Guns

Climate

Private Prison

Marijuana

Minimum Wage

Child Care

Opioids 

Social Security

Ed

Former Material below

Opiate Epidemic

The first and most paramount issue to my pursuit of public office is the tragic state of affairs revolving around the heroine epidemic currently stretching the length of Vermont. It is important to keep in mind, that heroin doesn't discriminate; people or any description could be vulnerable to its pernicious influences. Furthermore, the drug affects more than just the people who become addicted to it.

Employment

The second issue of central importance to the Hooper4House campaign is minimum wage. Hooper understands small business.  Having grown up in a family business he knows about the improbable success of starting with pennies, having a vision , and making good decisions and investments over the long term produces great results.  Vermont Creamery was started at the family’s home farm milk house with a $2,400 investment.  Today Vermont Creamery cheeses are sold across the country, winning international awards, employs 90 people and supports 14 family goat farms in Vermont. Jay has worked on the line at the creamery during school breaks alongside working class families who juggle child care,  health care, and retirement.

Energy/Environment

The third issue is all about positive environmental practices through clean energy and to address key conservation issues.

Agricultural Issues

Hooper is for agriculture. Vermont’s working landscape is crucial to our economy not only for the food we produce with Dairy as the leader but also because working farms attract tourists from around the world.   Jay has milked with his brothers Sam and Miles at the Ayers Brook Goat Dairy.  He helps with haying on the home hill farm and lends a hand with neighbors to get the bales in before the rain.  He is aware of the challenges that dairy farmers face to comply with modern regulations to mitigate run off in Lake Champlain as well as the difficulty for small farmers to comply with ACT 64.   

Exit 4

Hooper supports sustainable and appropriate development. The prime agricultural soils at Exit 4 are crucial to local farmers who need the best and most efficient land for crops.  When we take a piece of land like that out of production we will never get it back. Jay would optimize downtown infrastructure for development and rely on the Exit 2 Veterans Welcome center. Vermont products deserve a marketing strategy beyond a limited sales opportunities to motorists traveling the interstate. Renewable energy development provides jobs for Vermonters and contributes to our collective responsibility to reduce greenhouse gases. Jay would work to locate solar and wind appropriately.

Education

Jay knows first-hand about education.  To succeed Vermont needs a well-trained, high quality work force.  Excellent education and good jobs go hand-in-hand.  Vermont is fortunate to have great schools and teachers.  We need to continue to invest in Vermont’s students, from pre-school  and kindergarten through technical, vocational, and high school to our superb state college system.  Vermont’s children are our future.