BRATTLEBORO — Research Tim Wessel, and one of the first statements you are likely to come across says that he wants to be “a voice for those who want less rhetoric and more collaboration.”
Yes, Tim: As a former Windham Southeast Supervisory Union and Windham Southeast School District board member, this is exactly what I want.
Tim is an independent candidate - one who believes that people, their needs, and their ideas are fluid and cannot be neatly packaged into one of two political parties. The idea of that is an outdated societal construct that I hope will dissolve soon.
Tired of watching our leaders argue with one another, I am ready for our leaders to learn to work together, even when they disagree. The emotionally charged political climate that we live in simply isn't conducive to creating policies that make sense for everyone. We are rife with societal division.
“Independent” means that you show up to work together in facts, not feelings. Not beholden to the financial resources of either major party, your vote is your own 100% of the time.
In the last several years, I have watched Tim Wessel serve Brattleboro on our Selectboard. I appreciated him serving as chair during the early pandemic days that happened simultaneously with Brattleboro's efforts to reform the police department.
Tim brought us sensible decisions during an incredibly difficult time. He cautioned us that prohibiting landlords from charging first, last, and security deposit to new tenants could potentially hurt renters. From my perspective, he was correct, as all of my friends' rents have dramatically increased, and the supply of available units in town is abysmal.
Tim advocated for a percentage of tax revenue generated by retail cannabis sales to be allocated to municipalities. The realization of these funds would be hugely beneficial for Windham County, already on track to be a hub of retail cannabis sales. He is paying attention to our community's needs and making sound decisions to support us.
In the last year, I have been fortunate to get to know Tim and his family, as our children attend the same preschool. As it turns out, this preschool was near closure before the Wessel family helped fight to keep the program running and secure child care for the 50 families it serves.
It is through this experience that I can say that I have firsthand knowledge of Tim's focus on the child care crisis that we face here in southern Vermont. As a parent of two children - one a preschooler with special needs - this issue hits home for me.
We simply must elect representatives who will take our concerns around early childhood education access to Montpelier and help make this a top priority for our state.
Voters may choose two candidates for state senator in the upcoming election. And in the interest of working together across party lines and making some meaningful progress for southern Vermont, I hope that Tim Wessel will be one of your choices.