Dear Editor,
When I talk to people who know I’m running for Rutland Town’s House seat (Rutland-4) in the Vermont Legislature, their initial responses are largely the same.
“That’s great news,” they say. Then a pause. “But why run now? There’s the coronavirus pandemic, the economic fallout, the social justice issues. Nothing will be easy.” Instead of deterring me, I tell them that Vermont’s harsh new reality is precisely why I am running. We can no longer get by with “politics as usual.”
We suddenly have been thrust into a new era that none of us could have imagined. A new era filled with many unknowns means the old ways of approaching problems won’t work.
We won’t find our way to collaborative, innovative solutions with the status quo. To have a moderate, meaningful voice in the Legislature, to preserve our town’s values and bolster its economic recovery, we need fresh eyes, different perspectives, and a highly active, comprehensive approach to problem solving. I believe that our best days are ahead of us, but we’ll need a new roadmap to get there because the entire landscape has changed.
That’s why I’m launching a “straight talk listening tour” of Rutland Town businesses and residents, beginning Monday, June 29, through Friday, Sept. 4, the start of the Labor Day weekend. Being mindful of coronavirus health and safety concerns, I will endeavor to reach out to every Rutland Town voter via phone calls, personal letters, and online meetings during the months of July and August.
I pledge to listen to the straight talk you all have for me. Yes, straight talk goes both ways – and it starts with you, the residents of Rutland Town.
During the summer timeframe, I also will release individual position papers, based on the issues feedback that I have gotten so far. You can read my full issues page and also fill out the voter survey by visiting my campaign website at pullingforrutlandtown.com
Straight talk is what Vermonters expect from our leaders and from each other. It’s who we are. We want the truth, so we can work together toward solutions.
As a Rutland Town native with long family ties to Vermont, I sense the need for new, inclusive, bipartisan, holistic leadership. If elected as your new state representative Nov. 3, I will work collaboratively and communicate fully, listening to all Town residents, distilling your issues into concrete action plans, seeking legislative solutions in Montpelier, and reporting back to you. Hyper-partisanship will no longer rule the day; what’s best for Rutland Town will.
Barbara Noyes Pulling is a Democratic candidate for Rutland Town’s House seat in the Vermont Legislature, Rutland-4.
