Van Oort for Vermont – Jessica Van Oort for State Representative

About Jessica

I'm running for Vermont State Representative in the Rutland-Bennington district, which includes Middletown Springs, Tinmouth, Pawlet, Rupert, and part of Wells. I’m doing this because I've heard my neighbors who are fed up that everything costs so much, and I’ve heard my neighbors who are scared about losing their freedoms, and I want to step up and help. I first got involved in local government in 2020, and it was hard and scary then, too, but I was able to accomplish practical things to improve people’s lives.

Who I am

Principled

There are some values I won’t compromise on, no matter what. Human rights for all are non-negotiable.

Laws and due process should apply equally to everyone
Future generations deserve a livable planet.
LGBTQ rights are human rights.
Abortion is healthcare.

Practical

I want to get things done, and I’ll work with people I disagree with to make that happen.

Listened to constituents with different opinions.
Learned about issues people in town care about and researched solutions, like a local waste burning ordinance to address repeated trash burning.
Proposed practical compromises on town budgets.

Proven

I’ve worked hard in town government and accomplished things that improve people’s lives.

Helped bring high speed internet to the parts of town that didn’t have it.
Point person for a large grant the town is using to replace the HVAC in the town hall and library with efficient geothermal, which will save taxpayer dollars.
Improved the town’s zoning so people have an easier time building on their own property and don’t have to go through expensive Act 250 permitting.

What I stand for

Fairness

Everyone deserves the necessities of life. Food, a home, healthcare, education, good roads, work that pays a decent wage. Many of these are out of reach for ordinary Vermonters, while billionaires and big tech corporations are raking in unprecedented amounts of money. What can we do about it here in Vermont?

Make the wealthiest pay their fair share of taxes.
Keep data centers from polluting our environment and driving up our energy costs.
Make it easy for people to use plug-in solar or community solar to bring down their electricity bills.
Expand Medicare/Medicare for all.
Band together with other Northeast states to pool insurance costs.
Make big tech pay when their products like AI harm people. We already did this with big oil.

Freedom

Everyone deserves to be free to live their lives and be secure in their constitutional rights. Across the country, freedoms are crumbling. Masked ICE agents are breaking down doors. The federal right to an abortion is gone. Voting rights are under attack. Trans kids are being persecuted. Illegal tariffs, an illegal war, and corruption are making us less safe and making everything more expensive. What can we do about it here in Vermont?

Pass state-level protections for rights under attack. We already did this with abortion.
Keep updating and improving our shield laws to protect Vermonters who are sued from out of state.
Unmask law enforcement.
Work with other like-minded states to push back against federal overreach and improve democracy. We already did this with the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact to work to get rid of the Electoral College.
Be nimble and ready to protect Vermonters from whatever the next attack is. Don’t be afraid of big ideas! Vermont can be a model for the nation.