VOTE PEARSON - The Issues

Top Issues

There are so many issues that are interesting to me and that I believe are important.

Health care immediately jumps to mind. We are fooling ourselves if we think there is another solution out there that will reduce costs and cover everyone other than a universal, single-payer system. The Vermont Legislature has studied this idea at least four times in the last 15 years and each time we find we would save between $10-120 million. And we'd cover everyone! So far there hasn’t been the political will to make it happen. Vermonters are clear they favor such a system, but many leaders are still wavering. I will work hard to find ways to move toward a sensible system of reform.

My record: The legislature passing Catamount effectively took meaningful health care reform off the table in the last biennium. To keep the health care discussion moving forward I sponsored a resolution urging Congress to get moving on health care. Over 100 people signed onto JRH36 and the day it was introduced Congressman Welch signed onto a universal health care bill. I am proud to be endorsed by the United Nurses and Allied Professionals.

Wages. It is unacceptable that someone can work full-time and not meet their basic needs. We've made some strides in raising the minimum wage in the last few years but we need to keep up pressure until Vermont has a livable wage. Otherwise taxpayers are forced to subsidize low-wage employers. Families who can't meet basic needs often rely on heating assistance, food stamps, government health programs and more. This costs taxpayers money. Instead we should work with employers to increase wages to the point where workers don’t have to rely on government programs to supplement their paycheck.

My record: I co-sponsored a bill to increase the tipped minimum wage and some of the language made it into law so now tipped workers are guaranteed at least the minimum wage once their tips are added to their paycheck. I am proud to be endorsed by Vermont's labor unions.

Taxes. A basic function of our government is to collect taxes and spend it on services that benefit everyone. Over the last few decades we have dramatically changed the way we pay for state and federal services. Large corporations pay less while low-income and middle class families shoulder more and more of the burden. One immediate fix I will push for is closing the unearned income loophole. This allows investors to pay tax on just 60% of their income while wage earners pay tax on 100%. Estimates show closing this loophole would generate between $15-20 million each year for the state.

Property tax reform is way overdue in Vermont. I favor the proposal put forward by the League of Cities and Towns that shifts us away from property tax and substitutes an income tax to pay for schools. This is a much better indicator of wealth and could greatly reduce the complex system we have today. In general I favor a progressive tax system that asks the wealthy to pay a higher percentage of tax than working families.

My record: I was part of a tri-partisan group that put the idea of an income tax for schools on the table. I was also a consistent advocate for closing the unearned income tax loophole that is costing us tens of millions of dollars a year and largely helping those earning well over $300k a year. Many signs indicate we'll get there in 2009.

Support for small businesses. Fact: small businesses drive Vermont's economy. So why does the state spend millions each year in tax credits for giant corporations that may or may not create the jobs they promise, while we do next to nothing to the folks that actually create jobs and fill state coffers? It's insane. Vermont has to get serious about supporting small businesses if we want to see our economy prosper and good jobs here in the state.

My record: One of the most obvious ways to help Vermont businesses is to get the state to buy Vermont products. I was a co-sponsor of a local procurement bill.

Democracy issues. These are not particularly interesting to many people. But the fact is we have a broken system today. More and more voters consistently say they want more options at the ballot box. But when we have more choices we quickly realize our voting system can't handle the pressure. I care about these issues because we deserve a broader debate than we see today. Vermont should make simple changes to the way we elect our statewide leaders so we can have more choices and be guaranteed that the majority will rule. Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) is a simple fix that would take care of this problem and open us up for the discussions we badly need.

My record: I lead the charge on the House floor and we sent an IRV bill to the governor's desk. I also worked with others to send him a bill that would have states join together and fix the Electoral College so the candidate with the most votes nationwide wins. Finally, I was one of the leaders crafting both campaign finance bills. Unfortunately he vetoed all three efforts. It seems the governor and I disagree on the basic principles of democracy.

The Right to Organize. Since the industrial revolution labor unions have protected workers and been responsible for improving wages and working conditions. Plus, unions not only help their members but generally push wages up for all workers. Not surprisingly the right to organize has steadily been under attack by giant corporations and lawmakers that do the bidding of wealthy interests. The right to organize a democratically elected union in the work place is a basic human right and must be protected in any way possible.

My record: In 2007 the VT State Workers named me Legislator of the Year because I fight for working people. I also sponsored several labor related bills including the employees free choice act, and a bill to prohibit public dollars being used for 'union busting.' I am proud to be endorsed by Vermont's labor unions.

Global Warming. In a way this one trumps all issues because it is coming at us quickly and is likely to render all other issues meaningless in comparison. When much of Florida and New York City are underwater we aren't going to fret over broken election systems. We’re going to wonder how we can accept and support some of the millions of environmental refugees. If we run out of drinking water the wealthiest Vermonters may have reserves for a few months longer than the rest of us but the whole scene could get dangerous quickly.

Vermont can be a leader in addressing these problems. We have to commit to reducing our energy consumption. We have to look at how we develop the state and what transportation strains it puts on families because cars are Vermont's biggest contributor to greenhouse gases. We have to get serious about this shared problem. My hope is to help invigorate the discussion in Montpelier, bringing together the right people to craft a realistic 10-year plan that will actually have impact. We can no longer wait for technology to bail us out. We owe it to our children to address this problem head on. I saw a poster at a Global Warming rally this summer that read: One planet, no backup. I think that sums it up nicely.

My record: I was a sponsor of several bills that look at our environmental challenges, including the industrial hemp bill, an effort to reduce junk mail, an effort to reduce plastic bags, and I sponsored amendments to tax the purchase of new gas guzzlers so we could fund public transportation and to reduce the tax on wind energy. I am proud to be endorsed by the Vermont League of Conservation Voters.

If you have questions about my record, or any comment or suggestion please get in touch.