By Guy Page
Based on bills proposed, pushed, but not passed last year, Vermonters must prepare for legislative challenges to their gun, real estate, and vehicle property rights, John Klar told attendees at the FifthAmendmentFest on Tuesday.
The event was the second in a series of State House lawn gatherings promoting citizen defense of constitutional rights.The First Amendment was celebrated on Dec.18. The next event, to be held Thursday, February 14, will honor the 14th Amendment.
The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects individuals from being deprived of life, liberty and property without due process of law.
Firearm property rights threatened
John Klar, left, and Rob Roper
Klar predicted an attempt this year to pass a bill similar to H.610, which failed to pass the House last year. It required a waiting period for firearms purchases. For some people subject to court orders or criminal charges, it also would “require the immediate relinquishment … of all firearms that are in the defendant’s possession, ownership, or control or that another person possesses, owns, or controls on behalf of the defendant.”
“How can they propose a waiting period on a constitutional right?” Klar asked at the event. Gun-control lawmakers believe “if they ignore us long enough, maybe we will go away,” he said. “Well, we’re not going away.”
Next up on the State House house steps was Rob Roper, President of the Ethan Allen Institute. He pointed in the direction of the State House and said, “I do think property rights are under attack by the people in that building.”
Real estate property rights threatened
Roper cited Proposal 9, a constitutional amendment endorsed last year by a majority of senators but then slowed to a stop during the pandemic-induced legislative traffic jam. While some bills were allowed into the passing lane — such as the Global Warming Solutions Act and Retail Marijuana — others like Proposal 9 were still stuck in traffic when the two-year biennium closed in early September.
Roper said property rights are threatened by this Proposal 9 clause: “the state of Vermont’s natural resources are the common property of all the people.”
“That would eliminate our right to own real estate,” Roper claimed. “That is a frightening Marxist statement. That is who we’ve elected. That is their vision.”
Roper noted that countries that restrict property rights tend to have bad environmental and human rights records. Self-interest encourages the property owner to maintain and improve property. “It’s a human right and we need to protect that,” he said.
In other legislation, some lawmakers want to regulate away “air BnB” operations in private homes, Roper said.
Vehicular property rights threatened
Roper also pointed to the climate-change driven effort to have 50,000 electric vehicles on Vermont roads within just a few years. With only a few thousand EVs owned by Vermonters now, that goal cannot be met “without a massive intrusion into your money and your free choice about what you drive,” he said.
Confiscatory carbon taxes would take money from poor people and redistribute it to wealthy EV drivers in the form of subsidies, Roper said. He quoted a woman of Latin American descent who told New Jersey lawmakers a proposed carbon tax is “tone deaf at best, racist at worst. Your carbon tax is taking money from poor brown people and giving it to rich white people to buy their cars.”
Action recommended
Klar advised concerned Vermonters to discuss concerns in the media and with their lawmakers, and to consider running for the Legislature. Although unsuccessful in his own run for governor, his grassroots campaign attracted several lawmakers who went on to win House seats and thereby deprive the Democrat/Progressives of their 100-seat supermajority. Klar said most of the candidates who ran in 2020 plan to run in 2022, and others are stepping forward.
The Fifth Amendment reads:
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
Read more of Guy Page’s reports. Vermont Daily is sponsored by True North Media.
I hope and trust this will help people out with VT taxation, it’s taxation policy is a rouge operation.
The problem with the school system, local and state is that they have mega $$$$ to do with what they want. It sucks Liberals into the system to control taxpayers and parents. They can gt all the money for their budgets via the voting reconsidering means. VT is 47th of the 50 states having the most tax burden (2019 Wallet Hub). People are moving out and the state will pay $10K to move into the state.
Look at your tax bills, 80%+ of your money supports the system and you have no say. Don’t like what’s happening, you have no control. If you don’t want your money spent that way, sorry. They have devious ways to collect. In Townshend there are 1 staff member for 3 students, bloated. School days the town common is loaded with cars. The student population is decreasing, yet have same budget money.
The Listers are told what to do by the State Tax Dept. In effect the Listers are told to access whatever value they need for the Grand List. The procedure to fight your assessment is laborious: Lister grievance, BCA board grievance (having property inspection, 3 people) , State appraiser grievance with property inspection ($75), and State Supreme Court ($250). Note the BCA inspectors need only drive by and don’t need to set foot o the property. None of the BCA people are knowledgeable about real estate value. The BCA needs elimination of any RE valuations. They said I had 3 POTENTIAL values. Bet I’m the only one in the town, state and country that had property value based on POTENTIAL. I have documentation and been through the process 3-4 times. Grievances can happen every two years. I have seen many old people, natives and farmers arguing and mad, yelling at the BCA. Most of the BCA members are Flatlanders. Said I had a door, they valued at $1200, I built it for $75.
There is a Court decision Ames vs Town of Danby 1978 that says a property owner can use properties sold in the state for establishing Fair Market Value (FMV) to determine the value of your property in presenting to the various grievance panels mentioned. I did. However, the Townshend BCA disregarded, against the law. I got the sales info from a local RE agent, very helpful, they have MLS listings of properties. They may charge, Mine was free with print-outs. Bruce Parker TNR wrote 2 articles about my property valuation, grievances and what I did. I’ve encountered Listers in various towns that didn’t know of the Court decision and said they didn’t care and that FMV only applied to within their towns. They are stupid and anti-resident.
In the Lister’s Handbook (available on line) FMV is listed 51 places. You’d think they would know. If doing their job, they would know. On the wall in the Townshend’s Lister office hangs “Diplomas” for schooling at the VT Tax Dept. This shows the brainwashing mew Listers get on how to be anti-neighbor resident and become a Goebbels disciple. Such people are hateful, it’s not in their elected attitude. Having a scarcity of competent people available, they maintain their positions.
Small town Townshend at one time had 5 Listers. One female lister (from NJ) was drunk, shot and killed another lister. Then there were / are three. The town has two tax collectors. If a veteran, elderly, health problems, limited income (SS) and own property in Townshend and can’t pay the false valued taxes on a timely manner (they determine) they will confiscate and sell tour property. In some states MI & CA property is based on FMV and noted in the various towns. Only one lister in a county. VT is lister bloated. Potential tax sales collection could happen after 2 years. Greedy power crazed collectors will threaten in the same year as the taxes are assessed.
People don’t know the fighting process and the towns and state rely on this. Coordinated opposition in mass will correct this Liberal controlling taxation power. I know the process having fought the system(s). I have considered establishing a non-profit organization having two staff attorneys and CPA’s per county to assist and fight the local and state governments for unfair practices and correct values based on FMV and eliminate BCA boards having any involvement with Real Estate and to streamline the process. I furthermore that the school systems not be allowed to have a re-consideration town vote for six months if their budget was turned down at the regular March town meetings. And property taxation be connected to the CPI (Consumer Price Index), either up or down. Eliminates taxation and Lister power. as other states do.
Things can be simple and honest. But if complicated and involved, governments win. VT was nice once until Liberals moved in and took the state and towns over. I was in the state when it was nice and a live and let live place.
Get involved. Protect the kids from the liberal agenda and indoctrination, they are the future of families and state.
Klar predicted an attempt this year to pass a bill similar to H.610, which failed to pass the House last year. It required a waiting period for firearms purchases. For some people subject to court orders or criminal charges, it also would “require the immediate relinquishment … of all firearms that are in the defendant’s possession, ownership, or control or that another person possesses, owns, or controls on behalf of the defendant.”
“How can they propose a waiting period on a constitutional right?” Klar asked at the event. Gun-control lawmakers believe “if they ignore us long enough, maybe we will go away,” he said. “Well, we’re not going away.”
To say the very least un Constitutional but then what do the merry Marxist’s of Montpelier care for that door rug of a document. Mr. Klar is correct when he said,“Well, we’re not going away.”,Not Now nor Ever.