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International Fixed Price Project Specialist, Risk Manager, Strategic Planner, Continuous Improvement Advocate, Project Development Specialist.
Proven executive with an international record of accomplishment leading operations and business development for 35 years in all aspects of high technology leadership and project management in the multi-billion dollar range. Succeeded in various leadership positions at Fortune 500 companies in the aerospace and defense sectors in Middle East, Europe, Far East and US.
Senator elected in the 2022 and 2024 elections serving on the following committees:
o Vice Chairman – Senate Education Committee
o Senate Economic Development and Housing Committee
o Former Vice Chairman – Senate Health and Welfare
As Vice Chairman of the Senate Education Committee for the past four years, I have been closely involved in examining Vermont’s nationally most expensive education costs, sharply declining student population, and declining proficiency results. In many parts of the state, high schools only a few miles apart each graduate just a few dozen students. As a matter or priority, we must address this debilitating and critical issue for our students and communities.
During my two years on the Senate Economic Development and Housing Committee, I examined Vermont’s housing costs and availability in depth. What I found was startling.
Compared with New Hampshire, Vermont’s permitting process adds more than $150,000 per housing unit, whether it is 1, 2, or 3 bedroom homes or apartments. We must immediately reduce these cost drivers by making permitting faster, less expensive, and more predictable. This includes reforming highly restrictive and costly requirements established under Acts 250 and Act 181.
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Candidate For Office
Dave Wolk
I love Rutland. I was born and raised here, educated in the schools, Middlebury College, UVM and Harvard. Almost my whole life of over 51 years of public service here in Rutland County, as a counselor, principal at all levels, superintendent, Vt. Commissioner of Education, and President of Castleton for 16 years. I served in the Senate 38 years ago, from 1988-92. Most recently I served as Rutland County Asst Judge, so I have uniquely served in all three branches of government. I am running as an Independent and furthermore my campaign is only supported by individual contributions, with no money accepted from lobbyists, political action committees or parties. In this way I am only beholden to voters. Did I mention that I love Rutland?
The Governor appointed me to the School Redistricting Task Force. I learned more than I already knew about the financial challenges facing schools in Vermont. From my experience as a superintendent and commissioner of education, and knowing about how schools are funded in other states, it is very clear to me that the first step should be combining back office functions by region, benefiting from volume buying, unified accounts receivable and payable, HR, and other finance and budget functions. Bulk purchasing alone for all the school districts is likely to save a significant amount of money. This could be done now, rather than waiting for voluntary mergers. Economies of scale will work in Vermont as they have elsewhere.
I am hearing loud and clear about local frustrations with delays in the permitting process, while responsible developers wait in the wings ready to build affordable housing. There are certain examples of success in building new housing, but there are so many projects ready to go. It seems like there is a bureaucratic stranglehold on many projects, and the majority of folks I have listened to on the campaign trail believe that there are many land use and zoning decisions that can and should be made at the local level. The repeal of the pertinent sections of Act 181 was necessary.
