Larry Hart, left, and Mark MacDonald. Photos by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
ORANGE COUNTY — Prominently displayed on the campaign website for Larry Hart, an Orange County Republican candidate for Vermont Senate, is an endorsement from an unnamed community member: “nice guy, reasonable and calm.”
It’s a distillation of the image that Hart, a salesman at a building supply store and former Topsham selectboard member, is seeking to project to voters in his bid to unseat the longtime incumbent Democratic Senator, Mark MacDonald.
“I don’t get angry. I like to help other people,” Hart, 60, said when asked about that slogan in an interview. “You try to find the good in everybody, even if somebody might be treating you bad at that moment.”
Meanwhile, MacDonald, 81, who has served in the Legislature for a combined total of roughly 35 years, is counting on his constituents’ familiarity with him and a rigorous door-knocking regimen to return him to office.
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“I was in Corinth again yesterday — 86 doors,” MacDonald said in a phone interview Tuesday. It’s not an all-time best, he admitted: “I don’t get in and out of the car as fast as I used to.”
MacDonald has represented the Senate district for a total of 23 years, from 1996 to 1998 and then again from 2003 through today.
But Republicans have long eyed the seat, which represents about 22,000 people in 13 towns, including Randolph, Williamstown, Bradford and Tunbridge. It’s one of five Senate districts that the Vermont GOP is targeting in an effort to topple the Democratic supermajority in the statehouse.
Now, buoyed by an endorsement from Gov. Phil Scott and a surge of campaign contributions — largely from Chittenden County donors — Hart hopes that voter frustration over tax and cost-of-living increases will be enough to finally flip the seat.
Achieving affordability
The two candidates agree on the primary issue animating the campaign and others around the state: Vermont’s high cost of living, particularly the dearth of affordable housing in the state.
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MacDonald has floated the idea of raising taxes on second and third homes owned by part-time residents to fund affordable housing.
“A lot of people go to Florida,” he said. “They go, you know, six months and a day, and they come back and don’t pay any income taxes in (Vermont).”
Hart, meanwhile, declined to provide specific legislative proposals to address affordability, saying only that policies would need to be hashed out through collaboration with other lawmakers and the executive branch.
“We need the Governor’s team involved in it,” he said. “We need us involved in it. We need some people in the House that have common sense.”
Republicans have pointed to legislation supported by MacDonald that they argue is making Vermont less affordable, like this year’s yield bill, which set out an average 13.8% increase in property taxes to fund school budgets for the next fiscal year, and the clean heat standard, which, if implemented, would require fossil fuel importers to offset their products’ emissions.
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Hart has also said he would like to see tougher penalties for petty crimes and to bolster Vermont’s substance use recovery system — a goal motivated by his daughter’s death of a fentanyl overdose. He’s also expressed opposition to an overdose prevention center, also known as a safe injection site, in the state, something MacDonald voted for in the most recent legislative session.
And although his campaign has taken some jabs at MacDonald, Hart has professed a commitment to running a polite race.
“I’m not going to slam Mark. I’m not going to do that. That’s not who I am,” he said.
‘Longtime ties’
“This is a seat that we’ve been focused on for a while,” Paul Dame, the chair of the Vermont Republican Party, said in an interview. “We think this is going to be a pretty competitive race this year.”
Hart is a departure from the last Republican to challenge MacDonald: John Klar, a firebrand writer and farmer who leaned into culture war issues in his 2022 campaign. MacDonald won that race with a ten-point margin of victory, even after he was sidelined by a stroke just weeks before the election.
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Dame said that Hart, who owned auto parts stores in Randolph and Bradford and spent nine years on the Topsham selectboard, was recruited in large part because of his longtime ties to the area.
“In the past, sometimes we’ve had people who tend to be more ideological,” Dame said. “They get involved, and they have a very narrow sample of what quote-unquote Vermonters think. And then they go out and campaign and realize that they don’t really know the district that well.”
Asked if he was referring to Klar, Dame said, “Nobody specifically.”
MacDonald, meanwhile, charged that Hart, despite his moderate image, “holds pretty much the same views as my opponent a few years ago, but he doesn’t go around and broadcast it.”
MacDonald’s pitch is that, effectively, his outreach to and familiarity with constituents gives him an intimate understanding of their concerns.
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“Folks who I interrupted (their) dinner, or when they’re picking potatoes, or combing out the dog hair on the front porch, or having a beer in the door yard, leaning against the back of the truck on a Saturday afternoon,” MacDonald said. “That’s how you see people where they are, and hear what they’re thinking.”
Until Election Day, of course, it’s also impossible to say how much frustration over property taxes will translate into votes in the district.
But homestead tax rates in the Senate District are not going up as quickly as in other parts of the state — or at all, according to preliminary data compiled by Vermont Public in August.
Between the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years, Tunbridge and Strafford are projected to see homestead tax hikes of 11.2% and 9.7% respectively, the largest in the district. But in other towns — Topsham, Vershire, Corinth, Fairlee and West Fairlee — tax rates are actually dropping. Fairlee and West Fairlee will see the district’s largest decreases, of roughly 20%, among the largest drops in the state, according to the data.
That’s in part due to recent reforms intended to direct more school funding money towards districts that need it more — such as rural and low-income parts of the state.
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‘Good discussions’
MacDonald, in an interview, pointed out that Hart’s campaign has been funded almost entirely by donors outside Orange County.
According to an October campaign finance filing, Hart has raised roughly $25,000, the vast majority of which has come in increments of $1,000 or $960 from addresses in Chittenden County: Burlington, Shelburne, South Burlington. Most of that money has gone into postcards and advertisements online, in newspapers and on the radio.
Hart attributed those donations to frustrations over liberal Chittenden County representatives in the Statehouse and what donors see as the impact of their policies on Burlington: drug use, violence, homelessness.
“They’re like, this isn’t the Burlington we knew,” Hart said. “And so they’re frustrated with that.”
According to his most recent report, MacDonald has raised a fraction of that haul, with only about $3,300 in contributions.
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But Jim Dandeneau, the executive of the Vermont Democratic Party, said that the party is optimistic that MacDonald’s “tireless” campaigning and years representing the district will pay dividends on election day.
“Mark has deep relationships in the community,” Dandeneau said in a brief interview. “Mark has people who are very loyal to him because he’s done a lot to help them.”
On Tuesday, MacDonald estimated that he has so far visited around 2,300 houses during the campaign.
“I got to go and pay for a radio ad today,” he said in an early morning interview. “And at 10 o’clock I’ll be knocking on doors.”
The Lamoille Health Partners mobile dental unit in use at the Waterville Elementary School in mid-October. The unit is meant to bring dental services to more rural parts of Lamoille County. Photo by Gordon Miller/News & Citizen
Many Vermonters have insufficient or nonexistent access to dental care, and the state is losing dental providers, according to a new report released Thursday.
The Vermont Oral Health Equity Landscape Report, published by the nonprofit Voices for Vermont’s Children, found that, over roughly the past half-decade, Vermont has lost dentists at a faster rate than almost every other state and seen a decline in its children’s dental health.
The state has also been slow to roll out new dental procedures — non-invasive methods that could easily and cheaply improve oral health for many Vermonters, according to the report.
“It’s very clear that oral health is a key component of overall systemic well being,” Michelle Fay, the executive director of Voices for Vermont’s Children, said in an interview. “And the system that we have set up isn’t working.”
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According to national data from the American Dental Association cited in the report, Vermont had nearly 60 dentists per 100,000 residents in 2019, roughly the national rate.
The state reached that figure “after many years of robust recruitment and policy incentives meant to bolster the dental workforce,” the report reads. But the Covid-19 pandemic erased those gains: As of 2023, Vermont had only 53 dentists per 100,000 residents, the second-steepest decline in the country, per the report.
From 2015 to 2021, the number of dental hygienists practicing in the state also declined by about 4%, according to data cited by the report. The number of public health dental hygienists — hygienists employed by the Vermont Department of Health — dropped from five prior to Covid-19 to one currently, the report reads.
The state has also struggled to add dental therapists, professionals who perform routine dental care, to the ranks of practitioners. Last year, the Vermont state auditor found that Vermont State University had failed to stand up a dental therapy program, even after seven years and a $2.6 million investment of public funds.
One bright spot noted in the report is Vermont Medicaid’s coverage of dental care. As a whole, Vermont dentists see more Medicaid patients than any other state, although its Medicaid reimbursement rates for dental care were mixed: adult reimbursement rates were relatively high, while rates for children’s dental care were in the middle of the pack nationally.
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Still, Fay said, accessing dental care as a Medicaid patient is not easy. Some dentists may think, “in theory, I’ll take a Medicaid patient,” Fay said, “but only if I haven’t filled all my slots with either private pay or insurance with a higher reimbursement.”
The report also notes that Vermont providers have been slow to adopt new, inexpensive and minimally invasive dental procedures. The report names two specifically: silver diamine fluoride and silver modified atraumatic restorative technique, methods in which protective materials are applied to the outside of teeth.
Those procedures could have a significant impact on Vermonters’ dental health at low cost, the report says.
Voices for Vermont’s Children recommends that the state invest in low-cost dental facilities and procedures across the state, including the integration of dental facilities with primary care facilities. The state’s health department should also consider a public education campaign focused on oral health, the report says.
“The top line is really just the need to think differently about integrating oral health into overall health,” Fay said, “and using all available treatment models to meet the needs of these communities.”
Holiday lights, decorations at American Christmas in Mount Vernon NY
American Christmas in Mount Vernon has opened its Holiday Lane Christmas lights display to the public through December 29, 2024.
The weather is getting colder and the days are getting shorter, but the dark days of winter bring with them a beloved holiday tradition sure to brighten up anyone’s day – Christmas lights.
And no where does Christmas like Vermont, just ask the Hallmark Channel.
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To experience the dazzling lights of the holiday season, you don’t have to go far. Whether you want to stroll through a park, watch a parade or take in the lights from your car, Vermont is sure to have the holiday light display for you.
Here are six in-state Christmas light displays to check out this holiday season.
Winter Lights at Shelburne Museum
On nights during the holiday season, Shelburne Museum turns into a winter wonderland full of colorful light displays. Each building and garden of the museum’s campus is uniquely decorated, from cascading twinkling lights at Beach Woods to the 220-foot illuminated steamboat “Ticonderoga.”
New this year, Shelburne will feature a circus display filled with whimsical figures under an illuminated Big Top tent. The museum will also have two gift shops and a café with hot chocolate open until 8 p.m. each night of the light display.
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Online tickets cost $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 3-17 or $30 for VIP. Shelburne recommends purchasing online, as tickets at the door are more expensive and not guaranteed. For those who want to experience the dazzling lights from their car, drive around nights are available on select days for $65 per car.
When: Winter Lights is open on select days from Nov. 21, 2024 through Jan. 1, 2025. The event starts at 4:30 p.m., and the last admission is at 7 p.m. Sensory-friendly nights will be Dec. 9 and Dec. 16, and drive through nights are Dec. 3-4, Dec. 10-11, Dec. 17-18 and Jan. 2-5.
Vermont Holiday Events: Holiday concerts, plays and ballets, light shows: Here’s what Vermont events to mark down
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A Forest of Lights
Nature lovers can experience the beautiful Vermont outdoors lit up for the holiday season at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) Nature Center in Quechee. A Forest of Lights, the nature center’s holiday light special, is an outdoor walkthrough experience with thousands of lights in exciting displays, including the Snow Shower Tower, Snow Globe, Whimsical Woodland and Mandala Trees.
When you finish walking through the illuminated forest, hot chocolate and light snacks are available for purchase to enjoy by the campfire.
Tickets cost $13 for adults or $8 for children over three.
When: This nature-filled light display is open from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on weekends and other select days from Nov. 22, 2024 through Jan. 4, 2025.
Where: VINS Nature Center, 149 Natures Way, Quechee, VT
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More: Holiday concerts, plays and ballets, light shows: Here’s what Vermont events to mark down
Christmas Lights at the Joseph Smith Birthplace
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrates Christmas with an outdoor light display at the birthplace of the church’s founder, Joseph Smith. Over 200,000 colorful lights decorate the grounds of the South Royalton monument.
Visitors can walk or drive along the decorated path for free.
When: After an official lighting on Nov. 29, this light show will be open daily through Jan. 1, 2025. Hours are 4 to 9 p.m.
Where: Joseph Smith Birthplace, 357 Lds Lane, S. Royalton, VT
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Winter Lights in the Park
This free, family-friendly light display allows guests to walk through lit trees and tunnels in Maple Street Park while holiday music floats through the air. Winter Lights in the Park also doubles as a scavenger hunt for hidden ornaments throughout the decorated trees.
When: Maple Street Park’s lights will be on from 5 to 8 p.m. daily from Nov. 28, 2024 through Jan. 1, 2025.
Where: Maple Street Park, 75 Maple St., Essex Junction, VT
Holiday Lighted Tractor Parade
Manchester’s holiday tractor parade is back for its 14th year, offering a unique mobile light show. As part of the town’s holiday celebration Manchester Merriment, the parade brings tractors and floats decked out in lights and holiday decorations to the heart of downtown Manchester.
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Attendance to the town’s holiday parade is free.
When: This year’s tractor parade is Saturday, Dec. 7 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Where: The parade takes place in downtown Manchester on Main and Bonnet St.
Holiday movies: Hallmark ‘Trivia at St. Nick’s’ Christmas movie is the latest set in Vermont. What to know
Spruce Peak Lights Festival
Held for one night only at The Village at Spruce Peak, the Spruce Peak Lights Festival illuminates the ski village and surrounding evergreen trees with thousands of holiday lights.
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Other attractions at this event include ice dancing performances, photos with Santa and a firework show.
When: Spruce Peak’s 2024 lights festival will take place on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. The annual lighting will be at 7 p.m.
Where: Spruce Peak Village, 559 Spruce Peak Road, Stowe, VT
Copley Hospital in Morrisville on Oct. 19, 2023. File photo by Carly Berlin/VTDigger and Vermont Public
Support staff at Morrisville’s Copley Hospital voted to unionize last Thursday. The formation, which came through a decisive 68-44 vote, joins together the hospital’s nearly 150 staff with its almost 100 nurses in the regional United Nurses and Allied Professionals union.
“I wanted to form a union to be able to have a voice at the table,” Leta Karasinksi, an emergency department technician, said in a press release.
“Up until a few years ago, we had the same healthcare plan as the nurses. Now the union nurses have a better health plan than us,” she said. “I want to see equality with benefits. I want to see safe staffing patterns to be able to deliver the quality of care our patients deserve.”
The yes vote comes on the heels of a similar unionization drive by support staff at Central Vermont Medical Center in early September. They chose to unionize as a chapter of AFT-Vermont, joining support staff at the University of Vermont Medical Center and Porter Medical Center.
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Sarah Bray, a patient engagement specialist at Copley who voted in favor of the union, said in a press release that she thinks the staff should be taken seriously. “I think this union will unite the nurses and support staff for years to come and benefit the community at large.”
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