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Comment Archives: Stories: News + Opinion
Re: “The Cannabis Catch-Up: What’s the Deal With Gifting?”
This lack of regulation and taxation is the result of the cocktail party held in Montpelier from January until June. For most of the legislators,( 90%), it is a way to spend the winter, party it up, and for some scoff down cake and cookies until winter goes away. Not only that, you get a room-meals and travel allowance that you can fake figures on and collect more than is due. Ask the senate pro-tem how that works. Ethics? Are you kidding me.
Posted by
Walter Moses
on 07/21/2018 at 11:28 AM
Re: “Proof Negative: Auditor Documents Lack of Evidence for Business Incentives”
Marc Huelette:
Vindictive reputation? Bullying comments on message boards? Says who??
If youre so hot to oppose Doug Hoffer for auditor, by all means, run. Theres not a thing to stop you (assuming youre a voting citizen of Vermont). So much for the personal attack.
There is nothing pro-stagnation about suggesting that bribing businesses to come to Vermont is a pretty lame way to promote the states economy. In fact, pretty much the only rationale that anyone seems to come up with once questioned even slightly - is everyones doing it.
I tried that rationale out when I was about 4-5 years old. It didnt go over too big then; doesnt (or shouldnt) work any better now.
If you think Hoffers analysis is wrong, by all means show us why. If not, save the tiresome rhetoric and memes for those who want to listen to this kind of crap.
Posted by
JohnGreenberg
on 07/21/2018 at 10:31 AM
Re: “The Cannabis Catch-Up: What’s the Deal With Gifting?”
When legislators are too stupid to make common sense decisions, it's nice to see businesses ride to the rescue. Taxpayers lose, but apparently stupidity rules over legislation in Vermont. Keep smoking those cancer sticks and guzzling grain alcohol, while our legislators figure out how to legalize comparatively harmless weed 50 years too late.
Posted by
Penelope
on 07/21/2018 at 10:02 AM
Re: “Walters: Former Sanders Adviser Named in Manafort Trial Documents”
Mmmm me think Socialist Sanders should also be investigated ... I mean, after all, he's supposed to be investigated now for bank fraud that his wife committed. by the FBI.. Yet Sanders like having crooks surround him, he had one from NY with him for a weekend at his summer home on the lake. Hey, Bernie you going to stand by your friend??? Probably not, he'll pretend he doesn't know Devine...
Posted by
Donna Boutin
on 07/20/2018 at 5:36 PM
Re: “Walters: Former Sanders Adviser Named in Manafort Trial Documents”
Oh, my. Where does Comrade Bernie fit into the equation?
Posted by
Peter Morgan
on 07/20/2018 at 5:32 PM
Re: “Proof Negative: Auditor Documents Lack of Evidence for Business Incentives”
Hoffer goes on yet another pro-stagnation press tour under the auspices of his official duties in an even-numbered year. Looks like taxpayer-funded campaigning to me -- but since it's the Auditor doing it, who do you complain to?
It's a shame that no one credible is willing to challenge Hoffer in an election or even in this debate, but given his vindictive reputation, his bullying comments on message boards, and the fact Waters continues to parrot his talking points uncritically as he did when he was writing blogs, I suppose no one sees an upside. I wish more Vermonters would be interested enough to ask for better.
Posted by
Marc Huelette
on 07/20/2018 at 12:55 PM
Re: “The Man Who Built Bolton Valley Resort Buys It Back”
Hi Ralph & Family!
I am so pleased to hear this! I worked there back in the day with Rob, Eric, Megan and Elliot...to mention a few! Sold condo packages during the day and skied every day! I also rode my mt bike up that enormous hill on the lovely backside dirt road when the road washed out! Do you remember that? Anyway...good on ya! Good luck! Maybe I will bring my daughter to ski one day from Boise! So happy for you! Jude Friz McDougall
Posted by
Jude McDougall
on 07/20/2018 at 11:21 AM
Re: “Walters: Former Sanders Adviser Named in Manafort Trial Documents”
Massive corruption in usa politics starting with a president that belongs behind bars. LOCK HIM UP-LOCK HIM UP !! Drain The Swamp !!
Posted by
Ted Sargent
on 07/20/2018 at 11:00 AM
Re: “Tax Department Backlog Leads to Errors in Tax Bills”
It is just another example of how project management in IT is not performed well at the state level
Posted by
ConcernedVter
on 07/20/2018 at 9:16 AM
Re: “Walters: Former Sanders Adviser Named in Manafort Trial Documents”
I think that the high end money crap in politics sucks. These guys are out to make money, and none seem to care where the money comes from. How about we have minimum wage paid to ALL politians. Then you know its because they WANT to serve the people and as an added bonus, you probably wouldnt have to worry about term limits.
Posted by
Cyndy Hutchins
on 07/20/2018 at 7:53 AM
Re: “Walters: Former Sanders Adviser Named in Manafort Trial Documents”
Hold the phone! A political operative who worked for Bernie in 2014-16 previously worked with Traitor Manafort to help get a dictator and Russian puppet elected in the Ukraine? Whoda thunk it! Gee, ya mean the very same guy who years ago had come up with the plan for having superdelegates at the Democratic conventions as a check on fringe candidates, which Bernie (not a Democrat) bitterly complained about in 2016 while he was being advised by Devine? What a sad tale.
Posted by
knowyourassumptions
on 07/20/2018 at 6:50 AM
Re: “Agencies Alarmed by Bhutanese Refugee Suicides”
Bhutan, land of the hypocritical Gross National Happiness project.
Posted by
BDE
on 07/20/2018 at 4:06 AM
Re: “Proof Negative: Auditor Documents Lack of Evidence for Business Incentives”
"Yeah, we knew that. We've heard it from you 1,000 times before."
Your uninformed knee-jerk reaction might be humorous if it wasn't so sad. You clearly haven't read the report, which is intended to be a tool for policymakers and managers. The point is to inform the discourse about how best to utilize our limited economic development resources (and therefore protect taxpayers). We review the literature regarding numerous economic development strategies in order to help policymakers make informed choices.
Rather than "antipathy for...business incentive programs," it's a prudent approach to policymaking. But if you think it should be done without the benefit of peer-reviewed literature, than I guess we just disagree.
Finally, if you have information that I'm not aware of that would allow us to validate the efficacy of our current programs, please share it with us. If you don't, then why should we take you seriously?
Posted by
Doug Hoffer
on 07/19/2018 at 5:18 PM
Re: “Proof Negative: Auditor Documents Lack of Evidence for Business Incentives”
Since this is not an "audit," what is it and why do it?
It's another opportunity for Hoffer to remind us of his longstanding antipathy for any business incentive programs. His antipathy toward anything that aids the private sector, really.
Yeah, we knew that. We've heard it from you 1,000 times before.
Posted by
knowyourassumptions
on 07/19/2018 at 3:48 PM
Re: “Vermont Cops Partner with Nonprofits to Fight Sex Crimes”
A public records request about grant funding? Staff salaries? Maybe its reasonable to ask someone to put in what i imagine would be a fair number of hours to respond to one persons request to satisfy curiosity. But i think its a huge stretch to suggest that this might allow him to gather information about communications between law enforcement & prosecutors about a particular case that is already available through the prosecutors office. Prosecutors understand what communications are discoverable & take this obligation seriously. I think perhaps your article should mention that.
Posted by
Carolyn Hanson
on 07/19/2018 at 2:25 PM
Posted by
Paul Jones
on 07/19/2018 at 2:05 PM
Re: “Proof Negative: Auditor Documents Lack of Evidence for Business Incentives”
Taxpayer funded welfare for Corporations . . austerity for the poor.
Gotta love the Corporate capture of government at all levels.
"Free market capitalism" as practiced today is a suicide cult.
Miro and Sinex sure love it.
Posted by
NorthOldEnder
on 07/18/2018 at 10:00 PM
Re: “Proof Negative: Auditor Documents Lack of Evidence for Business Incentives”
Hoffer's report is amateurish and wouldn't be given good marks in a survey economics course. There's not even a bibliography, so it's difficult to evaluate the quality of his 'peer-reviewed' literature without combing through it footnote by footnote. You'll just have to trust him on the sources having been peer-reviewed. And yet, scrutinizing the sources is critical because even academic publications in this area are notorious for being funded by interest groups. Hoffer has chosen the ones that happen to agree with him, so it's not just a coincidence that this review just supports positions he already held.
Posted by
J Rocinante
on 07/18/2018 at 7:35 PM
Re: “Burlington City Council Waters Down Safe Injection Site Measure”
E. Sutor.....I can't wait! After we are totally out of it those kind liberals will provide us with meals. Then, we can go to COTS for a nice sleep; get up and go back and get drugged Fun!!! The Utopian Society! Can it get any better than this? And....it's all FREE! Wheeeee! Maybe we could expand this concept to the entire country!!! A drugged and dazed country. We're headed that way anyway, under the Democrats/Liberals/Communists (one and the same). And then, once we are all in a daze, nobody will invade us. No need to . Just walk right in and take over. We will be safe. We will be taken care of. Nice....
Posted by
Peter Morgan
on 07/18/2018 at 8:21 AM
Recent Comments
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Vivian Jordan: I was employed at the UVMMC College of Medicine as a Standardized Patient and Teaching Assistant for 15…
Re: Some of Vermont's Highest-Paid Execs Run Nonprofits
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Walter Moses: This lack of regulation and taxation is the result of the cocktail party held in Montpelier from January…
Re: The Cannabis Catch-Up: What’s the Deal With Gifting?
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JohnGreenberg: Marc Huelette:
Vindictive reputation? Bullying comments on message boards? Says who??
If youre so hot to…Re: Proof Negative: Auditor Documents Lack of Evidence for Business Incentives
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Penelope: When legislators are too stupid to make common sense decisions, it's nice to see businesses ride to the…
Re: The Cannabis Catch-Up: What’s the Deal With Gifting?
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Donna Boutin: Mmmm me think Socialist Sanders should also be investigated ... I mean, after all, he's supposed to be…
Re: Walters: Former Sanders Adviser Named in Manafort Trial Documents
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Re: “Some of Vermont's Highest-Paid Execs Run Nonprofits”
I was employed at the UVMMC College of Medicine as a Standardized Patient and Teaching Assistant for 15 years...and came to the job with 8 years prior experience.
I worked year-round, but was kept as part-time, temporary for all those years...which meant I never got a raise, nor any benefits. I taught med students, but got no medical coverage.
I loved working with the students, who were consistently appreciative. But the lack of appreciation, in other forms, from other sources, eventually wore me down. I realized my self-respect was dwindling. Last November, after 23 years as an SP, I quit.
So yes, I think Dr. Brumsteads $2.2 million dollars a year is way, way out of line.