Biography
I was born and raised in Burlington, VT. I Served 30 years as an Army Officer, Vermont National Guard. Also a facilitator, and craftsman. I built a house in Moretown in 2007 and I’ve been here since. I have had a lifelong interest in Vermont politics and have followed closely since childhood when I helped family members campaign. My BA was in Political Science (UVM, 1992) and I earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Norwich in 2020.
Candidate occupation
Self-employed carpenter/woodworker/consultant
Why are you running for office?
The sense of unease with our politics is palpable, and I felt this during ‘veto override week’ in June. That week I also learned that 2 democrats were running for the 2 seats in this district, including the incumbent who voted for all six overrides, reaching a new record low in our political discourse. Following this I decided to enter the race, to offer voters of this district the choice to elect an independent representative.
Issues in brief
Do you believe Vermonters are better off now than they were 10 years ago?
No
Do you believe Vermont needs a new education funding formula?
Yes
Do you support imposing new taxes on the wealthiest Vermonters?
No
Do you support the establishment of overdose prevention centers?
No
Do you support a ban on flavored tobacco products?
No
Do you support increasing penalties for property crimes such as shoplifting?
Yes
Do you believe Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election?
Yes
Issues in depth
What would you do to help grow Vermont’s economy?
Allow housing to be built. Such a simple answer but we just keep not allowing housing to be built, and housing is a foundational element to a functioning economy, and society. Also, we need less regulation overall, let the market work. A story from last week featured a Colchester business that is opening its own child care center, the market can work if we let it.
What changes, if any, would you make to the way Vermont funds its schools?
Currently education financing is done through and supports an entrenched bureaucracy. This needs to be removed, streamlined, dismantled. The first step is to get this idea into the mainstream, and not be afraid of it. Also, the current system is ridiculously complex where money flows in opposite directions and towns are pitted against each other, and nobody understands it. I have had discussions with lawyers who admit they can’t explain it. Starting over is a sensible possibility. How about a simple sensible CAP on the amount property taxes can go up each year? How about a model including more responsibility by the State/general fund? Numerous solutions have been proposed and ignored over the years, let’s get new blood in the legislature willing to get to work on some of these solutions. Otherwise, they will do it again next year on your property taxes.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to address climate change? Please explain.
We need to do more to address the effects of climate change right here within our border. These effects are flooding that I can see. I support real practical work and projects to mitigate flooding, and help those affected, devastated by this. Let’s not be afraid to grab a shovel.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to regulate gun ownership? Please explain.
We’re doing enough. Remember the simple maxim that criminals don’t follow the law, so most of your gun laws and regulation efforts are not going to be obeyed by them. We have to keep reminding ourselves of that.
What would you do to help ease Vermont’s housing crisis?
Allow housing to be built.
How would you address rising homelessness in Vermont?
As a kid in Burlington I saw homeless people occasionally and thought “how can we allow that?” In my early working years I was in corrections, and I ran the Burlington bike path a lot, both allowed access to homeless persons and I would speak with them. Many seemed to have a certain contentment with their independence, their routine, and their possessions. I saw their satisfaction as they described turning a piece of junk (to ‘us’) into a useful staple in their life. I remember the glint of pride in one man’s eyes as he showed me the small camp he had built. Our current system robs these people of all of this humanity. There are people with real needs, who want help, and that kid in me will work all day long to help them. But please let’s stop trying so hard to live others’ lives that we are enticing people to come to Vermont for a free hotel room, and they are further insulted by getting kicked out later. Stop this madness.
What would you do to increase access to health care services for Vermonters?
Leverage the competitive marketplace, I think we have meddled and tinkered with things so that there is no competition among insurers and this leads to more costly insurance which restricts access for the consumer.
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 Burns’s financial disclosure here.
Disclaimer
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