AT VERMONT COMMISSION ON WOMEN DEBATE, PHIL SCOTT DETAILS PLANS & PRIORITIES

Highlights influence of independent women in his life & support for equal pay, women’s rights, affordable childcare & STEM programs 

Middlesex, Vt. – At a gubernatorial forum focused on women’s issues on Thursday, Phil Scott, candidate for Governor, highlighted his commitment to women’s rights and working alongside the Vermont Commission on Women, and others, to help address the challenges women face in Vermont, and beyond.

Scott made it clear in the debate that, despite how his opponent’s surrogates have tried to paint him, he is pro-choice and supports both marriage equality and equal pay for equal work. Scott touted his record of supporting legislation to require equal pay for equal work regardless of gender, among other initiatives.

“Some of the most influential people in my life have been independent women,” he said, citing his mother – who became a single mom raising three sons, following the death of his father from wounds sustained in World War II – his Aunt Mary, and his two daughters. “It’s impossible to be a dad to daughters today and not see that there is still work to do. And I look forward to working with all of you to make sure every woman has equal opportunities,” added Scott.

Scott also doubled down on his commitment to enhancing early education opportunities and identifying new ways to make childcare more affordable, directly confronting dishonest attack ads released by his opponent’s proxies.

Highlighting the findings of the Picus Report – an independent study of Vermont’s educational spending – that identified more than $150 million of efficiency savings to be found in the current education system, Scott offered an impactful way to reinvest that money.

“Imagine if we dedicated $25 million to early education, another $25 million to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) training and took the other $100 million and returned it to taxpayers. I think this would be an enormous step in the right direction in both strengthening education and reducing property taxes,” said Scott.

Scott also laid out a vision for making childcare more affordable, highlighting the significance of the service in enabling parents to have jobs and raise families. One idea Scott proposed would be to work with communities to identify unused spaces that could be utilized by childcare providers in the community. This would significantly lower operational expenses, which would allow providers to offer lower rates and expanded capacity.

Finally, Scott drew attention to his comprehensive blueprint for economic growth, noting that focusing on the economy and affordability will help all Vermonters, and will help create more opportunities for women and address some of the core challenges they and their families face.
Read about Phil Scott’s plans at www.philscott.org