BRATTLEBORO-After 10 years under the same governor, Vermonters should ask a simple question: Is our state moving in the direction we want?
Elections are an opportunity not simply to judge personalities, but to consider what kind of leadership Vermont needs for the next decade.
My association with the Rural School Community Alliance reinforced my belief that good government begins with local democracy. The Alliance opposed another round of forced school district consolidation because we believed local communities should help shape the decisions that affect them.
Ultimately, the Legislature rejected mandatory consolidation, and Gov. Scott signed that decision into law.
That experience made me pay closer attention to candidates who combine thoughtful analysis with respect for local communities. The more I have learned about Amanda Janoo — particularly her careful, evidence-based approach to difficult issues like healthcare and affordability — the more convinced I have become that she offers that kind of leadership.
Here are eight reasons I will be voting for her.
1. Evidence over ideology: Educated at Cambridge and Oxford and now an economist working on public policy, Janoo approaches Vermont’s challenges with data, careful analysis, and measurable outcomes rather than slogans or predetermined answers. She believes public policy — including education, health, and housing policies — should be judged by whether it actually works.
2. A new direction for Vermont: Gov. Scott deserves appreciation for his years of public service. But after a decade, Vermonters should honestly ask whether the results are good enough. Housing remains increasingly unaffordable, healthcare costs continue to rise, and our schools — once among the nation’s strongest — have experienced troubling declines.
Continuing the same approach is unlikely to produce different results. It is time for change.
3. Understanding Vermont’s affordability crisis. With first-hand experience seeking housing in Burlington, Janoo understands that affordable housing is not simply an economic issue but one that determines whether young families can remain in Vermont, build careers, purchase homes, and strengthen their communities. Vermont’s future depends on making our state a place where the next generation can afford to live.
4. Healthcare that rewards what matters most. Janoo understands that Vermont’s healthcare system often rewards what is easiest to bill rather than the services that communities depend upon most. Her thoughtful analysis of the financial challenges facing Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and its birthing center has demonstrated an ability to connect sound economics with the real needs of families and communities.
5. Trusting local democracy. Having grown up with Vermont Town Meeting, Janoo understands that strong communities produce better government. She believes citizens should help shape the policies that affect their lives rather than having decisions imposed from farther away.
6. Strengthening rural communities. Vermont’s small towns and local schools are among our state’s greatest strengths. Rather than treating rural communities as inefficiencies to be consolidated away, Janoo recognizes that thriving local institutions are essential to Vermont’s identity, economy, and long-term vitality.
7. Respect for Vermont’s democratic institutions. Effective governors work with the Legislature rather than around it. Janoo has emphasized collaboration, transparency, and respect for the legislative process, recognizing that durable public policy is built through partnerships rather than by executive action alone.
8. Leadership that can unite Vermonters. Amanda Janoo combines intellectual rigor with optimism, practical economic expertise, humility, and genuine respect for democratic participation. She offers thoughtful leadership that can appeal not only to Democrats but also to independents and Republicans looking for evidence-based solutions rather than partisan rhetoric.
The Rural School Community Alliance reminded me that ordinary Vermonters can still shape the future of our state when they organize around sound principles and good evidence. This election cycle, we have another opportunity to choose what kind of leadership we want.
I believe Amanda Janoo offers leadership grounded in evidence, respect for local democracy, collaboration, and intellectual humility. Those are the qualities Vermont needs now, and they are why I will proudly cast my ballot for her.
Tim Maciel
Brattleboro
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