Biography
I’m a lifelong Vermonter. I spent my earliest years in St. Albans on South Main Street. My family would go on to move to Montgomery, but I’d return to St. Albans in 2014 after finding a job and graduating from Castleton State College. These days, my work at Front Porch Forum as a community manager keeps me busy, but I still have time to give back to my community. I serve as a member of the county Young Professionals board, the city’s energy committee, and my local Democratic Party. In the past I’ve worked at the St. Albans Messenger newspaper, Northwest Access Television, and as a volunteer first responder. Serving as an elected official is hard work, but I’m ready to give back in a big way.
Candidate occupation
Community Manager
Why are you running for office?
I’m running to unite neighbors, lower costs, and expand freedoms to more Vermonters.
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?
Yes
Do you support the establishment of overdose prevention centers?
Yes
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?
Yes
Issues in depth
What would you do to help grow Vermont’s economy?
I’ll work to empower the people who make Vermont’s economy so unique. In my view, our smaller, specialized businesses have a one-of-a-kind appeal. Think tourism, organic farming, renewable energy, and craft beer. Economies like ours need workers and business owners who are housed, healthy, and highly skilled to be competitive. Common goods like housing and childcare; hospitals and treatment centers; public schools and career centers make that possible. I’ll take every opportunity to expand freedoms like that to more Vermonters.
What changes, if any, would you make to the way Vermont funds its schools?
Most of us believe that a good education gives folks the freedom to live a better life. Vermont’s public schools do just that. I’m interested in learning more about how our state agencies and school districts can better coordinate to lower costs. And what our highest-income earners can do to help bring balance to school funding. I hear from property tax-payers all the time that they would appreciate the help.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to address climate change? Please explain.
I grew up on fresh air and clear water. I’ve saved a lot of money using renewables and going electric. This state has done a lot to make clean energy options a reality for more people, and I think that’s great. Most Vermonters appreciate lower costs, more jobs, and less pollution. I’m interested in making cleaner options make sense.
Is Vermont doing enough, too much or not enough to regulate gun ownership? Please explain.
I grew up around guns and responsible gun owners. Many of the most sensible gun control measures Vermonters agree on are now law.
What would you do to help ease Vermont’s housing crisis?
Encourage home-building by lowering construction costs and easing up on housing regulation. Let’s renew our town and city centers for the next generation of Vermonters.
How would you address rising homelessness in Vermont?
Having a home gives folks the freedom and stability to rebuild their lives and keep a job. That lowers the costs of our healthcare and public safety systems. I’d work to explore temporary community housing options. And I’d do everything I can to make sure providers are saving every penny working together.
What would you do to increase access to health care services for Vermonters?
Diversify how it’s offered. Larger hubs for specialized services, smaller town or mobile clinics for basic care. Rebuilding regional EMS services for urgent care is critical. All of this requires an incredible amount of planning between providers and our state agencies. This is likely to be Vermont’s biggest challenge in the coming years. I’m ready for it.
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 Scheffler’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.
