Editor’s note: This commentary is by James Hall, who lives in Center Rutland.
During a recent trip to the northern end of the state, which began in the Rutland area, it was noted along U.S. Route 7, two bank offices recently closed (both in Rutland County), a restaurant closed, a major car dealership certainly appearing to be at or near closure, property for sale (homes, business, commercial) all the way to the northernmost point of the trip in Chittenden County.
Vermont is not a participant of the booming economy that most of the rest of the country is experiencing. This is because of a long history of “fixing” the climate for business and industry, so, the predictable result would be, and has been, businesses leave the area and in addition to that, a climate has existed for too long that has, in effect, said: “Not Welcome Here.” The most recent case of the latter happens to be BJ’s who finally gave up in Rutland Town on a proposed store at the south end of the municipality.
All across Vermont, this same mindset has hobbled the economy into a stagnant status since the days of Howard Dean’s time in the governor’s office.
Those who are fortunate enough to be able to create some savings and have it invested in the market, are doing very, very well. In my portfolio, none of the income is being generated from Vermont-rooted investing options.
The above is not good news for the future of this state’s economic well-being. What’s worse, we have a group of folks in the Legislature who could care less: The state is $4.5 billion in the hole in obligated retirement funding; the current budget is $70 million in the can; and they want to confiscate our firearms, refuse to answer mail on the subject, saddle us with energy concepts the people are very reluctant to sign onto for good reasons, and a host of other “feel-good” stuff that will put us further in the hole.
So, in the governor’s message to the Legislature recently, he spoke about a population in crisis. Some of us have been predicting this outcome for a period of time long enough ago so many of the problems facing Vermont today could have been lessened.
Recently, this writer was at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and headed for home during the 5 p.m. time frame. Traffic between Hanover and I-89 at Exit 16 was bumper to bumper the whole way and the thought crossed my mind: “What a difference between here and five miles down the road at the New Hampshire/Vermont bridge.”
Vermont could have had some of this wealth being generated in New Hampshire, but chose not to. The results are higher taxes, more fees, crisis in education and funding for same, crisis in budgeting, police and fire departments suffering because of lack of personnel, and on and on. These resulting points are the outcomes from state policy putting the hobbles on and keeping them tightened.
I look for improvement as a result of the next election but the corrective action, even if it was applied today, would take a generation or two to really manifest to a point of being significantly noticeable.
Time to clean house corner to corner, and wall to wall, and at 109 State St., Montpelier.
When Chittenden County stops ruling the roost then the rest of the state will actually have some say. Why should Chittenden County have 6 senators which is more than any other?
FYI
“The Governor has informed the Senate that on the April 9, 2019, he
approved and signed a bill originating in the Senate of the following title:
S. 11. An act relating to limiting senatorial districts to a maximum of three
members.”
This act shall take effect on January 1, 2021.
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2020/Docs/ACTS/ACT002/ACT002%20As%20Enacted.pdf
It’s a start. But the only fail safe to political cronyism is term limits.
“When Chittenden County stops ruling the roost”
That’s the majority of the problem but leftist fascist infest the state
state wide.. a Electoral collage voting process might benefit the
unheard and UN-listened to….
Easy to say but who is going to fill those shoes. Fiscally conservative non nanny state folks have no interest in serving from what I see. Who would want to fight against the majority?
Route 9 VT to route 7 NY is the same way as 91/89 section described above. A lot of Bennington/Shaftsbury/N. Bennington/Old Bennington/Woodford folks work in the Albany NY region. It’s relatively busy going south into Massachusetts or back during the work rush periods. Again, lots of money being earned out of state. Vermont benefits through income taxes collected but a lot of those wages are spent out of state on groceries, clothing, medical, and so on.
AMEN!!!! There are swamps everywhere and one of the biggest happens to be in pristine MONTPELIER!!! DRAIN IT!!!
Mr. Hall is very accurate and correct on everything. The wrong people have been running the legislature and this state for way too long.
Enough with the “climate change ” non-stop hysteria. Get some people in Montplier that will straight out our state’s financial issues first.
The Left has driven Vermonters from Vermont so that they can turn it into a cesspool like where they migrated from.
The Left cares about nothing other than creating their utopic cesspool to control and lord over their charges, who with the smidgen handouts vote yearly to keep their tyrannical masters in power.
The Left cares not of or for people but only two things tyrants have always craved and always will, power and control. Montpelier pushes the agenda on different levels to rid Vermonters of freedom and liberty,because for their goal to take place and come to fruition Vermonters can have neither.
Time to flush the toilet known as the state house in Montpelier.
James Hall: Time to clean house in Montpelier, now that’s an understatement !!
First, go to the legislative web site and read the biographies of who we have under
the golden dome making policies, now look at where they come from, flatlanders
helping ” dumb ” Vermonters, they are all intellectuals, just talk to one yup helping
Vermonter’s, into the poor house with all their liberal logic.
The oath they took, means nothing it’s all about the Agenda, the US Constitution
and Vermont Constitution means nothing…..Agenda, Agenda only.
So what have they given us well we have, High Taxes, Unfunded Liabilities $4.5B
and getting worst, Business Unfriendly, Student Grades below average, so is it time
to clean house in Montpelier……. ” YOU BET IT IS ” ….. Wake up, people !!
Save our state, vote these fools out
100
Percent Correct!! The Cosco in Burlington still cannot sell gas as it may pollute the area!! Really stupid, real reason Is they stated they will sell gas 25 cents a gallon cheaper than the local stations!! The distributors have the people I charge in their pocket