Updated below with details of a Burlington City Hall press conference Mayor Miro Weinberger called Saturday afternoon to refute Vermonters First’s claims.
First they supported statewide candidates. Then they tackled legislative races. Now Vermonters First, the big-spending, conservative super PAC, is going local.
The group’s latest mailer, which reached Burlington homes Saturday, targets a Queen City ballot item.
“Vote no on question 1. Say no to new debt,” it reads. “A tax increase is not a fresh start.”
That line appears to be a dig at Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger, who promised a “fresh start” during his successful mayoral campaign last winter. Weinberger has championed the $9 million ballot question, which seeks to refinance short-term borrowing made necessary by the Burlington Telecom fiasco with long-term bonding.
The ballot item requires two-thirds support from Burlington voters Nov. 6 in order to pass.
Thirteen of the city’s 14 city councilors support it. Its sole opponent, Republican Paul Decelles, tells Seven Days he worked with Vermonters First treasurer and consultant Tayt Brooks on the super PAC’s new mailer.
“We definitely talked about it,” Decelles says. “They ran some things by us and we ran some things by them.”
Decelles says he can’t quite recall whose idea the mailer was. He says he’s in close touch with Brooks, with whom he worked closely when Brooks managed former Republican city councilor Kurt Wright’s mayoral campaign against Weinberger. Decelles says he sees no problem with a super PAC delving into municipal politics.
“I see no issue with it,” he says. “I don’t necessarily have issues with super PACs in general trying to spread their message.”
Weinberger certainly does.
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Giving more money to the incompetent Burlington politicians that blew 50 MIL on Burlington Telecom would be like like giving a martini to an alcoholic.
The question is not about super packs because especially both Dems. and Reps. are using them, and anyone else that wants to. The question is about any and all of the issues being discussed. Whether a skateboard park, or healthcare. Get over the super pack issue because money is money and Rich Tarrant proved money is not anything. Super pack individual Tarrant with money equals the same as a pack with money. Get over it get involved study the issues and be informed. As far as the pissing match with McMullen over Sorell get over it. Bill eats with Howard and Randy eats with Tayt what you think their discussing? I bet it is not the morning shows on TV. DDDAAAAHHHH.
Dacelles is crafty. Always one step ahead 7days and sneaky. It’s amazing he continues to get reelected.
““I think it is misleading to say that this is a tax increase. Yes, people’s tax bill will go up”
Ummm Miro…
““We did not call this press conference because we have a problem with
opposition and healthy debate,†he said. “We did call it because I do
have a problem with (people who don’t agree with me)”
Miro….
“Asked what the difference was between Vermonters First’s efforts and
those of the Partnership for Burlington’s Future, Weinberger said,
“We’re going to end up having 20 contributors versus essentially one. I
think that’s a difference.â€
Is that a size 10 you have in your mouth or an 11? Too bad, I was really hoping Miro was going to rule from the middle, seemed like a stand up guy. Apparently another hypocrit liar making the calls from the Mayor’s Office.
A right-wing super PAC is spending money like a drunken sailor in an all-out effort to elect conservative Republicans in an overwhelmingly moderate-to-liberal Democratic state.
Now its spending money like a drunken sailor to defeat a ballot measure in the most liberal city in overwhelmingly moderate-to-liberal Vermont aimed at addressing the city’s long-term debt.
If Lenore Broughton wants to waste her money backing candidades and other ballot causes that have no chance of winning in this deep-blue state, that’s her perogative. But if you ask me, it’s as foolish as a liberal super PAC wasting its money backing liberal Democrats in blood-red Republican Utah.
The first SuperPAC to register in VT is a liberal Dem PAC started by former trash hauler turned lobbyist Bob Stannard. If he could have raised and spent as much $$ as Vermonters First, he would have,
Wouldn’t it be more foolish for a liberal super-PAC to waste money backing liberal Democrats in the bluest of blue states?
Wow, talk about cognitive disassociation! Does Miro really think his liberal PAC is a community service while opposing PACs are instruments of evil? Does he really think there’s a difference between a tax increase and a..well…tax increase? And how is Vermonters First a “secretive” organization, when 99% of its money comes from one Burlington resident? It’s the least secretive PAC in history.
And what’s with demonizing Lenore Broughton? I’m suspicious of corporate PACs too, but what’s wrong with a wealthy person doing what she thinks is right for her community? How is this any different than paying for a new park or public sculpture?
Miro has become infected with the same brain fungus as Bob Kiss. Better get a hazmat team in to disinfect that office.