Ahead of Vermont’s Aug. 11 primary election, The Bridge asked candidates in the contested Montpelier House and Washington County Senate races where they stand on affordability and homelessness. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Montpelier House (Washington-4) Candidates
Three Democrats are competing in the Aug. 11 primary for two seats representing Montpelier. The candidates are incumbent Kate McCann, Jared Duval, and Pelin Kohn. No Republican candidates are on the ballot for this district.
Vermonters continue to face high costs for housing, property taxes, health care, and other essentials. If elected, what would be your top priority for improving affordability, and what specific action would you take in the Legislature?
Duval: I believe we should start with the question, “affordable for whom?” Too often, the language of affordability gets misused as cover to cut taxes for the very wealthiest. I will work for real and durable affordability for those who most need it: lower- and middle-income Vermonters. I support legislation to ensure the highest-income Vermonters pay more of their fair share in taxes (such as H.621), so that we can invest in lowering the cost of housing, healthcare, and energy. The folks being priced out of Vermont are lower- and middle-income folks, not the top 1%.
Kohn: My top priority is expanding housing because it affects nearly every aspect of affordability — from home prices and rents to workforce shortages and economic growth. I would support legislation that helps communities create more housing by reducing unnecessary barriers and encouraging redevelopment where infrastructure already exists. That means preventing people from moving away, making better use of under-used properties, strengthening our downtowns, and giving municipalities the flexibility to meet their local housing needs. To me, affordability isn’t just about reducing costs — it’s about creating opportunities for Vermonters to build a future here.
McCann: Gov. Scott makes improving affordability difficult. In 2017, Scott claimed moving teacher healthcare negotiations to a statewide system could save millions, provide predictable insurance rates, and stabilize school budgets and property taxes. Recently, Scott vetoed S.190, a healthcare bill to expedite reference-based pricing and lower premiums for public school employees and ACA marketplace customers, providing instant relief on local property taxes. Energy costs have spiked, yet Scott resists moves to make cheaper renewable energy more accessible. I support legislation to create a new marginal tax bracket for generating revenue to fill the gaps in providing essential services for Vermonters.
Homelessness remains a pressing issue in Montpelier and across Washington County. What role should the Legislature play in reducing homelessness, and what policies or investments would you support?
Duval: I believe the response to homelessness is a statewide responsibility. As a frequent volunteer with the Montpelier Emergency Cold Weather Shelter, I know we are serving folks in Montpelier who have come here from Berlin, Plainfield, and other Vermont towns. A statewide challenge that disproportionately affects certain cities … like Montpelier requires statewide investment and coordination. At the end of the day, we desperately need more housing, as soon as possible. I especially support expanding the Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP) to bring more affordable housing units online as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.
Kohn: Cities are often expected to respond to homelessness, but they cannot solve it alone. The Legislature should play a larger role. I support targeted investments in prevention, housing, mental health, and substance use treatment. I also support improving coordination so we can make better use of existing resources. Serving on the Montpelier City Council has taught me that communities shouldn’t be left to manage challenges like this on their own. Lasting solutions require the state and municipalities to work together.
McCann: The Legislature should shift state funding away from temporary emergency placements and toward permanent housing. H.50 (signed into law April 6) tasks the Department of Buildings and General Services with identifying underutilized state buildings and land suitable for conversion into affordable housing. We need to also look at commercial properties that can be converted into permanent, affordable apartments. I support expanding funding for localized mental health and other services to ensure individuals get the personalized help needed to stay housed and investing in community-based shelters and transitional housing options to establish a secure, local alternative to emergency hotel vouchers.
Washington District Senate Candidates
Four Democrats are competing for three Democratic nominations in the Washington Senate district. Incumbents Ann Cummings, Andrew Perchlik, and Anne Watson are seeking reelection, while Gabe LaJeunesse is challenging for a seat.
On Affordability
Cummings: Many of the causes of the affordability crisis are beyond our control, but the two areas we do have some control over are the cost of education and health care. Last session, the Legislature made serious efforts to control health care costs by working with the Green Mountain Care Board and the University of Vermont Medical Center, and we also limited the mark-up on infusion drugs and began reference-based pricing. We need to continue to help our hospitals restructure themselves to achieve financial stability, and we need to be cognizant that hospitals could be forced into bankruptcy if we move too quickly. With education, enrollment has declined significantly while the demands on schools have increased, and Vermont has one of the highest per-pupil costs in the country. We need to work with local communities to ensure every child has access to an excellent education while making it possible for Vermonters of all ages to live in their communities without fear of financial disaster.
LaJeunesse: Our leaders are failing. Four in ten Vermonters plan to move in the next five years, and 86% say the state is unaffordable. If we want different results, we need strategic thinkers who can build broad coalitions for change. I will work locally to develop a plan before the general election, ready for delivery to the legislative council if elected. Some basics include increasing revenue through non-homestead property taxes, prioritizing workforce housing up to 125% of median income, and implementing reference-based pricing and universal primary care.
Perchlik: We need to build a lot more housing. To do so I will continue supporting funding, lower cost financing programs (VHIP, CHIP, VHCB, and others), and permitting simplification (permit by right for housing projects that have received all required permits to prevent costly appeals). On property taxes we must follow through on education finance reform to control spending, increase the tax on second homes, and update income sensitivity adjustments. On health care we need a new governor who will not veto our reference-based pricing bill (S.190) for hospitals that will lower costs for Vermonters.
Watson: The two affordability issues that I’m hearing the most from folks about are healthcare and property taxes. I am very pleased that we are starting to go down the path of reference-based pricing with health care, which has helped bring costs down in other states. I will support efforts to continue that work. Additionally, we plan to support efforts to establish universal primary care. We must ask second-home owners to contribute more toward property taxes, and I support asking Vermont’s wealthiest (earning $500,000 or more annually) to contribute more in income taxes.
On Homelessness
Cummings: Homelessness has many causes. Some people have simply been priced out of the housing market, and federal cuts are making this situation worse. We need to build more affordable housing and to cut unnecessary red tape that adds to costs. For others facing homelessness, the answers are more complex. We know we cannot afford to keep lodging everyone in hotels. We need to put more effort into providing the services and treatments that will allow people to find their way into being housed. We need better coordination of social, mental health, and addiction services to ensure that everyone has access to the treatment they need to become a housed and productive citizen.
LaJeunesse: This is a complicated issue. The unhoused tend to gather in communities that provide services like shelter and meals. Those communities are taking on a responsibility that is truly statewide, yet without the funding to match it. As a former board member of the Veterans Place in Northfield, I know supportive transitional housing works. The federal government is not coming to solve this, and we need serious leaders to address serious statewide challenges. We honor the communities providing care to the most vulnerable, and they should not be doing this alone.
Perchlik: The state must take an active role in reducing homelessness and providing services to the homeless and sheltered to improve their stability and ability to obtain and maintain housing. Cities and towns cannot solve homelessness on their own. H.938 was a step in the right direction and a shining example of the progress achievable when the governor works with the legislature on solutions. However, H.938 likely does not provide sufficient funding to meet the long-term need to make lasting progress and thus we must continue to invest in the programs and local solutions created by H.938.
Watson: Over the past two years, the Legislature passed a bill to provide a continuum of care for those experiencing homelessness, which will increase our shelter capacity, provide supports for municipalities, and hopefully prevent homelessness from occurring in the first place. We must evaluate the rollout of that program and make sure it’s achieving its goals. We also must continue to increase our housing stock to create more affordable options for Vermont’s working and middle class.
