conservative people. There are still many hard-working and ethical people here, but we are now one of the more leftist/ liberal states in the nation. Socialism (read Progressiveism)is a bad form of government for freedom-loving people, and we are creeping toward it here.

Our taxes are too high. We have too many people who work for the State here. We need to encourage a more private-business-friendly and lower-tax environment. We must grow private business, and discourage government dependency. No nation (read State) ever taxed itself into prosperity.

Lower taxes. Reform school funding. Shrink the size of state government. Encourage the growth of private businesses and jobs. Reform the cumbersome permit and regulatory process. Remember the strong conservative and religious roots of the State. We are drifting away from all of these.

I think we are moving into a one-party system of government in this state: socialism. I do not recognize the Democrat party I was a member of growing up. It is now hard-left-socialist, and even the Republicans are moving left. This bodes ill for the future prosperity of our state. We need a balance, and we no longer have that.

Vermont means a great deal to me. I was born in Vermont it is a beautiful state.I always look foward to showing off Vermont when I get company from out of town.I have traveled some but find I just love taking back roads in Vermont and enjoy the lakes,brooks,rivers ext.Vermont is a excellent place to take the time and smell the Roses. Peg Crowley

Vermont is a small state where small changes have a big impact. It's a state where community involvement is encouraged, where there is a forum for your voice to be heard by your neighbors and government. It's a place with the potential to make brave choices and influence the nation (e.g. civil unions).

I think many Vermonters value community involvement, citizenship and stewardship of the land. They also are willing to accept a high cost of living for the safety and beauty of the State.

Maintaining town meeting and other forums for civic involvement. There has been an upswing in crime and a weakening of the economy, both challenges I think will grow if not addressed agressively. Environmental impacts of sprawl need innovative solutions.

Keeping the lines of communication open between residents and their government. Innovation in energy and environmental protection. Leadership in health care reform and offering universal health care. Addressing crime problems swiftly and pioneering new strategies for prevention and remediation.

Burlington needs to address all these issues. From the exponential rise in graffiti visible around the City to the increasing number of empty storefronts, challenges to keeping Burlington a "most liveable city" abound. Growth of the suburban population and the diversity of people moving to the area present several opportunities and challenges.

A politically active state that has lost its compass as to what provides for the needs of its people - governement or jobs.

Previously an independent spirit of self dependence. Generally now, a dependence on governement largess for the many, by the few.

Challenge of convincing the general population that the state needs to truly support employment that provides jobs and income. To stop copping out for "Attractive Poverty".

It means the place where my family is, the place I hope to live for the rest of my life. It is the physical landscape and it is the communities.

Independence (this may not serve us well in the long run!) Commitment to Education Community wellbeing (including an emphasis on Service to the Community) Appreciation of the Natural Environment

The way our land use patterns have evolved is not appropriate for a world where transportation is expensive. The most economically/socially disadvantaged people in the state will be negatively effected by the increasing cost of fuel in the coming years, and I am worried that we do not have plans for how to help them.

Increasing employment opportunities in places like the NE Kingdom in the green technology sector, protecting access to farmland for a new generation of producers.

I see members of my community struggling with making sustainable lifestyle, purchasing, and business choices. They are frustrated because even though they are clear on their values, they do not have access to information that will help them to make choices they are sure are in accordance with those values.