Dear Editor,
My name is Leslie Thorsen, and I am writing to get the vote out for William Hoser, a Chester resident and physician’s assistant who is running for the Vermont House of Representatives for Chester, Windham, Grafton, and Athens.
Will raised his family in Chester, so he knows what a good education means. He has run two small businesses, was born in a rural state, and grew up on a cow farm. For most of his career, he has served all residents of this area as a physician’s assistant in two different emergency rooms. He knows how healthcare, or the lack thereof, personally affects the lives of fellow Vermonters.
We need a representative in Montpelier who understands the implications of healthcare, from basic to the most complicated. Being well versed in how insurance covers care or does not, and the gap that is needed to fill the care required would be a game changer in Montpelier. His recent shift to providing healthcare in a mobile van shows his commitment to bringing healthcare to those who may be housebound or who do not have care providers.
His challenger, Tom Charlton, had his time in Montpelier to make a difference, and has not. Glancing at his voting record, I see he voted against Act 217, an amendment to the bill that would expand supplemental childcare grants to preschool and daycare facilities so parents could work. These grants are income based. He voted “no.” Skills learned at this early stage in life set the path for future success on all levels.
Tom Charlton voted “no” on Bill 727. This bill was introduced to regulate the transparency of data centers that use and discharge our water after it has been used, as well as total electricity being used. Bill 727 protects local homeowners from being subjected to higher rates of electricity used by a data center in their neighborhood. Voting “no” shows he doesn’t care about the environment or the rising cost of electricity, and “yes” to data centers that do not increase jobs in Vermont. Once they are running, there is very little need for local employees. He voted along the Republican party line of Gov. Phil Scott and other House Republicans.
His website shows him shaking hands with Scott. At a candidates forum in Athens, Vt., he publicly stated he is not a politician. Recent letters to the editor promoting his reelection show they are paid for by the Chester Republican Committee. I found it disingenuous to claim he is not a politician, yet he is accepting the endorsement and money provided by a Republican committee.
Will Hoser recognizes urban versus rural. Where a person lives should not affect a child’s education or a family’s healthcare. He also has children who would like to move back to Vermont, yet, as we all are aware, jobs and housing solutions are going to take hard work. Will has taken on challenges his entire life, and has energy and a willingness to work hard and listen to people, whether it is his patient or a community member. He is up for the challenge of representing the needs of local Vermonters. He also wants to continue to hear from those he represents if he gets elected.
On a recent afternoon, Will and I went “door knocking.” It was uplifting. We met people who opened their doors to us and shared a bit of themselves. Above all, they were proud of their choice to be a Vermonter, and hoped to keep their dreams alive. Each home showed us how hard people have worked for their lives here. Will wants everyone to have a place they can call home, a school their children can attend, a job their parents can go to or work remotely so we can all enjoy this gracious state. There should be no “othering” here. We can do this together. Please vote on Nov. 3 for William Hoser to be our collective voice in the House of Representatives!
Sincerely,
Leslie Thorsen
Paid for by Leslie Thorsen
296 BlackBerry Hill
Chester, VT 05143