Midpoint in this year’s legislative session we are putting a spotlight on our 2009 Legislative Agenda to highlight our recommendations. As Vermont feels the effects of the economic downturn, legislators are under intense pressure to respond. Voices believes that that response must reflect the values of community and common purpose expressed by our state motto: “Freedom and Unity.” We must work together to weather the economic storm, and we must make sure that no one gets left behind. We need to keep our public structures intact and protect our most vulnerable, while keeping an eye on the future.

We believe that the positions and recommendations in Voices’ Agenda live up to the state motto. Our Agenda covers issues that range from child nutrition, to early care and education, to environmental health, to paid sick days — many of which have been or will be highlighted in other installments of Spotlight on Vermont’s Kids. As legislators work to complete the budget and resolve a host of other issues, Voices urges our elected officials never to forget that our children are our future. Supporting our children today so that they can thrive is the best route to a bright and prosperous tomorrow.