iBrattleboro.com - I Ask For Your Vote...

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I Ask For Your Vote...

Authored by: annikee on Tuesday, February 10 2009 @ 05:38 PM GMT+4

I wish a lot more of the younger set would be as engaged as Scott. Good luck, Scott, I'll be voting for you.

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".. failure of an ideal..is harder for the world to forgive and forget than.. the grand swindles of corrupt politicians" LM Alcott

I Ask For Your Vote...

Authored by: cgrotke on Tuesday, February 10 2009 @ 06:30 PM GMT+4

Nice campaign page - thanks for the link.

What are your thoughts on the proposed 1% local sales tax? There hasn't
been much discussion of it, but it is part of what the Selectboard is
sending to Town Meeting Reps.

Would that sort of thing be enough for you to vote down the budget?

Gotta Story...

Authored by: ScottMcCarty on Tuesday, February 10 2009 @ 06:53 PM GMT+4

Got a story to share: I went down to Bruggers yesterday for a bagel and something to drink while I was running errands with the dog. Two bagels and a juice (ON TOP) of the meal tax we already have in place cost me about $11 with my favorite cream cheese. What's wrong with this picture?

Granted, this is Bruggers and you don't need to know my diet, but this underscores the point that I've been making for years that the meals and rooms tax that we have in place is incredibly unfair to local businesses and most importantly, to consumers. There is a post on my website regarding taxation.

The Selectboard is wise to send this to Town Meeting and letting the Representatives make up their minds. Bravo, to them.

I'd like to hear from small business owners on Main Street and see how they feel about a 1 percent increase or even a new tax for overall sales. Questions on what the tax would apply to should also be asked such as: food, clothing, equipment, ect. After a certain amount in a purchase, does the tax become void?

Now, your question over whether I would vote against the budget because I disagreed with a tax is NO. There is a lot of good in our budget and a lot of good projects. The Financial Office and the Selectboard take a great deal of time putting together a balanced budget and I applaud them for that.

Sometimes, we have to create consensus and bite the bullet. If the tax is inserted into the budget and there is no way of withdrawing it and voting on it separately, I will vote for the budget. If there is a way to amend the budget by voting on the tax separately, I would make a motion to do so so we can discuss it as an independent and separate amendment.

However, I will be speaking to Main Street vendors along with Martha, Dick, John, Jesse and Rich about the tax and see how they feel about it. I'd like to know their merits and also community members sentiments on the issue.

Public Service?

Authored by: tomaidh on Wednesday, February 11 2009 @ 01:42 AM GMT+4

From your website: "right out of college I was appointed to three town committees by our Selectboard."
I think one of them was the Development Review Board. A friend who sits on that board remarked to me that you never show up. Is that what you call Public Service?

Public Service?

Authored by: ScottMcCarty on Wednesday, February 11 2009 @ 02:09 AM GMT+4

I've actually never missed a DRB meeting. You can check our minuets to confirm that and also refer to the video footage from all DRB meetings.

You may be referring to the Agriculture Advisory Board. Meeting times for those group sessions have sometimes conflicted with either my job (which involves me being in all parts of the state at all hours) and also my graduate school search. If I check my calendar, I believe I have only missed 3 Ag Board meetings and I've always checked with the Planning Office to let them know I may not be able to make it and to get up to date on the meeting. In fact, Ag Board meetings are often scarcely attended because farmers can't make it to the meetings because they have to tend to their properties. Granted, not a great excuse but I always try my best to make it to my meetings and fulfill my obligations.

I hope that answers your question.

Thanks for the post.

Public Service?

Authored by: tomaidh on Thursday, February 12 2009 @ 02:20 AM GMT+4

I apologize, Scott. It was a case of mistaken identity and jumping to conclusions.

Public Service?

Authored by: ScottMcCarty on Thursday, February 12 2009 @ 02:39 PM GMT+4

No harm, no foul.

Scott - A Couple of Questions

Authored by: SkiDoc on Thursday, February 12 2009 @ 03:58 PM GMT+4

Would you please take a look at the questions that I asked Jeffrey who is also running for district 3 and let me know what your views are on these matters? Thanks.

An Answer About Free Enterprise

Authored by: ScottMcCarty on Thursday, February 12 2009 @ 04:41 PM GMT+4

Hopefully, I can do my political science and history professors justice with this question.

Free enterprise is another word for capitalism. I believe in capitalism. I believe firmly in the free market and competition that it creates. Competition means lower prices for goods (by definition, although this is not always the practice) and it creates a healthy system of choice for consumers. It is one of the most defining pillars of our liberalism - that the free market system allows America and yes, even Brattleboro, to compete anywhere in the world from the smallest village to the largest city.

However, what we have seen down on Wall Street is not the free market but bold face corruption of the public trust and the neglect by SOME of our leaders of the financial sector. The government should have some oversight and should keep an eye on market. Nevertheless, our government didn't do this and because we had some folks in charge in Washington that were so free market that they firmly believed that we leave the economy alone and it will take care of itself.

If the Great Depression showed us anything - it is that the government should provide a helping hand when needed. Some would claim that this economic stimulus package that President Obama is planning on signing tomorrow is socialism or the end of the free market because its full of "government provided jobs" and "government intervention."

The free market cannot survive on its own. Government and people need to work together to expand our market system. Because the taxpayers now have a vested interest in bailed out companies like AIG, we technically own a piece of that market.

Government and the free market must work together in order for us to have a strong economy. Government leaders must project confidence in the market and must provide oversight of the market to prevent what happened in the last few months from occurring again. Furthermore, the market must be transparent, ethically sound and dedicated to expanding the wealth and vitality of the American enterprise and experiment.

Now, your question about "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is a fair question. Why is it today that good people (myself included) who pay their taxes and try desperately to obey the laws of our communities, are active participants in democracy and live quiet lives suffer the most? Why is it, that our country is letting good people go hungry, young people from receiving a good college education or letting the poor freeze on a winter night. Are we not all entitled to those same standards of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Yes, we are entitled to it. Unfortunately, more people are under the impression that you have to "earn" your liberty; earn your happiness and earn your life.

So, we are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Do people pursue these pillars? Yes, everyone does in their own way. My parents pursued these three pillars by coming to Brattleboro and starting their lives. They pursued happiness by doing what they love: teaching and practicing law. Moreover, they achieved liberty by becoming independent and dedicate members of the community. I, myself, have pursued a life dedicated to public service and education. I took liberty when I attended the University of Vermont (2 hours north) and the happiness..well, my pursuit is still being measured and still being worked out. But I'm sure I'll find it eventually or it will find me.