GUEST COLUMN Notes from the Legislature

from Williston Observer 1/26/2023

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

fying tens of millions of dollars in new workforce housing funding and regulatory reforms that will help alleviate our state’s housing crisis. These interconnected issues are critical to the health of the state economy.

The first few weeks of the session are typically devoted almost exclusively to working in our committees. I have been appointed vice chair of the House Committee on Education. My experience as a classroom teacher of 17 years, a Champlain Valley School Board member, an instructor for graduate education students and as a parent will continue to inform my unwavering commitment to public education.

Given the large number of new members, we have spent these first few weeks helping members understand the landscape of education in Vermont and meeting with many of the major stakeholders. The education community has been nearly unanimous in its list of the greatest needs for our state: teacher workforce, school facilities and mental health support for students and staff.

I am currently drafting a bill to create incentives for future teachers and support for our existing teacher workforce. Steps like student loan forgiveness, financial support during student teaching semesters and waivers for licensure fees are a beginning, but I am well aware that our entire system is very strained and the challenges are complex.

Fewer young people are entering the field (and this was true even before the pandemic exacerbated the trend) and turnover for principals is incredibly high. We must continue to focus on recruiting, supporting and retaining our teacher workforce. I am committed to the incremental work we must do for many years to come.

Our work on the Education Committee is shaped by an inherent tension in our system: local school districts retain most authority over schools, yet we have a statewide education fund. A recent U.S. Supreme Court case (Carson v. Makin) may have implications for Vermont’s existing town tuitioning system, and public education dollars going to independent schools. We are digging heavily into this issue, and I expect it will remain a central part of our work this biennium. Public schools are for all students and critical to our communities and our democracy.

I will continue to take the lead in ensuring that we keep universal meals in schools and anticipate this will have broad support in the House and Senate. Offering free meals to all students has gotten cash registers out of our schools, allowed our dedicated school nutrition staff to focus on quality food instead of chasing unpaid balances and most importantly, eliminated the stigma of who gets which lunch and at what cost. I polled all of my students last semester at Colchester www.willistonobserver.com P.O. Box 1401, Williston, VT 05495 | 802-489-5499

High School while I was teaching and those I visited at Williston Central School last fall, and almost every student enthusiastically supports this program.

For those interested in digging into the details of proposed legislation, there is a wealth of information available on the General Assembly’s website, and all committee meetings are live-streamed.

I look forward to meeting with the Williston-Richmond Rotary Club this week.

Rep. Arsenault and I plan to hold monthly community conversations starting in February and will share the details for those meetings once the dates are finalized.

Government is us — it is the people we elect (at all levels) to make decisions on our behalf as best they can. I am honored to represent Williston and I strive to be accessible and responsive. Please email me at ebrady@leg.state.vt.us with your questions, concerns or ideas anytime.

Erin Brady represents Williston’s Chittenden 2 district in the Vermont House of Representatives.

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Test, fix and save a life

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has designated January as National Radon Action Month and urges homeowners to take action by testing their homes for Radon gas. Radon is an invisible, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally during the decay of uranium in soil. Because uranium is especially prevalent in rocky areas and around granite, buildings in Vermont and New Hampshire have a greater risk of having elevated radon levels than the national average.

Long-term exposure to radon gas is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. The EPA estimates radon is responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year.

Testing for radon is simple. You can obtain a Radon test kit through the Vermont Department of Health or a hardware store. Alternatively, you can hire a certified radon measurement provider, who is trained in testing, to conduct the test for you.