Editor:

I would like to write in support of two of our current senators representing Washington County: Ann Cummings and Anthony Pollina. Both Ann and Anthony have given many years of service to the people of Washington County, both in and out of the State House. It is impossible to list all of what they have done within the short span of a letter to the editor. They have, for instance, fought to raise the minimum wage for working Vermonters. They have worked for other things like universal, publicly funded access to health care so that no Vermonter will ever have to suffer medical debt for lack of affordable access to care again.

An example of Anthony’s numerous legislative accomplishments is his sponsoring the 10% for Vermont plan. This program directs up to $35 million in state funds to local economic development priorities under the oversight of the state treasurer by “increasing family income and strengthening the Vermont economy,” as Senator Pollina said on his website.

Ann has worked as a realtor and as a social worker in Washington County for many years. Ann served the city of Montpelier as its mayor and represented Washington County since she was first elected to the state senate in 1996. She has served on a number of committees, including the powerful senate finance committee, which she later chaired, and where she has become intimately familiar with the state’s financial structure.

One of her legislative accomplishments was helping to create the Catamount Health Program in 2006. Although gone now due to the Affordable Care Act, this program helped thousands of Vermonters obtain affordable health insurance.

With all that will coming up in the next session, I urge voters to re-elect Ann and Anthony.

Walter Carpenter

Montpelier