MONTPELIER — Peter Galbraith, a former Democratic state senator from Windham County, launched his campaign for governor Tuesday, promising to change a system of government that favors special interests over regular Vermonters.

“I am a candidate for governor of Vermont,” Galbraith said at a State House news conference Tuesday morning. “This is a remarkable state, but that doesn’t mean we should continue to do things as we have.”

Galbraith, 65, served two terms in the Senate before announcing in 2014 that he would not seek re-election. The former diplomat was appointed United Nations’ Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan in 2009, and served as the first U.S. ambassador to Croatia under former President Bill Clinton.

Galbraith, who will join a Democratic gubernatorial primary that already includes Matt Dunne, a former Windsor County state senator, and Sue Minter, a former secretary of the Agency of Transportation, promised he would run the state differently than others. He outlined economic proposals with liberal, populist tones, similar to those espoused on a national scale by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Democratic candidate for president.

“I am running to change a system in Montpelier that too often favors the special interests over the broader public interest. I’m running to change a system that considers economic development to be taxpayer subsidies to large corporations and tax breaks for the affluent. And I’m running to promote economic justice and policies that diminish inequality,” he said.

Galbraith said his economic platform will begin “by paying Vermonters fairly.” He said he would ask the Legislature to immediately enact a $12.50 per hour minimum wage, with gradual increases to $15 per hour.

“A higher minimum wage is the best anti-poverty program that Vermont could enact. It provides a much needed economic stimulus as low-wage workers spend almost all their extra income, and they spend it locally,” Galbraith said. He said Republicans often say Vermont is not an affordable place to live, but “a 20 percent increase in the minimum wage will make Vermont more affordable to those who struggle the most.”

Boosting the minimum wage will be good for those at the high end of the state’s economic spectrum, too, Galbraith said.

“I say to wealthier Vermonters, a minimum wage hike is also good for you. It is time for taxpayers to stop subsidizing the labor costs of low-wage employers who rely on government programs in order to be able to pay their workers as little as they do,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vermont “needs a tax system that is fair,” he declared, noting that as a senator he voted against special interest tax breaks and as governor he will seek their repeal.

“Our tax code is riddled with special interest tax breaks and deductions that overwhelmingly benefit the well-off,” he said. “Every tax break for a special interest is a tax increase on everyone else and this has to stop.”

Galbraith took aim as well at the state’s economic development strategies, criticizing efforts to woo big companies as “corporate welfare and a squandering of public monies.” He said 98 percent of the jobs in Vermont are “home-grown,” and a “reality-based economic development strategy” should be the state’s main focus.

“Competing with other states in how many tax dollars we give to companies to move to Vermont or stay in Vermont is a sucker’s game that we cannot win,” Galbraith said. “Why do people open a business in Vermont? Because it is a great place to live. We have some of the country’s best schools. We have a low crime rate, we are one of the healthiest states and we protect the environment. We care for one another and we should focus our resources on maintaining quality public services, and not on multi-million dollar gifts to companies that move jobs to Switzerland in order to escape U.S. taxes.”

Galbraith’s liberal message diverts a bit when it comes to energy policy, however. Galbraith said he led an effort in the Senate to ban fracking. But he is also firmly opposed to large wind projects. He said he sponsored “the first bill in the Legislature to protect our ridgelines and public lands from industrial wind turbines,” drawing cheers and applause from wind power opponents who gathered at the State House on Tuesday.

“Global warming is the most serious long-term threat that our planet faces, but this doesn’t mean that all solutions make sense. Giant turbines and the roads built to construct and service them are destroying Vermont’s most pristine ecosystems, adversely affecting the ability of wildlife to adapt to climate change,” he said. “And, there is an issue of economic justice here. Large corporations have chosen mostly to locate wind projects in the most remote and poorest communities in our state. In short, in the very places where people are least able to fight back.”

He said he will encourage “properly sited solar development,” hydroelectric power and energy conservation efforts.

“Dollar for dollar, conservation is the best investment in … green energy that we can make. Unfortunately, conservation has not been the priority it should be. Utilities do not make money on the kilowatt that is not generated,” he said.

Also, Galbraith promised to pursue bold health care initiatives, criticizing Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin, who is not seeking re-election after three terms, for abandoning his effort to implement a single-payer health care system. He said he would seek an “incremental” path to a single-payer system.

“I’m amazed at how quickly our elected leaders have dropped the issue. It is a fight I will continue with a subsidized public option on the exchange, and/or universal, publicly-financed primary care. And whatever I propose will come with a plan to pay for it,” he said.

Galbraith, who appeared at a March 10 news conference with Dunne to denounce corporate campaign contributions, said he will move to ban them.

“If I’m elected, I will ask the Legislature to conform Vermont law to a federal law that has outlawed corporate contributions to federal candidates since 1907,” he said.

Galbraith said he decided to jump into the race to raise issues that were not being raised by other candidates. He highlighted a recent newspaper headline that states there were “few differences” between candidates at a forum.

“Rest assured, that headline will not be written from now on,” he said. “Elections are about choices. My candidacy gives voters the choice to support a higher minimum wage, to eliminate special-interest tax breaks and corporate subsidies, to expand publicly-funded health care, to ban corporate campaign contributions and to protect our ridgelines.”

Galbraith has significant personal wealth stemming from an investment in NDO, a Norwegian oil company. His investment in an oil field in the Kurdistan region of Iraq netted him millions. Galbraith said he plans to outline his finances to Vermonters.

“I’m going to be releasing an accounting of my net worth and I’ll release my tax returns,” he said.

Galbraith said he is unsure if he will fund his own campaign. He said he expects to raise money for his campaign from Vermonters who support the issues he is addressing.

“I may be outspent, but I don’t think that’s going to matter. I think what’s going to matter are the choices that Vermonters want to make about the future of our state,” he said.

Galbraith, who had a reputation for being disliked by his Senate colleagues, disputed that assessment Tuesday, calling it “a fairy tale.”

“I make no apology for having stood up for progressive values. When you do that, when you take some of the issues that I’ve taken, you annoy the special interests,” he said. “Sometimes I forced them to vote on issues they didn’t want to vote on. But that’s the job of the elected representative.”

neal.goswami @timesargus.com