Biography
I grew up in Essex, Vermont. As an alternative to law school, I read the law under Attorney Thomas Costello and successfully completed the Vermont Law Office Study Program in 2022. I currently practice law at Costello, Valente, and Gentry, P.C., in Brattleboro, where I focus on criminal defense, civil litigation, and family law. I graduated from the University of Vermont with undergraduate degrees in Russian Language and Political Science.
I recently completed my fourth year on the Brattleboro Selectboard, where I served as Chair for the last two years. I am also a Justice of the Peace and in that position I serve as an election official, wedding officiant, and member of the Board of Civil Authority.
Candidate occupation
Criminal Defense Attorney
Why are you running for office?
During my time on the Brattleboro Selectboard, I saw immense strength and flexibility in the people of Brattleboro. But I also saw the many challenges faced daily by our town and became intimately aware of the limitations of our municipal government to solve them. We need to better connect our municipal efforts with the work being done in Montpelier so that the residents of Brattleboro are better served. I want to bring that experience to this role as Representative. I believe I have the passion, energy, and experience to be a worthy representative of Windham District 9. I am grateful to our outgoing Representative, Tristan Toleno, for seeing this in me and for his guidance and endorsement.
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?
Yes
Do you support imposing new taxes on the wealthiest Vermonters?
Yes
Do you support the establishment of overdose prevention centers?
Yes
Do you support a ban on flavored tobacco products?
No
Do you support increasing penalties for property crimes such as shoplifting?
No
Do you believe Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election?
Yes
Issues in depth
What would you do to help grow Vermont’s economy?
The aging population of Vermont is one of my serious concerns for our economy. I want to work to help retain our younger Vermonters: to encourage them to stay, work, and build lives in this state while also encouraging new people and businesses to lay roots in Vermont. To do this we need to first and foremost alleviate the housing crisis that creates a massive burden on those who live here and a barrier to those who may wish to move and work here. That means reducing the administrative burdens to building new housing, and providing funding, support, and incentives for those who are interested in creating additional housing within preexisting homes.
What changes, if any, would you make to the way Vermont funds its schools?
I’m not going to pretend like I have the answer to how to resolve Vermont’s education funding problems but there clearly is a problem. I am a product of the Vermont public education system and I believe in fully funding our public schools to ensure that every Vermonter, no matter where they live, has access to an education system that is supportive and supported. Easier said than done. Many of the difficulties with this year’s school funding came from increased costs for healthcare and staffing, and the end of some federal funding. If elected I would work with my fellow representatives to address this issue, which is critically important to so many Vermonters.
A serious concern of mine when it comes to Vermont’s education funding is the growing deferred maintenance to our public school infrastructure. We ended the state school construction aid program in 2007, which was one way the State could proactively address this issue. Brattleboro Union High School was one of the last projects to benefit from that program. I would like to see discussion at the State level of other proactive ways we can collectively budget and plan to address the growing infrastructure demands that our schools already need and will need in the next decade.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to address climate change? Please explain.
In many ways I believe that Vermont is a leader in addressing climate change and passing climate focused legislation. Vermont must continue to be a climate change leader and encourage other states to follow in our path. The Climate Superfund Act, S.259, is a perfect example from the most recent legislative session. We all know that no one person or state is going to overcome the massive existential threat of global climate change. Rather, it is going to require coordinated collective action across the world, and I believe Vermont must lead by example.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to regulate gun ownership? Please explain.
I support safe, sensible, and responsible gun ownership in Vermont, and I believe our laws and regulations should reflect that as well. I believe that although Vermont has done a lot to maintain the balance between responsible ownership and safety, this is an ongoing issue that requires periodic discussion and review, including, potentially, expansion or modification of laws and regulations as new technology or safety concerns arise around firearms.
What would you do to help ease Vermont’s housing crisis?
I believe safe and affordable housing is a human right. It is essential that Vermont be an affordable and accessible place for people of all ages who want to live, work, and succeed here. This starts with addressing the housing crisis, which impacts every aspect of life in our community. This crisis was only exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and is central to tackling other issues that Vermont faces. If elected I would support legislation that lowers the barriers to building new housing, including Act 250 regulations. I would also support additional funding and incentives for homeowners to develop additional units within existing housing. When I was on the Brattleboro Selectboard, I, with my other board members, approved a number of changes to our local zoning regulations to encourage the development of accessory dwelling units and additional housing in certain areas of Brattleboro.
How would you address rising homelessness in Vermont?
What we learned from the State’s motel program is that short-term, stop-gap housing solutions are unsustainable and may cause more harm than good. We need to promote and support the construction of all levels of long-term housing including low-income housing. This includes funding and supporting low- and zero-barrier shelters so that individuals who are suffering from addiction may benefit from state-assisted housing. Further, we need to expand our funding and access to mental health services, including inpatient treatment, to allow individuals to get the help they need to enable them to secure permanent safe housing in the future.
What would you do to increase access to health care services for Vermonters?
I believe in Medicare for all. We can talk about other ways to try to expand healthcare access, but until we can guarantee Medicare for all, we are falling short.
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 Goodnow’s financial disclosure here.
Disclaimer
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