Northern Vermont University- Johnson student, Mike King, is running for house seat.

King is running because he feels Lamoille county isn’t represented very well by Montpelier, mainly the working class and the working poor. He describes himself as fiscally conservative and socially liberal.
King believes Vermont faces many problems that are not being properly addressed.

One of the main problems King wants to address is Vermont’s drug epidemic. He believes there should be harsher penalties for dealers and better accessible treatment for people who are suffering from addiction.

Another issue he says Vermont faces is taxes. He says the cost of housing and the cost of living is becoming a real problem for many. “I see our tax rates sky rocketing,” says King, “Our representatives are voting for 68 million dollars in tax increases.”

He says too many young people graduate and immediately leave the state because there are not enough job opportunities here.

King says he cares about personal rights of citizens and the second amendment. He claims gun violence isn’t a real issue here in Vermont. He also thinks mass shootings need to be addressed but doesn’t believe taking away citizens’ rights to guns will solve the problem of mass shootings. He argues that if you are old enough to join the military or be put on a jury, you should have the right to a firearm.

“They give us adult responsibility at 18 and say we’re responsible enough for those responsibilities but not enough to safely own a firearm,” says King.

King says he would like to see more environmental regulations regarding Lake Champlain and more legislation that holds larger entities like municipalities incorporations accountable for their actions. “I think protecting our people is important,” says King.

King believes pot legislation was mishandled because they tried to rush it. He is pro-legalization but believes there’s a huge tax revenue being ignored. He says he would like to see a free market with a simple permitting process.

He says he fears people operating motor vehicles under the influence and would like to see the saliva test implemented because THC, the main psychoactive component in cannabis, stays in the system for 30 days, making blood and urine tests faulty. He believes we shouldn’t use human judgment to determine when someone is under the influence. “Maybe he’s just tired but now suddenly he has a DUI because he smoked the night before,” says King.

“Edibles need to be strictly controlled,” says King. “Advertising should be handled like alcohol or tobacco and shouldn’t have flashy and loud ads that cater to children or attracts teenagers.”

King thinks we should have sting operations for those purchasing weed much like when purchasing alcohol.

King believes the cost of college is rising while aid services, like VSAC, don’t have funding increases to match it. He says he would like to see more programs and scholarships for low income people and that they should not only be available for traditional college but also for trade schools or nursing schools.

“It’s our responsibility to make sure that our youth is getting some sort of an education that makes them a better citizen and helps them make a livable wage,” says King, “Instead of focusing on raising minimum wage, we need to be working on educating and getting our youth better-paying jobs.”

Kings concern on this topic stems from his own personal experience growing up. “I came from nothing,” says King.

By trying to better himself financially, King has built two business, one of which was an antique store now in the process of closing and the other is a contracting company.

King never pictured himself running for house and never though of himself as a politician. Originally, he came to Johnson to pursue his passion for writing, but after having children, King decided he wanted to run to make Vermont a better place for them. He says they truly are his greatest motivation.