To the Editor:
Too many Vermonters are struggling. It is harder every year to buy a home, pay the rent, afford healthcare, cover childcare, and save for retirement. Wages have gone up, but it feels like we can’t keep pace with higher prices. Our children can’t start families at current housing prices, and our small businesses can’t find enough employees. That is why I am asking for your vote for state representative in the Weston, Andover, Londonderry, and Winhall district. We need a Vermont that works for all Vermonters, not just the wealthy few.
After one term in Montpelier, I know the system, I know the people, and I know what needs to be fixed. I am an active member of the Rural Caucus and a founding leader of the Caucus for Vermont’s Economy, which focuses on economic development and reducing government roadblocks. I am an independent thinker: I have voted against my own party when appropriate, and supported its initiatives when they were good for Vermont. I am socially liberal and fiscally conservative, and I believe Montpelier needs less ideology and more practicality.
I bring real-world experience to this work. I ran Northshire Bookstore for more than 20 years, so I know what it takes to meet payroll, follow a budget, and deal with difficult market conditions. I was the founding president of Local First Vermont, which works to keep our hard-earned money in our communities, and I served on the boards of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility and the Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
I grew up in Manchester and raised my family in Weston, where my daughters attended local schools. I have served on both public and independent school boards, Flood Brook and Long Trail, so I understand the dynamics and difficulties schools face. I am a graduate of the Snelling Center’s Vermont Leadership Institute, and I have lived and worked overseas and studied in other states, which gives me perspective on how special Vermont is. My degrees in environmental policy, from Oberlin and the University of Michigan, mean I take climate change seriously and approach environmental questions from a scientific perspective.
I also believe the more Vermonters are involved in the legislative process, the better, which is why I publish weekly updates during the session and am happy about the Rural Vermont Rising movement. I would be honored to have your support.
Sincerely,
Chris Morrow
Paid for by Morrow for VT
P.O. Box 23
Weston, VT 05161