Charleston resident Peggy Stevens has announced her candidacy for the Vermont House of Representatives in the Essex-Orleans district. In a letter submitted to the Newport Dispatch, Stevens outlined her priorities of investing in rural communities and securing a fair share of federal funding for the Northeast Kingdom.
Stevens criticized what she described as a pattern of 'no' votes by some legislators in the name of fiscal responsibility. 'I think it is fiscally responsible to spend money at times in order to save money down the road,' she wrote, comparing community investment to home maintenance.
She pointed to federal dollars received by Vermont through the work of the state's congressional delegation, adding that the key question is 'how will that money be pursued by our local representatives and allocated by our legislature?' Stevens pledged to work cooperatively with other NEK legislators to direct resources toward workforce training, housing, child care, health care, and climate solutions.
Stevens cited her personal and professional experience in communication, long-term planning, and decision-making as qualifications for the job.
Originally reported by Newport Dispatch.
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0). Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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