Barre City Republicans

08/19/2026

08/17/2026

Post 4 of 6: Workforce & Economy (Rural Vermont)

Rural Vermont is being strangled by land-use rules that don't serve us. You can't build affordable housing near your business because Act 181 says no. You can't expand a workshop on your own land because ANR needs to approve it. You can't bring a worker onto your property because zoning doesn't allow it.

This isn't about opposing development. It's about who decides.

When Montpelier dictates what you can do with rural land, businesses stall. Workers leave. Towns hollow out. That's why Washington County has jobs nobody can fill, not because there's no labor, but because there's no place for people to live where those jobs are.

You should be able to build, develop, and employ where you own the land. Not where a distant agency says you can.

So I want to know from rural folks: What stopped you or your business from expanding? Was it permits? Zoning? Something else entirely?

What would it take to keep rural Vermont working?

08/13/2026

Vermont doesn’t yet have reliable data about how many second homes could be taxed. That isn’t stopping candidates from counting on the money.

07/29/2026

Make sure to check out Peter as he’s running for Washington County Senate.

07/29/2026

07/27/2026

Vermont Senate Republicans will hold a press conference on Wednesday at noon on the Statehouse steps. We will be discussing our plan to turn Vermont around when we are a majority in January. Please join us.

02/23/2026