vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

8.10.2007

Coming to Vermont

Say what you want about Gov. Jim Douglas' plans to help Vermont companies find former Vermonters who might want to move back (see story here), but this is one issue that people feel passionately about.

I've heard from a bushelful of people today who either want to know how to find these jobs now, or want to talk about why it's hard to move back to Vermont .

Let's start with the premise that anybody who once lived in Vermont wants to come back. Or at least wants to say that they'd like to - if only x, y or z were possible - some of which may just be posturing and some true.

Trouble is x, y and z aren't always possible. It's not always the salary, or the housing cost or the availability of jobs. Sometimes it's subtletlies like letting go of retirement benefits in one state for lesser ones here, as one man described. Or trying to find a job in Vermont that lets you do what you do full-time when your small company wants you to answer the phones in between curing cancer. Then, sometimes it is the salaries or the cost of higher education here.

Truth is, if it were easy to live in Vermont everybody'd be doing it, and then Vermont wouldn't be Vermont. Then nobody'd want to live here.

And if the issue of luring people to live here were easy there wouldn't be so many theories out there about how to do it.

- Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 3:10 PM |

Comments:

The only portal we need is a round hole in the floor.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:34 PM, August 10, 2007

"Truth is, if it were easy to live in Vermont everybody'd be doing it, and then Vermont wouldn't be Vermont. Then nobody'd want to live here.

And if the issue of luring people to live here were easy there wouldn't be so many theories out there about how to do it."

Nail hit, squarely on its head.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:50 AM, August 11, 2007

Terri...

It's about time someone in the press said it like you just did. Now do it as an article on the frontpage instead of on the blog where only a very few read.

Unfortunately, you and the rest of the media print frontpage stories with big headlines - anything the Governor or his cadre of PR people firmly entrenched throughout state gov't say.

CHALLENGE HIM! And don't settle for his usual beat around the bush answers - ask it again!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:24 AM, August 11, 2007

"Unfortunately, you and the rest of the media print frontpage stories with big headlines - anything the Governor or his cadre of PR people firmly entrenched throughout state gov't say."

Blah, blah, blah. And, simply not true.

And, the Vermont media also publishes anything that Symington and Shumlin say, even when it's obvious nonsense. Should it not do so?

Methinks you don't like the press coverage that the Governor gets because he's in the "other" party.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 5:56 PM, August 11, 2007

Governor Douglas has a personal interest because his son who lives out of state is said to want to come back but can't find appropriate employment.

Young Vermonters want to leave the state to go to college and many remain where they relocate. Just ask any high school student how unacceptable colleges in your home state are and how uncool it is to
'have' to go to one. This is a
common everywhere and a large reason kids leave the state to experience college life. Jim Douglas is not likely to change that.

Good point about people who reassure relatives they would move back if certain conditions exist.
Those who really want to move back generally find a way. Also about the need to attract more people for the sake of attracting more people.
Vermont wouldn't be the Vermont we
value with unlimited population increase and the problems that go along with this.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:45 AM, August 12, 2007

Vermont already isn't the Vermont I value. The flatlanders, with their fat wallets and liveral ideas, have moved here and taken over our once Republican state. They brought with them higher taxes, civil unions, and the likes of Howard Dean. Good grief! Let's Take Back Vermont!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:56 PM, August 12, 2007

Well, Jim Douglas is a flatlander too. Name one tax he's cut. Name one program he's stopped funding.

He hasn't even proposed cutting any programs. So how is that flatlander going to cut your taxes?

State government has gotten bigger under Douglas, not smaller.

How is that flatlander going to ban civil unions?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:12 PM, August 12, 2007

Ruth Dwyer was a flatlander too. Luckily she was a bit too crazy to get elected.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:11 PM, August 12, 2007

Terri Hallenbeck for Governor!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:55 PM, August 12, 2007

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:31 AM, August 13, 2007

Sung To The Tune Of The Scudder Parker Theme Song:

Illuzzi is a doozy of a candidate.
Illuzzi can beat Douglas because God is great.
This Barre boy, would be a joy.
North East Kingdom man, I am a fan.

And so on...

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:48 AM, August 13, 2007

Why does Douglas want more people to move here? Don't we have plenty of flatlanders doing that, or planning to do that?

I was a flatlander myself when I moved here 30 years ago. I didn't come because I expected wide-ranging career opportunites or to get rich. If that was the case, even more people would move here and we would look like New Jersey.

Let's hope Douglas - who moved away from home himself - will get off his high horse about building more housing and getting more people to move here. Let's go for quality, not quantity!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 10:56 AM, August 13, 2007

"It's about time someone in the press said it like you just did. Now do it as an article on the frontpage instead of on the blog where only a very few read."

Yes, Terri. Please do a front page story about how Vermnont is a hard place to live and the left-wing supermajority thinks it's their job to keep it that way.

The truth is, and the story you should write, is that this crop of Legislators is not so much a government of the people, developing policy to improve the lives of their constituents, as it is a board of a elitist country club doing its best to keep out the rif-raf.

Will the democrats have the honesty to run a campaign next year along the lines of, "We're not going to do anything to cut your taxes, increase job growth, make it easier to live here, because, quite frankly, the herd of unwashed masses that you are needs to be thinned.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:09 AM, August 13, 2007

Douglas hasn't done anything to cut your taxes, increase job growth, make it easier to live here, either.

He hasn't even PROPOSED anything!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:41 PM, August 13, 2007

I thought it was the smelly rif-raf that were the biggest supporters of this crop of useless democrats...why would they try to keep them out? You should visit the State House some day when these welfare recipients storm there. The stench is unbelievable.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:26 PM, August 13, 2007

^^^^^^^^^^^

that's the articulate Republican world view that makes the VT GOP so darned popular in the Green Mountains!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:48 PM, August 13, 2007

I suppose the Dem world view is as popular elsewhere as it it is here in the "green" Mtn state? Europe has finally gotten the message and hopefully it won't be long before the public comes to its senses here and throws all you useless bums out on your ears....

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:53 PM, August 13, 2007

To Anonymous 11:09: hear, hear!

To Anonymous 7:26: No, that smelly rif-raf was the impeachment crowd. They're somewhat different from the wine and cheese prep school flatlander Dems who run the Statehouse.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:26 PM, August 13, 2007

I didn't realize that Europe was voting Republican now.

Someone alert Gordon Brown!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:16 AM, August 14, 2007

Better be glad they're eating that cheese f-face. Remember where that cheese comes from. Your idea of buying local is probably to buy your Maddog 20/20 at the local Cumberland Farms. Then you go home, get drunk and blame flatlanders for all of Vermont's problems, blind to the reality that you actually come from Europe or Africa and will never be a true American, or Vermonter. That privilege is reserved for native Americans, who you probably look down upon as well.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:19 AM, August 14, 2007

People need to come to Vermont with the idea of creating a job rather than taking ready made employment. This place takes creativity and stubborness to survive and success makes it all worthwhile.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:09 PM, August 14, 2007

"Let's go for quality, not quantity!"

So, anonymous 10:56, do you mean that low and middle income people who cannot afford to live here are low quality people?

And, does that statement apply also to the size of our government?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 2:19 PM, August 14, 2007

To Anon 9:48:

Make sure you get your permissions on that tune. I own it.

# Posted by:

nate | 3:56 PM, August 14, 2007

"Make sure you get your permissions on that tune. I own it."

And you admit it??

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:29 PM, August 14, 2007

"Better be glad they're eating that cheese f-face. R emember where that cheese comes from."

What a charming mode of expression you have! But not enough guts to actually type out the F-word.

The cheese that the overprivileged Speaker of the House eats is brie. From France. F-face.

And, I don't blame all flatlanders for Vermont's problems. Just the overprivileged ones who move here and take over the Legislature so they can convince us working stiffs that we don't really need a working economy in this state, just organic grass fed beef farms.

Oh, by the way, the Speaker has apparently just realized today that we have a road and bridge "crisis" in Vermont that needs to be addressed. Too bad she didn't spend the entire last session working on that issue, instead of the slam-Yankee-tax initiative.

F-face.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:48 PM, August 14, 2007

Oh, so you're a working stiff f-face? Yeah, right. My guess is you're some desk jockey working in an air conditioned office with a door that reads either RNC or Office of the Governor. Since you are an insider, ask Robo Guv why he won't approve a minimal gas tax to repair Vermont's crumbling infrastructure. And since he won't, maybe Jimbo can actually introduce a proposal that he himself comes up with. There's an idea. Apparently, Danziger agrees with my sarcasm, which is evidenced by his cartoon in today's Montpelier paper.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:57 AM, August 15, 2007

"But not enough guts to actually type out the F-word."

Noticed you didn't either. Gutless F-Face!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:59 AM, August 15, 2007

Gov Douglas is not a leader!

On this Transportation stuff, he and his political hacks are saying they will ask the legislature for more money --- a true leader would say we need more money and here's where it should come from.

His way, the political way, is to build a case that more money is needed but then ask teh legislature to find it - that way HE is not teh one trying to cut programs or raise taxes.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 1:17 PM, August 15, 2007

Anonymous 8:57 and 8:59, you've got some serious anger issues to work out. Get counseling.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:09 PM, August 15, 2007

Get rid of Symington.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:58 PM, August 22, 2007

Get rid of Campbell!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:46 AM, August 23, 2007

Wow, someone got it!

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 11:25 PM, August 24, 2007

Oh, sure, ANYONE who criticizes Symington and Shumlin and their woefully misplaced priorities MUST be working for the Governor's office! That's an easy way of psychologically comforting yourself, of convincing yourself that there isn't any criticism of your heroes except for partisan attacks. Wrong! I don't work for the Gov. and have never met him. Accept the fact that there are thousands and thousands of average Vermonters out there who were disgusted by the time and money that was wasted this session. Where was the school funding reform? Where was property tax reform? Learn from the failure. Focus on working class priorities next session.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 8:04 AM, August 26, 2007