Issue Position: Keeping Promises to Seniors

Issue Position

While about 4,000 Vermonters turn 65 each year, our annual population growth is only about 200 new Vermonters. If we cannot attract and retain Vermont's next generation to build their lives and grow their families here, we cannot keep our promises to our seniors. As they rely more heavily on a fixed income and the amenities that help them thrive in their communities, we need to grow the tax base and grand list while encouraging savings and investment.

There are creative ways we can keep our communities vibrant and intergenerational. This can include supporting grandparents to raise their grandchildren in senior housing, inviting seniors to free breakfast and lunch offerings at our schools, and ensuring strong protections against elder abuse and exploitation. We can also build partnerships to help promote retirement savings as a supplement to Social Security. As we help seniors age with dignity and quality of life, we create savings that can be reinvested into support for senior facilities and programming. Healthy seniors means healthy families and communities.

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