For opinion pieces on any topic.
Here is the Finance Committee Report for this year.
Following are most of the recommendations:
The Town finances are being handled competently.
The economy is very fragile.
Prime importance should be on making effective use of the $10 million development money that Entergy agreed to contribute to the region. Without good jobs and increased incomes we’ll be forced to make significant changes in the way we live.
THE POLICE AND FIRE FACILITIES PROJECT
It is not a mystery that the Selectboard placed the sales tax but not the Police/Fire Facilities project on the March 4th ballot as a straw or nonbonding vote. Were they on together both would have likely been voted down. Thus the Selectboard gave us only one choice. In the same way the P/F project itself was presented at Town Meeting as only one choice. Town Meeting Members were forced to accept it all even if only one piece, or none of it at all seemed necessary. It was as if the administration believed that citizen input had no place in the development of the project. Since the vote was taken any further questions have been dismissed with ‘it’s been voted on.’ Conversation over.
I’m turning 50 this year, which means I have 15-20 years to retirement age — if all goes well.
Let’s look at the news and see if things are going well. Lost airplane, Crimea, oh wait, what’s this? That might impact my retirement. You have my attention.
The article says collapses are a normal part of the cycle of civilization. Rome, for example. OK, we knew that. Nothing new there.
Isn’t it odd that the breasts, the amazingly life-sustaining part of the human body, are referred to as “boobs”, the definitions of which are 1. “a foolish or stupid person”, and 2. “an embarrassing mistake.”
To the Brattleboro Business Community,
The Brattleboro Area Prevention Coalition (BAPC) would like
to thank the businesses that participated in the Responsible Beverage Service Trainings held in March co-sponsored by the Department of Liquor Control.
BAPC recognizes the important role that local retailers and restaurants play in preventing underage drinking. Thank you to the following businesses for participating in the training:
Several years ago I advocated that courses in the humanities be offered and taught to those within Vermont who might have otherwise gone without the opportunities and benefits of these. For example: people living in poverty; people living homeless; persons incarcerated in jails, prisons or other institutions; people living in the throes of drug or alcohol addiction.
What I had been urging be established was for programs along the lines of the Clemente Course in the Humanities model (clementecourse.org).
I commend Chairman Feinstein for speaking so forcefully in defense of the indispensable role that Congress plays under our Constitution in overseeing the executive branch, and in particular the intelligence community. Chairman Feinstein described a troubling pattern of interference and intimidation by the CIA that raises serious questions about possible violations of the Constitution and our criminal laws. This only compounds the grave concerns I have had for years about the underlying conduct that the Senate Intelligence Committee has been investigating: the torture of detainees during the previous administration. I fully support Chairman Feinstein’s efforts to seek declassification of her committee’s report on the CIA detention and interrogation program.
WASHINGTON, March 11 – A Senate panel chaired by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) heard today that other major countries offer better health care at less cost than the United States.
“What this hearing is really about is two fundamental issues. First, the U.S., the wealthiest country on the planet, is the only major industrialized country in the world that does not guarantee health care as a right to its citizens. Should we consider joining the rest of the world? I’d argue we should,” Sanders said. “Second, the U.S. spends twice as much as other countries that have much better health outcomes. What can we learn from these countries?” asked Sanders, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging.
WASHINGTON, March 10 – As part of an all-night Senate discussion on climate change, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement from remarks prepared for delivery later tonight:
“The scientific community has been extremely clear. Climate change is real. Climate change is man-made. And climate change is already causing severe damage in terms of draught, floods, forest fires, rising sea levels and extreme weather disturbances.
“Given that reality, I find it extremely disturbing that virtually all of my Republican colleagues continue to ignore the scientific evidence and refuse to support legislation which will address this planetary crisis.
BURLINGTON, Vt., March 9 – In a dramatic gesture to urge action on climate change, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other members of the Senate Climate Action Task Force will pull an all-nighter speaking on the Senate floor from Monday night through Tuesday morning.
“When I go home to Vermont, people ask me what world the United States Congress is living in,” said Sanders. “They understand that the overwhelming majority of scientists agree that climate change is real, it is caused by human activity and it is causing devastating damage all over the world. They want us to act and take bold measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
For years I have been warning marijuana advocates not to take the easy way out by using medical marijuana as a wedge to “soften up” public sentiment. Regrettably, many marijuana patients had this “we need our medicine now” mentality. Too many medical marijuana people were self-interested only in their needs. Some even stated to me it was more important to legalize marijuana for medical needs than it was to legalize it for all adults. The fact that millions of Americans were and are trapped in the criminal justice gulag did not matter to them, just as long as they got their meds.
As I feared, medical marijuana only muddles marijuana legalization. In the long run, the advent of pundits pushing the medical angle did so at the expense of the larger marijuana consumer population.
Before releasing your pets via a “Free to good home” ad, please do some research on this problem and arrange a follow up plan so you can see that your beloved pets DO recieve the care and love they deserve. You can begin by typing “Free to good home” in Google and see the extent of risk of doing this. Pet-abuse.com has some great articles on this.
Brattleboro Town Selectboard will hold a pre-town meeting information forum on Wednesday, March 12 at Academy School beginning at 7:00 PM. Prior to the forum, each district will caucus begin at 6:30 PM. Town meeting members of each district will be available to meet with constituents to offer residents an opportunity to discuss articles to be voted on at the annual meeting.
Also, at that time, districts will be accepting nominations to fill town meeting member vacancies. Appointments are for one year. District 1 has 12 vacancies, District 2 has 13 vacancies and District 3 has 1 vacancy. Anyone interested in being considered for these positions should be present at Wednesday’s 6:30PM caucus. Classroom locations at Academy School for each caucus will be posted in the school lobby that evening.
Vermont is once again ranked as the least religious state in the country. Over half the people in our state are less likely to believe in God than the rest of the country. However, being the least religious state doesn’t stop the sectarian denominations from their power struggles for domain over man, land and beast. The upshot is that our state is a target for overt religious proselytizing.
Got the long winter blues? Want to make new friends in Vermont?Tired of meeting singles far away on the internet?
It is easy to meet people right here in Vermont who you might become personally interested in by volunteering for any political campaign.
For single people, Republican and Democratic campaign functions are a real “meet market”.
As an independent candidate, the best “meet market” I can offer you is to ask you to volunteer to collect political campaign signatures for me.
Transition Putney & Putney Library Present Film: MONEY & LIFE, Tues, March 4, 7- 9 p.m, at Putney Library
(Short discussion following the film.)
-What is real wealth?
-How can money serve people, rather than vice versa?
-What does it really mean to “make a living”, and how can we free ourselves from cycles of debt and consumption?
-How can we align our financial choices with our most deeply held values?
-What are the possibilities – and examples – of alternative monetary systems and currencies?
I decided to run as a write in candidate for the one year Brattleboro Select Board seat on March 4th. I figure that this should not be a walk-in. I am one of the District 3 reps and plan to continue as such. I do not support the present plans for the Police and Fire as they stand and know there are other alternatives and how this will effect the property taxes in the future. How many cuts can you make without shredding all of the necessary needs of this community?
Please write me in:
Kathryn Turnas II.
Dear President Maduro, slanderous Western media, promoting war and violence for capital gains of the mercilessly amoral automaton functioning speculative interest banking industry, has put you in their spotlight to better target you with defamation. This is then your opportunity to be heard a bit world-wide. In telling the truth about the USA, you will be protecting all of us, Venezuela included.
This morning we learn that there is a write-in candidate for the one year Brattleboro Selectboard seat. Former candidate Kathryn Turnas II announced her candidacy in an email this morning:
“I plan on running as a write-in candidate for the one year Select Board seat. If you decide to write me in please use Kathryn Turnas II.
Thanks in advance and see you at the polls.”
The issue that needs to be examined is the ‘claw back’ provision of Medicaid. Unfortunately, even many legislators are unaware of this problem. This provision in the law is punitive and prejudicial. It will be imposed only on the very poor – those who qualify for Medicaid. This is a death tax that will be imposed only on the very poor. Will poor unmarried citizens be ‘penalized’ for their low income and also for not having a spouse? Those who are dirt poor will now even have their dirt taxed away from any heirs. Of course, those with accountants, lawyers, financial planners can avoid this unfair tax – but poor people do not have that kind of support system.
