Candidate questionnaire: William 'Will' Greer
Each of the four candidates in the August 13 primary for two Democratic Party nominations from the Bennington-2 House District was asked by the Bennington Banner to respond to a questionnaire. We asked why they are motivated to run and what their priorities are. These are Mr. Greer’s responses:
It’s important to know about the range of issues while focusing on the most pressing concerns of our district. In consideration of that, I want to prioritize issues related to my set of skills and expertise: criminal justice, healthcare accessibility, and comprehensive tax reform.
We need to help our law enforcement — both state and local agencies — get the resources to do their jobs effectively. The Legislature must expand on S.14, S.17, and other bills that improve police resources and further support our social service programs that are working together with public safety to address our mental health and drug epidemic.
Healthcare accessibility is strained by the system’s demand and the limited labor supply. As a result, health insurance companies, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, project a 19 percent increase in premiums in fiscal year 2025.
This is just another example of cost pressures that Vermonters have to deal with. We have to invest in recruiting healthcare professionals and retaining our current workforce to stabilize Vermont’s healthcare market.
It’s time to address our state’s budgetary issues. We have seen property taxes increase significantly statewide over the past two years. Paying property taxes is not just a homeowner issue — renters also carry a proportional burden of the tax hike. The year over year property tax increases have to stop. Vermonters know how to balance their budgets and prioritize their spending — and our legislators need to be responsible with public spending as well.
I'm motivated by the issue that’s on every voter’s mind: taxes. Many households I speak with are worried about how they’re going to budget this year’s tax bill. We’ve lost sight of the things that matter most to voters, and I hope to do what I can to show people our leaders can be good stewards.
Good leadership means having to make hard choices. Some choices may not be popular, but legislation needs to be based on sound reason and what's right. Our current politics are made difficult by lawmakers focused on winning the next election rather than doing the right thing for their constituents.
If given the opportunity to serve in Montpelier, I will represent our interests and do my part for Bennington.
I’m an independent contractor for public policy issues and have previously worked in land title insurance. I'm a lifelong Episcopalian and member of St. Peter's Church.
I received my bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Bennington College. I serve as a Justice of the Peace in the town of Bennington and as Secretary of the Vermont Democratic Party.
Greer, 21, said he’s been interested in politics since his early teens growing up on a ranch in Texas near the U.S.-Mexico border. He moved to Vermont to attend college and has remained.
In Texas, Greer volunteered for a congressional campaign as a field organizer, and in 2020 served as a non-partisan election volunteer with the Texas Civil Rights Project.
In Vermont in 2022, Greer challenged longtime incumbent Bennington County High Bailiff Frederick Gilbar for that post and made the Democratic primary a contested one, losing on a vote of 1,804 to 1,727.
Greer also has served on the Bennington Community Policing Advisory Review Board.
The other candidates seeking November Democratic ballot nominations from the two-seat House district are Rep. Tim Corcoran II, Asher Edelson and Leon Johnson. Two will be nominated for the November 5 ballot.
The other incumbent in Bennington-2 is Rep. Dane Whitman, who isn’t running for another term.
