[00:00:02] Hello, everyone, and welcome back to our weekly webinar series that occurs here on our Facebook page every Friday at noon. My name is Brianna and the Sustainable Transportation Vermont. And today, as many of you know, our original event was supposed to be a livestream of the state against key protest in Burlington. This protest has since been canceled. But if anyone has any information on future state against the protests, please send us any information as we would love to be there and promote it. Today, we'll be discussing the results of a recent questionnaire that was sent to Vermont candidates asking serious questions regarding their stance on sustainable transportation issues. We will also use this time to discuss sustainable transport, the Sustainable Transportation Forum with candidates for governor that we are hosting on Tuesday, July 20th at five p.m. here on our Facebook page. We invite viewers today to join the conversation and share with questions you all want to ask during Tuesday's forum. So to kick things off, I'm going to bring up Jack Hanson. Jack is the Sustainable Transportation Vermont coordinator in the Burlington City Councilor.

[00:01:16] Hey, Jack. Hey, Brianna. Can you hear me okay? Yeah, great. So much for being here. Yeah. Glad to be here.

[00:01:24] I think it's very important for you to be here today. And I was hoping you could talk a little bit about why you think this forum is so important and it's occurring at the same time.

[00:01:33] Yeah. Definitely. So I think a couple reasons.

[00:01:39] I think transportation is is a key facet of our lives in so many ways. And I think the most critical and time sensitive aspect of that is climate change and the climate crisis that we face. And as much as the pandemic has come to the forefront and as it should, we still do have this underlying climate crisis that's extremely pressing. And transportation is the largest contributor to that in the US as well as in Vermont, and will likely it could trend that way globally as well as electricity continues to get cleaner, transportation is really lagging behind.

[00:02:20] So we have a lot a lot of work to do in Vermont to reduce emissions from transportation.

[00:02:27] I don't know if you can pull up the Energy Action Network's report, but they do a great job showing it. So this yeah. This, for example, from the Energy Action Network shows that.

[00:02:41] When you look at the energy sector, transportation accounts for 56 percent of the emissions, so it's it's huge and it's also an economic burden on so many Vermonters, the amount of money that Vermont spend annual on transportation. And it really doesn't have to be that way. We can develop a transportation system that is much more sustainable and much lower costs as well. If you want to just quickly pivot to a couple of their other figures in terms of what we need to do so.

[00:03:16] Yes. So this is showing the Paris climate agreements, which really are still kind of lagging behind what? Climate scientists tell us, needs to be done. But there are at least a step in the right direction for Vermont to get there, we would have to make some pretty significant cuts in in all sectors, but especially in the largest contributor with transportation, if you go up a little bit.

[00:03:44] It shows kind of some of the things that we need to happen, not all of them, but some of them. And by 2025, you know, adding 90000. I think that's the figure. It's a little small, but ninety thousand EDI's and reducing solo trips, improving mileage. This statistic doesn't include the fact that we also have to make significant gains in the use of public transit.

[00:04:08] That kind of goes along with reducing solo commutes as well.

[00:04:13] So, yeah, this is this is a critical need in our state. And I'm really excited that we're gonna have this opportunity to question candidates for governor about it. I think it should be really high on people's priority list and too often it's not. But for so many reasons, whether it's safety, whether it's public, how climate crisis or economic well-being of Vermonters, this is a key issue that really deeply affects all of us. And I think right now during Cauvin, we're seeing so many changes in our society. So this is really an opportunity to create some of the dramatic changes that we need to see.

[00:04:53] Definitely. Thank you so much for that. I think we have a good time to dove a little bit deeper into what the questionnaire was really asking. And then also, I just want to plug anyone watching the Q&A after this part of the webinar.

[00:05:11] And we really want to hear what you want to ask us to say. So keep that in mind and we'll be posting a link if you'd like to scream.

[00:05:19] But also, if you don't feel comfortable, you can. So just post your comments or questions in the chat.

[00:05:25] But now I'm going to bring up a sustainable institution, Vermont intern, who's been played a major role in this questionnaire in creating it and promoting it. So bring her out.

[00:05:43] He paid more. Thank you so much for being here, for having me.

[00:05:50] So I just have a few questions I want to ask you that will help all of us get a better idea of the questionnaire that you created. So my first question is, could you hold length for all of us? The purpose of the questionnaire.

[00:06:04] Yes. So when we first sent out. But were when we were first creating our summary, we're making it to encourage the Vermont political candidates to make their stance on. The case is clear and public promoters as the primaries are coming up. And as Jack said, transportation is a large issue within Vermont. And climate change and should be discussed more in politics than it is.

[00:06:38] So we'll get a policy, central transportation, the kind of start this conversation and hold these politicians accountable. Certainly, sir.

[00:06:49] Now, if you're comfortable, I'm going to bring up the questionnaire.

[00:06:52] And maybe it's a strange question. And we could play a little bit about why you chose this one.

[00:06:59] OK.

[00:07:00] So.

[00:07:14] So we wanted to ask some questions, but we offered during a couple of direct questions that were more definite, no questions about specific policies regarding sustainable transportation.

[00:07:31] I'm like the first question. We are kind of curious to see how the candidates themselves got around and how they were practicing sustainable transport if they weren't the most popular.

[00:07:48] Amphoras were gas powered cars and linking among many of the candidates.

[00:07:56] Yeah. I would if I could chime in. I think this one is really important because it really informs a lot of like how you view transportation is how you experience it yourself every day. So if you ride the bus every day, you're going to have a better understanding of what the bus system needs in order to work better. If you have every day, you're not going to really get that firsthand experience and really understand on that personal level. So I think it is really important, too, that the candidates are people who have experience getting around in different ways so that they can really speak from a firsthand point of view and develop policies with that in mind.

[00:08:51] So far, longer, a13. Ask them what policies they're planning on supporting or doing to advance the central tenets of Vermont.

[00:09:05] And a lot of the answers made us pretty excited.

[00:09:11] They had ambitious goals to. Reduce a leg or gas powered cars. And just promoting sustainable transportation law in Vermont.

[00:09:30] We ask about state funded fare free transit. And again, we were pretty happy with the results of those as a high percentage then. Yes, they support fair free transit.

[00:09:43] Again, this is kind of holding them accountable when they say yes.

[00:09:50] So hopefully you can see more movement toward that.

[00:09:56] Yeah. Sorry if I could chime in again. Page. The fair free transit, I think, is important for a number of different reasons. One is obviously just making it more accessible to more people, especially low income folks, and reducing that burden. I think another aspect of it is it it it makes the system more efficient because you don't have to have fair boxes and you don't have to repair that equipment and you don't have to every stop have a line of people fumbling with change and coins.

[00:10:30] And, you know, it makes it just easier, smoother and quicker for the whole system. And if people don't have the right amount of change or they don't have the right app downloaded on their phone, they can still just jump on the bus and they don't have to worry about those extra hurdles. So I think it makes it easier for people to ride. It makes it faster, more financially accessible. And also on top of that. I think it really having fair free changes the way the system operates from the standpoint of, say, you have a route running in a super rural area. It's a new route that you're trying out. And maybe initially the ridership is low. You're not going to just cut that route because you're not getting the revenue like your your calculations are no longer based on revenue.

[00:11:19] They're based on need and they're based on providing a need no matter what the revenue is, and working on building out systems that serve this whole state and are accessible to the whole state rather than only operating lines that bring in enough revenue to maintain. So I think there's so many ways that this is just really essential. And right now we have fair free transit due to code that we need to make sure that that stays in place.

[00:11:57] The next question, will you introduce sustainable transportation legislation in the coming legislative session? Again, we kind of sustainable transportation isn't a huge topic with in politics, though. This. Is kind of making sure that it can start becoming more part of the conversation. And again, these this is where we saw some goals that were ambitious and exciting to see that these politicians are thinking about this.

[00:12:42] Next, we ask about the subsidies for free parking.

[00:12:49] This one seemed to be more split than on the questions, but we did have a lot of people, a lot of politicians say no. That the state of Vermont should not provide free parking for employees and tenants.

[00:13:06] Which is we don't have free parking. Most people will most likely be driving.

[00:13:15] Yeah. And I think it's important for people to keep in mind, like parking is very much not free. It's very expensive and. It's kind of the reverse of the last question about making transit fare free. That's the type of public good that I think we should be subsidizing. But right now, we're not only are we not providing fair free transit, but we're actively subsidizing parking to make it, quote, unquote, free. But that has a high cost and those costs just end up getting shifted elsewhere.

[00:13:48] So someone's building housing and they build a huge parking lot and they make it free. That's just going to drive up the cost of rent for everyone, regardless of whether they have a car or not. So I think it is important that we're shifting subsidies away from single occupancy vehicles and towards things like public transit or bicycle infrastructure or other other ways of getting around.

[00:14:25] So the next two questions were more yes or no question, do you support increasing the estate tax on gasoline? And do you support a luxury car tax or rebate?

[00:14:38] We.

[00:14:41] These were kind of our direct questions. We weren't sure how people would respond. But again, people seem pretty supportive of eventually increasing the state tax on gasoline.

[00:14:57] And a luxury car tax rebate.

[00:15:02] Right. Yeah, because, I mean, Vermont's kind of middle of the road when you look across states for the gasoline tax. So especially right now when gas prices are low, it could be an opportunity to to slightly increase that and not provides funding for repairing roads and could be used, you know, potentially we could look at how that could maybe be broadened to use for other transportation goals as well. But again, it's like, what do you incentivize? What do you subsidize? What do you tax? It's just kind of get it right and kind of tax things that are harmful to society and some society subsidize things that benefit society. So like with a fee-based, it's kind of you know, you put an extra charge on super expensive luxury vehicles like a sixty thousand dollar SUV, that super polluting. And you would put an extra price tag on that, but then make it easier for a low income Vermonter to get, you know, a thirty thousand dollar Eevee. So just kind of people who have the means to buy a sixty thousand dollar SUV and who are also kind of harming society with that pollution and that safety risk of an SUV should be able that kind of support.

[00:16:24] Other Vermonters who would like to, you know, go electric or do something else. I think that's kind of the logic of the debate. And it's been pretty effective in places that it's been. Yeah, pass it back to you pitch.

[00:16:50] We also asked about supporting. A ban on the purchase and registration of new internal combustion engine moving vehicles. And if so, by what year? A lot of people supported it and some.

[00:17:10] Candidates said as Unite's.

[00:17:13] Twenty, twenty. Hope to see this then than others were more long term. Twenty, thirty, twenty, thirty five.

[00:17:23] But this, again, kind of goes with the question about.

[00:17:29] It's like having feeds on cars.

[00:17:34] Yeah, I think that question is the biggest picture question that's often the most controversial. But ultimately we did. We do need to go fossil free. So if we do need to go fossil free, then things like gasoline powered vehicles are going to have to disappear. So I think it's important to kind of set those goals and get those long term visions laid out there and get people talking about them. That was the idea with that with that question. But it was all over the map. I think in terms of how people respond to that one, which which makes sense.

[00:18:15] He had a lot of people in support of the transportation climate initiative that goes along with what Zach was saying earlier about how transportation when. Raiment are. Anticline.

[00:18:36] Do you support requiring or incentivizing employing employers to implement transportation demand management practices? We had a high percentage say yes for this question to about 97 percent.

[00:18:56] But. It's pretty exciting.

[00:19:00] Yeah. I mean, we found like so. S TVT were run out of UVM, and UVM is one of the larger employers in the entire state and UVM has a suite of transportation demand management policies or TV outlets. We call and that's been really critical. Like before UVM did that they were kind of similar to the rest of Chipping County where it was, you know. Seventy five percent of people commuting alone by car. Flat. After implementing many of those things, you beams down closer to 50 percent of employees that are driving alone.

[00:19:38] Now, it's obviously different with coalbed added telecommuting. But those policies really do make a big impact in affecting commuting behavior. So we're doing a lot of work around that with employers around the state right now to try to get more TDM policies in place, especially telecommuting policies, which many people have been forced to implement during COBA. But we want to make sure that those telecommuting policies are permanent to really in order to really cut down a lot of the single occupancy vehicle commutes that have.

[00:20:18] And lastly, we just had a question or thought for the candidates to add anything about other goals or add on to any of our yes or no questions. Yeah, just to kind of for a place for them to share more of their opinions on sustainable transportation.

[00:20:54] David, thank you so much for answering all or explaining all those questions. So my next question is this. How many people responded?

[00:21:05] We had 32 responses and the questionnaire was sent to all of the candidates running office.

[00:21:18] And I know you kind of answer this for every question.

[00:21:21] But what was the overall result of the questionnaire? Did the majority of responses also planning on making more efforts to solve Mississippi related issues?

[00:21:32] It was pretty good. There were nine people that had actual growth goals where some said we're in support of these policies. We didn't come as much of a plan.

[00:21:48] But overall, I mean, it was exciting for seeing them answer these questions. And I'm thinking about that for answers.

[00:21:59] Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, this this is the first time we've done this, Brianna. And I don't we didn't really know what to expect, but I think I think we're pretty happy with that. And it kind of led to the forum that we'll talk about it. But. Yeah, I think this will be really important, too, for holding people accountable, like like Paige said, it's easy to kind of talk about, oh yeah, I love sustainable transportation, I care about climate. But we wanted to really let we wanted to really get people on record in terms of specific policies. And what will you do in this coming session, like really get more specific with it rather than just allowing people to kind of say the right thing? It's like we want to be able to hold them accountable and we will follow up, you know, with those who are elected and say, hey, you you said you would do this during this session, this legislative session. How's that going? And not only how's that going? But also like, how can we help? How can we support you to get some of these policies over the finish line?

[00:23:03] Yeah, of course. And Richard, what time? But he's asking, what plans do you have to get more people to respond? And what do you plan to do with the results?

[00:23:17] Right. Do you want to take that page or you want me to?

[00:23:24] We'll hear what we are planning to do with the result. Myself and another intern, Emily, are going to begin posting some. Checklists of certain questions. Kind of like spotlighting. Certain candidates that support most of the questions that we ask, burning sustainable transportation.

[00:23:55] Rally on social media.

[00:24:00] Right. So that would be a way for us to highlight the candidates that had strong positions and use our platform.

[00:24:07] That kind of highlight that.

[00:24:10] And then I would say in terms of getting additional responses, you know, we are bumping up getting pretty close to the primary at this point. So. Is limited time. I mean, folks could still submit, but they're really running out of time at this point. But we're definitely going to do this again. I would say in future elections and get it out early or next time and do a little more of that outreach effort. But I would say I'm pretty happy that, you know, having done this for the first time and many of the candidates haven't necessarily interacted with our organization before. But we still saw dozens of candidates filling out.

[00:24:50] So I think that was really great for for a first run out. And we'll continue to improve going forward with that.

[00:24:59] Certainly. So we've been talking about it a lot. And I was just wondering if you could explain a little bit deeper about what's happening on Tuesday.

[00:25:10] Yeah.

[00:25:12] So we'll be having a panel with candidates running for governor. To our knowledge, this is the first panel reform being held on subsample transportation in Vermont. So we're very excited to bring this conversation further after the success from our questionnaire. My guest will be answering questions from the host. And viewers will also be able to put questions for them to answer as well.

[00:25:46] In which politician will be offended?

[00:25:50] David Zuckerman, Rebecca Holcomb and Patrick Winburn.

[00:25:56] OK.

[00:25:58] So, you know, we had we had put it out to all the Cuban Antaria candidates. But we're happy. I mean, we got two of the major.

[00:26:10] Two of the major candidates for Vermont governor, the lieutenant governor and the secretary of education. Zuckerman and Hall firm, respectively. And so to have them both in there as well as windburn and additional Democratic candidate. We're really excited to to really get into it with these candidates about sustainable transportation and and highlight, you know, their platforms and ask them ask them the tough questions.

[00:26:40] Well, I really appreciate both of you answering all of my questions now that I think the viewers and I have a much better idea of this questionnaire, of this forum that's happening on Tuesday.

[00:26:52] I think it's a good time to maybe open up this discussion to the viewers. I know there's some questions starting with Kofman section and we have another incident in the stream that can bring up. But before I do that, I just want to ask Jack and Page like to start this off. What questions do you want to see? Asked and answered? Tuesday.

[00:27:19] You can go first. That's right. Unless you want me to. Now, I just, I guess.

[00:27:26] Since I was working closely with Ashton there, I asked with questions about why they answered the way they did.

[00:27:37] Was some of them answered different from others? Just to start that conversation between Manmohan Singh. What is differing between them, right?

[00:27:49] It's it's nice in a way. Like we're coming into the forum with a foundation of knowledge about where these candidates stand and where they differ. So we can use that to really ask questions that really highlight the different visions that the candidates have, as well as highlight the areas that they do have consensus. So I think both of those things are really important. And I think the idea with this questionnaire and the idea with Tuesday is let's let's get a little more real about it. And what I mean by that is a lot of the transportation policy and the kind of policy that has come out of the legislature has been, you know, there's been some steps in the right direction. But when you look at the end report and you look at transportation emissions, we're not even remotely close to the reductions that are needed. So let's really have a conversation about the policies that would actually reduce emissions on the level that are necessary to achieving climate goals.

[00:28:49] That's what I think we can bring to the table at Sustainable Transportation Vermont. And with this form is to push the conversation much further than kind of the smaller solutions that have come up so far in the statehouse.

[00:29:06] And I know you're saying like you thinks this may be the first forum that is discussing some more constitutional.

[00:29:14] So hopefully this goes further to the discussion and maybe happens in more forums. It's deeper and deeper into the conversation. But I'm going to bring up Jake Tapper, who's also a sustainable transportation Vermont intern, and perhaps he has some questions to ask me that you once asked.

[00:29:40] We think it has a go and then having you. Well, thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I am sorry if I if this question was asked on the questionnaire and I missed it. I was dealing with extensive maintenance. People said to dip out for a second.

[00:29:57] But I was curious if any or all of the candidates would advocate for revamping New England's rail system.

[00:30:04] And if so, how would they go about doing so?

[00:30:06] Because so wonderful. We have the wonderful we have infrastructure in place.

[00:30:09] And, you know, certainly putting more money into it would only increase the ridership, but also the quality of the system.

[00:30:21] Personally, yeah.

[00:30:23] Now, that's that's great, Jacob. That's great. And Brian, I know. I think Bob, the green guys trying to get in as well to the conversation and join us. Which is awesome. Bob has been covering these issues in Vermont for years and years and has livestream, so many forums and so many conversations. So I think his perspective on this is really valuable in terms of what we could do on Tuesday to really highlight this. But yeah. Jacob, I think the real one is huge because we actually didn't ask about rail in the question.

[00:30:57] And so that's a really good one to to highlight. Thank you.

[00:31:05] You have any other questions that you want to hear? OK. Now that was it. Thank you so much.

[00:31:11] Yeah, course. If you decide you have another question, just way that we can bring back or whatever. But thank you.

[00:31:19] Of course. Thanks for having me.

[00:31:22] So I haven't seen Bob on the screen yet, but with your watching, you have any questions about logging on this person in the comment section.

[00:31:32] And we'll be able to help you, but we have to question people. And she's wondering, does S.A.T. endorse candidates who support sustainable transportation policies?

[00:31:46] So this time around, I think this time around, we're not doing endorsements, but like Paige said, we are going to showcase which candidates, you know, answered strongly on in terms of the questions that we ask them. But it's something that we, I think are discussing and thinking about. Year.

[00:32:09] Yeah, I see.

[00:32:12] I see Bob in the house. So I don't know. I don't know if he's in or not, but.

[00:32:20] Food for thought.

[00:32:25] Never bothered, could join in again. Or you could just.

[00:32:35] Or you can just ask your question in the first chat if you want. Maybe.

[00:32:50] Is anyone else trying to get an.

[00:32:54] No, not right now, but if anyone is trying this question free.

[00:33:00] The question on one section.

[00:33:04] Are there any other questions to Jackson Page? Is there anything else that now you're thinking about that you want to hear us?

[00:33:15] Well, I do see that Richard Watts just chimed in. And Richard, if you want to jump in with us, feel free. You had posted the link, right, Brianna? I would join you. OK. But, yeah, Richard has been working and advocating around this I 89 study about why banning certain parts of eighty nine and adding assets and just making basically huge investments in car infrastructure and highway infrastructure, which we think is the exact opposite place that public dollars should be going right now and will actually further deepen our our challenges with transportation rather than helping us shift. So yeah, that could be a really good one. I think Richard's right.

[00:34:02] That could be a good one to ask candidates about. On Tuesday. If they support those investments in those studies to add eggs to the NSA, I think many people just see that as.

[00:34:18] Oh, yeah, that'll make it easier for people to commute. And it could ease congestion and stuff like that. But new lanes, new exits, new infrastructure hasn't typically been shown to actually decrease congestion because it it induces more demand.

[00:34:34] Typically.

[00:34:41] I can't hear you, Brianna. I see you tried to.

[00:34:46] You know, I bought Romario.

[00:34:50] I'm great. Are you? I'm just so impressed with the survey that you all put together and ask such great questions. And I was sitting here a few minutes before the thing started, you know, making some notes and trying to figure, you got you covered at all. I have nothing to contribute. That's awesome. On that note, I do want to say something about the rail idea. I do support rail in Vermont and we need to really rethink a very old industry in a new way. David is different course. Everyone in this circle probably knows her. This rectangle probably knows that he's got trains ready to go. That could be used to move people around the state of Vermont and stuff around. And it's crazy that it's. It is part of the old industry. And just trying to to get through what the options are really is challenging. So we'll see what the future holds for that. The only other thought I had was really in that thinking about transportation from different perspective, like eliminating it entirely.

[00:36:02] I was looking at it from the standpoint of efficiency, Vermont and there they have they're doing an initiative for all fuels where they'll be working towards saving energy and stuff on all fuels. And with Vermonters spending, you know, two point one billion dollars a year on fossil fuel and one point seven billion of that leaving our state, I just can't believe that anybody thinks that that's a sustainable business model. It simply is not. So finding all of our energy sources that are available to us now within the boundaries of our state or or working with communities around Vermont, like in New York and New Hampshire and even Maine when it comes to developing pellets and woodchips for biomass, for heating. And I wouldn't do it necessarily for electricity, but I certainly would for heating. But what that means is that we're able to. Move closer together. Finding areas I was driving around Montpelier recently and noticed a couple of what I called accessory dwelling units that sort of popped up in the backyard of places. And it reminded me that about a year ago I had recorded a presentation in Lebanon, New Hampshire, at the library. There there was over 100 people in the room for a presentation on accessory dwelling units. There were bankers there. There were builders there. There were homeowners there who had backyards who were saying, hey, I could put a grandma unit in the backyard. You know, the reality is we need to be finding and supporting our local downtowns like Springfield, Vermont, and these smaller towns that have the infrastructure in place for power, for water, for septic. All you have to do is pop in an accessory dwelling unit and you can do it pretty inexpensively.

[00:38:06] So companies like what's the one in Wylder Vermont called?

[00:38:13] Sorry, it's not coming to me at the top of my head. Maybe it will. They build net zero housing and they bring it on a trailer and they can stack them. They can put them in different shapes and sizes and all that.

[00:38:29] So when you have a job that's within walking distance of your accessory dwelling unit, your home, then that's it. That's a great way to eliminate much the same way efficiency. Vermont trying to go full circle here. Efficiency Vermont works on eliminating the need for the energy to begin with. So if we can figure out ways that we can eliminate the need for the energy to move ourselves around, then we've done a great service.

[00:38:59] And to be honest with you, I mean, what I really wanted to say was, yes, CO2 great. If we can cut our CO2, that would be terrific.

[00:39:08] But we're in the middle of a pandemic and the I'll call you all youth, but people of the younger age than me.

[00:39:20] We're stealing from your future and we really can't. I can't do that in good conscience. That's why I go to all these things and record them or stream them live just to educate folks to be able to make better choices for now and into the future. I mean, yeah, gas is cheap. So, you know what all the people in my neighborhood are buying for will drive four door pickup trucks jacked up to the hilt and they drive around in them and there's nothing in the back. There's now they have the right to do that. And gas prices are are driving that. And that's why when I saw that the interest in TCI, which is fantastic, I've got a bunch of interviews that and presentations that I've recorded through the whole TCI thing.

[00:40:09] And I'm hopeful that we get a governor that will support that. We you know, I could go on and on. I mean, you know, we we have our work cut out for us. And I couldn't be more proud than to have you all working on this and so effectively and you using platforms like this really well. I'm not at every one on Friday, but I sure watch every recorded one. If I miss one live, it's really, really important what you're doing. Getting this word out.

[00:40:39] And I'm thrilled that candidates participated in the poll that says a lot about the candidates that are running. I have to say, I watched a lieutenant governor forum recently for the Republicans and. I'm not sure who they are representing, but I sure didn't feel like anything they shared represented the things that I think are important for the state. It was kind of scary. If you get a chance, go find out who these people are and and really make make choices for you. And the last thing I'll say is contact your town clerk and get your ballot by mail. You can deliver it in person if you want. You don't have to mail it back and worry about whether or not anything's funny happening in the Postal Service. But it's great because it gives you the chance to go down through the list and go, OK. Who is this person? Just the other day, I streamed an event for the Orange County Democratic Committee and their forum that they do every year for both the well, for the Democrats, but specifically for the lieutenant governor's race and for the governor's race.

[00:41:56] And Don Hooper from Brookfield was the moderator, did a great job under the circumstances, too. It was not in the Strafford townhouse like they normally do it, which is this beautiful building. But they it was really interesting to see the questions and and hear the answers. And there was a lot of interest. A lot of people participated. So go you on Tuesday. How are we gonna be a we going to be able to watch this event on Tuesday and you'll tell us all about it?

[00:42:26] Yeah. Okay, cool. Yeah, it'll be on our Facebook page at five lives, just like the toxic farm. And it also can't make it. We'll be on our YouTube channel. Great. Yeah. Thank you so much for all that.

[00:42:41] So it was a lot, but now I just think it's so important what you're doing. And I just couldn't be more proud of all of you for for the effort you're putting in. It's it's fantastic.

[00:42:53] And like, likewise to you. And we really appreciate it. And I'm so glad you were able to join us today on a lot on a short notice.

[00:43:01] Well, I thought it was short notice, but I've been I've been tracking you guys for a while, so I just I couldn't pass up the chance. So thank you very much.

[00:43:10] Pleased to be here. So thanks. Yeah. Thank you.

[00:43:16] And I think was. I'm sorry, Brianna. No, go ahead. I was going to switch off.

[00:43:21] Yeah. No, I was just going to say, you know, but some of what Bob hit on was around its density and housing and having people live closer to where they work. And so much of that comes down to local policy, as Bob mentioned, whether it's 80 new regulations or zoning. And Marshall DeSoto, who works for this Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission. He had commented as well, just asking about some Burlington policy around.

[00:43:56] Minimum parking requirements and a few different communities in Vermont have been shifting policy around, that's because right now the kind of norm is that any new development that comes in is that municipalities and towns and cities, they require those developers to build very large amounts of parking.

[00:44:17] But a lot of people are rethinking that and Burlington is rethinking that. And and actually, what we're doing in Burlington is not only eliminating those minimum requirements for for a lot of the city. That's what we're discussing, but also implementing sustainable transportation requirements. So actually requiring developers to support their tenants in terms of walking, biking, taking transit and providing support in that way rather than simply giving everyone a parking space for free.

[00:44:51] So a lot of it is local policy and the state can do a lot to enable that local policy and encourage it.

[00:44:58] But we all need to be working in our own communities to make sure that we're we're building out density and creating the infrastructure so that people can get around more sustainably.

[00:45:12] The more I remember Ellie Outhred for a little bit about herself. So that's why it's make walkable imposible.

[00:45:27] But I think that was my last question. So if anyone has questions as the as the days follow on to Tuesday, feel free to message just on Facebook, very Instagram.

[00:45:41] And we will probably read them and make sure that they're answered. But thank you, everyone, for being here. Thank you. You, Zach. Thank you, Bob. Thank you. Thank you, everyone.

[00:45:56] Thank you.