Economy & Affordability
- Everywhere I go across the district, Vermonters are telling me that because of the cost of living, they can't live in Vermont anymore.
- We need to start passing budgets that prioritize what's important and emphasize responsible spending. Our working families deserve better.
- With new property taxes, and other taxes and fees, many Vermonters have found that living here isn't worth the costs.
- Sam Douglass has plans drafted to attract new businesses, foster business growth, and increase our saleable exports.
- Sam Douglass is opposed to the taxation of pensions, military benefits, and social security. Senior citizens on fixed incomes should not be taxed, especially seniors with disabilities.
- Sam Douglass is opposed to unnecessary increases in taxation and will work to lower taxes for Vermont's working families.
- Vermont is ranked by Forbes as the "Worst State to Start a Business" in 2024 and we are 45th in business friendliness.
Agriculture & Forestry
- We need to support our state's agriculture and forestry industries. Sam Douglass is a strong pro-agriculture and pro-forestry candidate and has the support of many of our local farms.
- Sam Douglass supports "Right to Farm" legislation.
- Sam Douglass supports expanding farm inheritance tax exemptions.
- Sam Douglass supports
- Vermont's agriculture is vitally important to its economy and its tourist appeal. Besides skiing and winter activities, the state's dairy farms, hay fields, maple syrup production, and apple orchards are integral to our Vermont brand, and are a major tourism draw.
- With the challenges facing our state's agriculture, we must innovate in practice and policy, while maintaining and conserving the agriculture that put Vermont on the map. Part of this is giving farmers options and not mandating any one practice. Let the farmers farm!
- Small local farms are an important part of our communities and economies. Many farms in the NEK offer CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture - a farm/crop share system) and many farms sell directly to locals. Sam Douglass believes strongly in the importance of fresh nutrient-dense local foods as a foundation for our communities.
- Sam Douglass supports land-use reforms to encourage land development for farming and forestry. The agriculture and forestry industries have changed significantly since the land-use restrictions of Act 250 were enacted in 1970. These restrictions have not been updated to encompass changing industry landscapes.
Public Safety & Services
- Sam Douglass will advance policy to address catch and release through statutory reform. This policy is already drafted, is currently being discussed, and will be ready to introduce in 2025.
- Taxpayers give up a portion of their income to pay for services in their community. Safe and plowed roads, a fire department, law enforcement, etc. Many members of our community are displeased with the quality of public services and would like to see a larger portion of their tax dollars diverted towards these essential services.
- Sam Douglass is a strong advocate for public safety and public services.
- Sam Douglass will continue working with our judiciary to identify necessary judicial reform to avoid recidivism, address high caseloads, and protect our communities.
- Sam Douglass will work in conjunction with law enforcement and fellow lawmakers to halt the spread of drug trafficking and to provide our agencies with additional resources if needed.
- Sam Douglass will advance policy in conjunction with mental health agencies and fellow lawmakers to address the procuring causes of mental illnesses and reduce the incidence of violent or otherwise criminal behavior in those experiencing mental health episodes.
- Sam Douglass will continue meeting with our departments of first responders to identify areas that need legislative assistance, whether in funding for equipment or additional services or better pay, or statutory changes. Additionally, Sam will advance policy to better support our firefighters and encourage volunteerism.
Housing
- The NEK is facing a housing shortage, and we need to take immediate action to make affordable and safe housing available to our working families.
- Housing prices continue to rise, and we need fast action to keep our new families in Vermont. We already have a youth crisis, and the housing shortage will only make it worse, which will lead to a greater lack of workers.
- In 2022, the median household income in Vermont was $74,014, whereas the median home price was $310,000, and many Vermonters are unable to qualify for lending at those prices.
- Sam Douglass is working with local leaders and agencies on housing and development and will continue to do so once elected.
- Sam Douglass supports Act 250 reforms to enable freer development and increase our inventory of homes. Repealing Act 250 and replacing it with a less restrictive system may be our best option. A modern system that addresses the same concerns and has the same goal of protecting our landscape and environment but allows residential development in a manner consistent with our needs.
- Sam Douglass is endorsed by the Vermont Association of Realtors and the Associated General Contractors Association of Vermont.
Education
- Since making the decision to run for this seat, Sam Douglass has spoken anonymously to dozens of teachers and administrators from across the NEK to hear the unadulterated unbiased boots-on-the-ground viewpoint from our educators.
- We need to attract and retain teachers in our schools.
- We need to address falling literacy rates.
- We need to facilitate a holistic school / home education. Education begins in the home and students need to live in a culture of learning and critical thinking, which cannot only stay in the confines of a school. This involves allowing parents to have a larger involvement in the education of their children.
- Education spending in Vermont is among the highest in the nation, but we are middling in test scores, why and where is our money going?
- Sam Douglass supports robust education policy that invests in the students and their outcomes.
The Environment
- The impacts of the last two years historic and torrential flooding still affect us. Many cities and towns are still rebuilding, and it will be many years before we're truly caught up. I spent two weeks this summer around Brownington, Barton, Burke, and Lyndonville helping with flood relief and there are many families that won't be back to normal for years.
- Our state environmental policy must address the areas of the state in danger of flooding. Policy of this nature could include specific grants designed for environmental mitigation measures (e.g deeper ditches, culverts, floodplains, frequent maintenance etc). These are investments that can be made to support our future and protect our people and property. Policy of this nature is both fiscally sound and responsible.
- Sam Douglass supports environmental mitigation efforts to address the threat of droughts, floods, and other catastrophic weather events.
- Sam Douglass opposes measures that increase electricity or fuel costs for Vermonters, either intentionally or not. Families and community members on fixed/low incomes need cheaper power and fuel. Grants/subsidies are not an excuse for irresponsible policy.
- Sam Douglass actively supports measures to clean our rivers, streams, and lakes, and supports reasonable policy that makes this a reality.
- Sam Douglass supports a common-sense transition away from plastic, respecting consumers and businesses. Microplastics have been found in all oceans, in the flesh of wildlife, and in human bloodstreams.
- Sam Douglass strongly supports the vital ecological role served by the forestry industry and by hunting, fishing, and trapping. These industries support our state's natural resources of clean air, clean water, and healthy populations of native species.
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Welcome!
Meet Sam Douglass!
A Northeast Kingdom native endorsed by Governor Phil Scott who's standing up for a region often forgotten!