Gaye Symington is my candidate of choice for Vermont Governor

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Aug 7, 2008 12:22 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Democracy For Vermont, Rutland DFA, DFA-Link Organizers, Chittenden South DFA, Jericho/Underhill Linkup

Linked to campaigns: Symington for Governor, Symington For Governor

After listening carefully to both candidates for Vermont Governor, I am decidely in favor of Gaye Symington to be our next Governor of Vermont.

I have been following her campaign and last night had the opportunity to hear her speak in Hinesburg.

I was excited to see a candidate whose values were more in line with mine and to hear someone who clearly has guiding principals toward the Common Good. Gaye has a long history of direct involvement and leadership in business, education, and sustainable environmental endeavors in line with our progressive agenda. In her 12 years in the Vermont State Legislature and then as Leader of the House, she has had to forge alliances with unlikely partners, made hard choices, in the interest of moving our agenda forward, one step at a time, in a climate of resistance to these efforts, and lack of creative leadership in the Administration. Gaye is pragmatic and realistic. She does not overpromise yet holds a bold vision for a positive future. She presents the plan for how we can attain that vision. Specifically, her recently announced Energy Plan accounts for our current need for energy saving, growth of good jobs, and environmentally sustainable sources of energy to support our residential and business needs.

I will be supporting Gaye Symington to help move Vermont forward to effectively keep Vermont vital, with a strong ecomony, positive energy future, to serve our own needs and those of our children.

Wendy Patterson

Chittenden South DFA

How We Can Get Out Of Iraq - Details

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Nov 23, 2007 4:48 PM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Blog Network

IF we are serious about getting out of Iraq, Bill Richardson is the man to
do it. Going to New Hampshire to help his campaign will help give him the
chance to accomplish what we want. With 47% of New Hampshire votes
undecided, and Richardson tying with Edwards there, the race is still wide
open.

Read this amazingly detailed account about how it IS possible to get out
now, as opposed to what all the other Dems candidates and the plan before
Congress are saying:

http://action.richardsonforpresident.com/page/community/post_group/Headquarters/CLtm

Wendy

Read more

Recount Overturns Vermont State Auditor's Race!

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Dec 21, 2006 4:00 PM EST

Linked to groups: DFA Blog Network

Well, it's official! The AP reports that Washington Superior Court Judge Mary Miles Teachout declared Democrat Thomas M. Salmon the winner over Auditor Randy Brock today.The recount apparently corrected some errors that were made when a number of votes were mistakenly assigned to  Levy.

I have spent many many weekends helping people to register to vote and heard may times the comment, "What difference does my vote make?"

 With this possibly being the closest  statewide race in Vermont history, it couldn't be more clear that every vote does indeed matter. I was one of many who helped with the recount in Chittenden County so I know that each vote not only counted, but it was counted, recounted, checked and double checked! There are many many races that are won by very slim margins. Your vote does count and so does each vote of all of those people that YOU help get registered!

 According to Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, 64% of eligible Vermonters turned out for the last presidential election. This means 150,000 eligible Vermonters did not vote. Despite the relatively strong turnout of 53.5 percent for this mid-term election, that means that 46.5% of Vermonters eligible to vote did not show up!

Let's make it a point to engage with our neighbors, join into discussions of the issues, and also to assure that even more Vermonters are registered to vote in the first place.

  

 

 

Attend a real "action movie night" - "Iraq For Sale"

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Oct 9, 2006 5:56 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Chittenden South DFA

Dear Member,

Please attend a real "Action" Movie Night - Iraq For Sale Screening on Saturday, October 14, 2006 at 6:00 PM. We will take action by calling indecided voters, with the help of MoveOn.org, in key race states AND then watch the FREE screening of "Iraq For Sale."

You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=143...

What: "Action" Movie - Iraq For Sale Screening
When: Saturday, October 14, 2006, 6:00 PM
Where: Carpenter-Carse Library
69 Ballards Corner Road
Hinesburg VT 05461

A Letter To The Editor (Seven Days) for Peter Welch

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Oct 8, 2006 4:25 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Chittenden South DFA

The Republican Congressional scandal over the pedophilia cover up underlines the dire need for change in Washington. Sending Rainville to Congress hardly instills the faith needed to achieve this goal. Consider the Oct. 4th Inside Track report that not only was her web-site chock full of plagiarism but it also reports that Rainville allegedly destroyed a pornographic film of the VT guard officers and enlisted members, under her leadership, engaging in porn. Vermont and our country deserve much better. I am voting to send Peter Welch to Congress where he can assist in cleaning up the Republican landscape of corruption, smut and its cover-up. I hope you will do the same.

Donna Constantineau
Hinesburg

Day: 864-2610
Evening - home: 482-5275

Should CSDFA endorse Martha Abbott (P) for State Auditor?

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Oct 8, 2006 2:51 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Chittenden South DFA

Hi Member,

QUESTION: Do you want Chittenden South DFA to endorse Martha Abbott (P) for Vermont Auditor?

(Please weigh in your opinion on our POLL I created at www.dfalink.com/hinesburg)

Our Chittenden South DFA Group has been asked to consider endorsing Martha Abbott (P) Candidate for Vermont State Auditor. To learn more about her positions, we had a conference call with her at our recent DFA meeting on Oct. 4th.

We want to know what ALL of our members think about this race.
READ MORE about Martha Abbott below. You can be an informed voter!

Martha is running against (D) Thomas Salmon, Jr. (www.salmonforauditor.com/... )

The current Auditor is Randy Brock (R).

You have the chance to meet Tom Salmon at the Shelburne "Meet The Candidates" Oct. 15, 6:30pm, Shelburne town offices or go to his website: www.salmonforauditor.com/...


*************************************************************
Martha Abbott, Progressive Candidate, Vermont Auditor of Accounts
119 Stevensville Road
Underhill, VT 05489
(802) 373-1624
Email: marthavt@sover.net
Website: www.abbottforauditor.org

Comments from Martha Abbott: For 24 years, as a tax preparer, I have seen the unfairness of our tax system. I have seen people who work 40 hours a week pay income taxes on 100% of their wages while investors only pay on 60% of their gains.

The previous auditor conducted an initial review of how many people were thrown off the state's health insurance programs when the state began to charge premiums instead of co-payments. Now that 2 years have passed, how many more people have been unable to pay the premiums and are without coverage? We need to know. We have a health care CRISIS! Where has the state auditor been for the past two years?

Why are we spending tens of millions of economic development dollars trying to attract the next Husky plant to move to Vermont? Recent studies show that businesses simply do NOT move into or out of Vermont because of our state tax policy or the incentives and tax credits we have offered.

The largest recipient of public funds in the history of the State of Vermont was IDX which received 7.2 million dollars of tax credits on the premise that they would create more jobs. In the end IDX cut jobs and then was sold to out of state owners. Will the state get back ANY of those millions of dollars in tax credits? Will they even TRY to get some of it back? Where is the State Auditor? Why is this not being investigated?

We are not gaining the "JOBS, JOBS, JOBS" we so often hear the Governor refer to. From 2001 - 2005, we spent $163 million core economic and work force development for a net gain of 3,000 jobs (while losing 8,200 highly paid skilled manufacturing jobs). That is $54,000 of taxpayer's money for every job created.

Most of the new jobs in the past 10 years have been created by small businesses often started by people who LOST their jobs when one of the big firms was bought by a large out of state company, or moved overseas to find cheap labor. These small businesses are started by Vermonters, people who live here and, more than anything else, they want to KEEP living here. They are not going to move to China no matter HOW cheap the labor is there.

And farms are an important part of our economy. If farmers have to sell their farms, they and their whole family are going to need to find NEW jobs and so are the small businesses in the agricultural sector. Will we now finally consider putting some of those millions of economic development dollars into our farms?

State purchasing should reward responsible contractors, favor Vermont businesses and prohibit offshore contracts. We should prohibit contracts with employers whose workers qualify for public assistance because they are paid so little in wages and benefits.

As your independent State Auditor, I will report to YOU on what exactly we are getting for our money. And I will make sensible recommendations to improve efficiency and effectiveness. I have no conflict reigning in elected officials from either of the big, brand name parties. I will be an ally for the vast majority of Vermont families who are living paycheck to paycheck by asking hard questions and demanding answers. If I am your State Auditor, I will do my best to insure that the PEOPLE I represent KNOW where I am and WHAT I am doing and WHY.

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT INTO OUR POLL, OR FOR YOUR EMAIL TO ME ABOUT THIS.

Onward to Election Day and beyond,

Wendy

Wendy Patterson, Organizer
Chittenden South DFA

Attend Chittenden South DFA Meeting on October 4!

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Oct 1, 2006 1:24 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Chittenden South DFA

Dear Member,

Please attend Chittenden South DFA Meeting on Wednesday, October 4, 2006 at 7:00 PM. You can RSVP at:

www.dfalink.com/event.php?id=137...

What: Chittenden South DFA Meeting
When: Wednesday, October 4, 2006, 7:00 PM
Where: Carpenter-Carse Library
69 Ballards Corner Road
Hinesburg VT 05461

Concerned about students' military recruitment?

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Sep 18, 2006 5:36 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Chittenden South DFA

Last year, Chittenden South DFA members took actions to help make sure that parents knew that their students could opt out of the Leave No Child Behind requirement that schools provide student information to military recruiters. We wrote letters and attended parent meetings.

This year is different. Vermont General Assemble has passed Vermont Act 127, NO. 127. AN ACT RELATING TO INFORMING PARENTS AND STUDENTS OF THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.

Here is the relevant section of Act 127:

Annually, shall inform each secondary student and the student's parents or guardians of the right to opt out of the federal requirement that student contact information be provided to military recruiters or institutions of higher education pursuant to 20 U.S.C. § 7908(a). A school board shall enable the secondary student and the student's parents or guardians to disallow provision of student contact information to either military recruiters or institutions of higher education, while allowing provision of information to the other. For purposes of this subdivision, "secondary student" means a pupil in grade 9, 10, 11, or 12.

(28) Annually, shall inform students and their parents or guardians of their options for school choice under applicable laws or policy.

Approved: May 3, 2006

Thank you for all the efforts of those who worked on this issue for our students. It's about choice!

Wendy

Top Air Force Official Calmly talks about using microwaves for

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Sep 15, 2006 6:18 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Chittenden South DFA

OK people, if you don't consider yourself an activist, read this AP article from Sept. 15 and reconsider if you should become more aware of what our current administration and military leaders are really up to!

www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hea...

This was called to my attention by reading Vermont Daily Briefing blog by Philip Baruth. Check it out for yourself: www.vermontdailybriefing.com

If you can find out more about this, please post updates. I have written my letter to Sen. Patrick Leahy! How about you? Protesting this is not extreme!

Wendy Patterson, Organizer
Chittenden South DFA

Gov. Candidate Debate - Don't Miss

Written by: Wendy Patterson on Sep 9, 2006 7:49 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Chittenden South DFA

SPREAD THE WORD. CARPOOL. SUPPORT SCUDDER! See you there.
Wendy


VNRC's 4th Biennial 'Gubernatorial Candidate Forum on the Environment'

Mon 10-02 7 p.m.

Location: Capitol Plaza - 100 State Street, Montpelier
Contact: Patrick Berry, VNRC pberry@vnrc.org 802-223-2328 www.vnrc.org

Since 2000, VNRC has hosted the preeminent debate on the environment among the leading candidates for governor. This year, on October 2, we will host Republican incumbent Jim Douglas and his Democratic challenger Scudder Parker in what promises to be an informative, lively debate about Vermont's most pressing environmental issues. Learn more about the candidate's perspectives on the problems and opportunities facing Vermont relating to the health and long-term viability of our magnficent landscapes, farms and farmland, communities, water resources, forest lands and more. A few of the state's leading journalists will ask the candidate's questions - John Dillon of VPR, Louis Porter of the Vermont Press Bureau and Candace Page of the Burlington Free Press. This forum will be moderated by Vermont Public Television's John King and will last one hour. If you cannot attend on October 2, please note that you will have ample oportunity to listen to or watch the forum either by tuning into a rebroadcast of the event on Vermont Public Television or through a podcast that will be available on VNRC's web site. DON'T MISS what promises to be a great opportunity to gather the information you need to cast your vote for the state's top political office with the environment in mind. Please plan to attend and help spread the word.