Biography
My journey began in Germany where my father was stationed in the U.S. Armed Forces. Growing up overseas during the Cold War era, I saw first-hand the harsh realities of socialism and communism. This early exposure shaped my deep appreciation for freedom and democracy.
As a military spouse, I navigated relocations and deployments while continuously pursuing excellence in my diverse careers. I worked in a military hospital as a Respiratory Therapist, and for over two decades in banking and finance in addition to owning a successful jewelry business. Now retired, our family returned home to Vermont where we run a small farm in Weathersfield, raising beef cattle and chickens, providing food from our farm to the local community.
Rooted in integrity and a strong work ethic, my values are guided by the unwavering support of my family. I believe in limited government, personal freedoms, and the protection of individual rights. I am ready to bring my passion, dedication, and common-sense approach to the Vermont legislature to ensure a brighter future for the state I love.
Candidate occupation
Farmer
Why are you running for office?
I bring a new type of leadership to the State Senate. I will work across the aisle to bring balance and ensure Windsor County residents are truly represented. I am a wife, mother and local farmer, raising my family under the weight of the soaring cost of living. I will work tirelessly for every Vermont family just as I work for my own. I understand the 21st-century challenges facing our state and will drive new fiscally responsible solutions, not the same failed tax-and-spend policies.
Issues in brief
Do you believe Vermonters are better off now than they were 10 years ago?
No answer
Do you believe Vermont needs a new education funding formula?
No answer
Do you support imposing new taxes on the wealthiest Vermonters?
No answer
Do you support the establishment of overdose prevention centers?
No answer
Do you support a ban on flavored tobacco products?
No answer
Do you support increasing penalties for property crimes such as shoplifting?
No answer
Do you believe Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election?
No answer
Issues in depth
What would you do to help grow Vermont’s economy?
Vermont has seen a decline in working-age residents and young families. It is one of only three states that taxes the income of military retirees; discouraging this well-trained workforce from choosing to live in Vermont. To attract and retain talented young people, we must provide affordable housing, improve public safety, and enhance quality of life. This includes making strategic investments in housing and infrastructure, as well as streamlining regulations to make it easier for businesses to thrive. We need to decrease government spending, lower taxes and incentivize businesses to operate in our state.
What changes, if any, would you make to the way Vermont funds its schools?
We need to consider updating the funding formula as merely adjusting the formula is insufficient. We need to address spending. Year after year Gov. Scott proposes well-crafted education policy packages that are designed to raise the efficiency of our education system while keeping our tax burden sustainable. While the Governor is responsive to the demand by Vermont voters for balanced, bi-partisan compromises, an out-of-touch supermajority continues to ignore us.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to address climate change? Please explain.
Maintaining and defending Vermont’s rural character is the best thing we can do to address climate concerns. The far-left Supermajority’s Clean Heat Standard and Renewable Energy Standard are disastrous policies that will cost the most to those who can least afford it. These bills are poorly crafted, with unknown variables that should never have been forced on Vermont. The commonsense approach entails goals instead of mandates and practical solutions that Vermonters can afford.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to regulate gun ownership? Please explain.
Vermont has a history of independence, gun ownership, and hunting sewn into the fabric of our state’s culture. These rights should not be infringed upon.
What would you do to help ease Vermont’s housing crisis?
Housing affordability is an issue close to my heart. The revision of Act 250 was the game changing opportunity that Vermonters were looking for. We all thought that the Governor and the legislature would come together and find the compromise that would put more families in more homes. The Governor delivered, but the far-left supermajority wouldn’t answer the door. Just another example of a legislature terribly out-of-balance and not representing the needs of its people.
How would you address rising homelessness in Vermont?
More homes and more jobs results in lower rates of homelessness. The people of Vermont can no longer afford to indulge the far left’s out of control taxation from their bottomless wish lists and hidden agendas. If we don’t regain our balance, every social problem will grow.
What would you do to increase access to health care services for Vermonters?
Vermont has a significant problem with recruiting and keeping qualified medical professionals. This again goes back to affordability and the lack of available housing. Traveling medical professionals are expensive and a factor that drives up the cost of medical care, while diminishing the ability of Vermonters to receive prompt, effective health care from a trusted provider. Responsible legislation to reform Act 250 with bipartisan support and growing our trained workforce by reducing our tax burden will be mandatory to see the change Vermonters desperately need.
Financial disclosure
Candidates for state and legislative offices are required to submit a financial disclosure when filing to run. These disclosures include each source, but not the amount, of personal income of each candidate, and of their spouse or domestic partner, that singly or jointly totals more than $5,000 for the previous 12 months. The information provided is an opportunity for voters to learn about candidates’ potential conflicts of interest.
You can find Murray’s financial disclosure here.
Disclaimer
We emailed a questionnaire to every candidate with a valid email address. The responses provided by candidates are in their own words. VTDigger has not edited or fact-checked information provided.
If this is your candidacy and you’d like to fill out the questionnaire or report an error, please contact us at voterguide@vtdigger.org.
