Contact: Jason Struthers, jaystruthers@gmail.com
My name is Jason Struthers, and I am running for Essex Junction City Council. I am a proud 40-year resident of the Junction with deep roots here. I attended Kindergarten at Summit School, moving on to Flemming and ADL before graduating from Essex Junction High
School. While I have always proudly carried out my civic duty by voting, I have never had any deeper political aspirations. This completely changed when I found myself before the current City Council on account of the ducks I raise as part of my commercial Cannabis operation.
Initially, I only sought appointment to the Local Cannabis Control Commission (LCCC). When I learned that the City Council members make up the LCCC, members of the community quickly began to encourage me to run for one of the open seats in April.
My professional background is in biopharmaceutical science, skydiving, extreme sports and Cannabis medicine. In 2011 I shattered my spine while skydiving. Fortunately, the miracles of modern medicine provided me with a titanium vertebrae, and my spinal cord injury was stabilized. My recovery, however, was long and arduous, and for many years I was at the mercy of caretakers and volunteers.
While I feel grateful and blessed to be back on my own two feet, that experience gave me the desire to give back somehow. I have been presented with this well-timed opportunity to give my time, energy and expertise in service of my home community of Essex Junction.
I may not seem like a typical Council member, but that is precisely why you should vote for me! I will bring fresh eyes, and a fresh perspective that folks I’ve spoken to tell me they want.
As an expert in Cannabis with the City’s first commercial operation, I work closely with the Vermont Cannabis Control Board. I will bring that experience to the Council to ensure that the LCCC can make properly informed decisions and dispel negative bias due to ignorance and/or inexperience with this new and lucrative industry. Economic growth is paramount for our City to flourish; we need to encourage new businesses, not turn them away.
Fiscally, I support a conservative approach to City spending, with realistic outcomes. The Village Board of Trustees gave taxpayers assurances that separation would yield a 6-8% decrease in taxes. Yet we now find ourselves expecting a .4% increase, reduced from 1.4% at the 08 March City Council meeting. I won’t make assurances I don’t believe we can achieve.
This is an exciting time for Essex Junction, and it is crucial that all voices are heard. I’m eager to address the needs and concerns of the residents of our City as we grow into the future.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Jason Struthers
