Five Democrats Battle Over Vermont's Costs | Montpelier News

Five Democrats are battling for three Senate seats in Vermont’s Chittenden Southeast District, all united on one front: the state’s skyrocketing cost of living. Housing, healthcare, and education taxes dominate the debate—with incumbents touting past wins like a $2 billion housing initiative, while challengers demand sharper, more targeted fixes, including helping retirees and young families afford homes. Healthcare premiums have doubled or tripled, with Vermont hospitals charging private insurers five times more for drugs than the national average. One challenger, a pediatrician, pushes for universal care, while another incumbent seeks to speed up savings reforms and expand school-based mental health services. Education property taxes are set to jump 12%, sparking a clash: one candidate says taxing won’t solve it and wants to boost technical training, while another calls for taxing second homeowners and the wealthy to fund teachers and schools. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/e8b24b76c2c90e68