Of the many unique Vermonters wishing to represent their district one name begs the question – who is VL Coffin?
VL is short for Voranus Lothrop, named after Lieutenant VL Coffin, a volunteer in the Civil War from Maine. Like his namesake who served as a senator, among other positions in Maine’s government around the time of Teddy Roosevelt, Mr. Coffin hopes to further a life marked with military service and leadership.
The fifty-seven year old Coffin, originally from Maine, came to Vermont in 1996 where he and his young family bought a house after which he joined the Vermont Army Guard. Among his many vocations he has worked loading, delivering and repairing furniture, maintained a pump station for the sewage authority in East Brunswick, driving trucks, operator in a mill (also in a talc mine), as well as with the Rockingham highway department. His introduction to hard work began with a paper route, followed by making donuts at a local bakery from 4am to 7am his junior year in high school and a stint unloading trucks with forklifts in a warehouse.
However manual labor was not his only interest as he learned the craft of magic working as a demonstrator for magic supplies which would lead to entertaining others in his spare time.
The town of Cavendish, along with the state of Vermont, may need someone to perform magic in order to repair the sleight-of-hand coming from the super majority in Montpelier who have spent the past decade or so making taxpayer money disappear from their savings as Vermont is now the second most taxed state in the union VL’s family fought to protect.
When asked why he wants to run for office he doesn’t hide his concern.
“I am running to make Vermont more affordable. The current super majority, in my opinion, has lost touch with the people they are representing and more focused on their personal agendas. As a representative I hope to restore balance to the statehouse so the average Vermonter can continue to lie here without overreaching polices that cripple them financially. We need to bring back a sense of fiscal responsibility to the legislature.”
Several business owners have asked him to run but feel they cannot openly support him because they fear they will lose customers. This trend is one found throughout the hyper-blue Green Mountain state as political intimidation is yet another practice employed by those in power. However, like is seen with Lt. Governor candidate John Rodgers, even life-long Democrats in Vermont are willing to change party affiliation from the party they no longer recognize. A party that has failed to protect the very things that make Vermont the little emerald jewel New England is famous for – farming, natural beauty, and a safe haven for families attracted to rural blessings rather than big city life.
With a heart for veterans and the elderly VL voices their concerns. “The same rising costs are having a negative effect on people with disabilities and fixed incomes. They feel their voices are being ignored.”
When asked which bills or policies concern him most, he is quick to name Act 18 and Act 153. Act 18, the Clean Heat Standard, “cannot be allowed to pass in January,” says Coffin. “Even the super majority pushing it has no set cost for it or even hot to figure ‘carbon tax credits’. Vermont cannot afford to be the test bed for this new form of taxation and digital currency.”
If elected, Mr. Coffin vows to vote “no” to higher taxes and fees while working with other legislators, including those across the aisle, to find workable solutions and remove pet projects. Addressing the housing crisis, he states, “Our towns and villages need support to maintain roads and bridges. Act 250 reform is needed to allow people to build homes on their rural land without the tens of thousands of dollars and hoops to jump through. Also, addressing Vermont’s recent struggles with flooding, he recognizes that “towns need to be able to clear debris from their local waterways to help with flood mitigation.”
Rather than attempting to be everything to everyone, Coffin has a clear vision for how he will spend his time: focusing on the critical infrastructure and financial needs concerning the day-to-day needs of Vermonters while not getting distracted by the myriad societal concerns taking up resources for a few at the expense of the many.
FUN FACTS ABOUT VL:
Favorite books: Animal Farm, Battlefield Earth, the Oregon Files by Clive Custler (“I own all of them”)
Favorite movies: Cool Hand Luke, Star Wars (“the original”), Gone In 60 Seconds
Hobbies: Antique motorcycles, skydiving, downhill skiing
Favorite place to eat: Ramuntos in Bridgewater
Favorite music: A variety such as Grateful Dead – Ripple; Sparks – I Wish I looked Better; Mucky Pup – You Stink; Back Street Boys – Greatest Hits; Brad Paisley – Online
Wars in Which He Served: Iraq and Afghanistan
Life changing experiences: The births of his children; his mom falling in love again to a great man
Bucket list items: Learn to fly; set a land speed record
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