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Vermont Residents Don’t Want To ‘Foot The Bill’ For Syrian Refugees
The Daily Caller News Foundation ^ | January 2, 2017 | Saagar Enjeti

Posted on 01/02/2017 10:04:02 AM PST by kevcol

Some small-town residents of Rutland, Vt. are upset at their mayor’s decision to resettle 100 Syrian refugees throughout 2017 in the area.

Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras defended his decision, saying the town’s demographics are declining, and they are having trouble recruiting younger workers. He also thinks refugees will bring cultural diversity.
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Louras’s decision sparked outrage among some residents who say they had little say in the mayor’s decision, which would effect them all.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailycallernewsfoundation.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Syria; US: Vermont
KEYWORDS: islam; muslims; refugeeresettlement; refugees; rutlandvt; syriarefugees; vermont
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From March 2015:

Christopher Louras won a fifth two-year term as Mayor of Rutland on Tuesday, defeating his main rival David Allaire by more than 500 votes. Kam Johnston, who also ran for city assessor and the board of aldermen, won 99 votes.

Louras’ rivals campaigned hard on the need for change. But voters in Rutland disagreed.



Rutland voters/Vermont liberals:

1 posted on 01/02/2017 10:04:02 AM PST by kevcol
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To: kevcol

Voting democrat means you get to eat the whole enchilada. You can’t pick and choose.


2 posted on 01/02/2017 10:05:55 AM PST by Salvavida (The restoration of the U.S.A. starts with filling the pews at every Bible-believing church.)
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To: kevcol

Americans who pay income taxes feel the same way.


3 posted on 01/02/2017 10:06:07 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (As long as tyranny exists, the Constitution and Bill of Right will never be "outdated" or "obsolete")
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To: kevcol

Have they thought about a recall election?


4 posted on 01/02/2017 10:06:10 AM PST by vette6387
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To: kevcol

Or he could cut taxes and regulations to attract younger Americans.

Who gave this Obama wanna-be the power to destroy thier town?


5 posted on 01/02/2017 10:07:14 AM PST by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: kevcol

But, but Vermont is so democrat they should be at the gate welcoming the vampires into their houses!

Then the Vermonters can’t complain when the vampires suck your blood!


6 posted on 01/02/2017 10:07:34 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: kevcol

Too bad, sux to be them. They voted for the leaders (Clinton, Sanders, Leahy, et al) who love to flood everyone else’s neighborhoods with potential terrorists.

They should throw their doors open and invite them in, just lay back and enjoy it Vermont.


7 posted on 01/02/2017 10:09:19 AM PST by Beautiful_Gracious_Skies ('45 will be the best ever.)
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To: kevcol

Cultural diversity = terrorism

When will Americans wake up that Islam has been at war with the rest of humanity for 1400 years and are commanded by their prophet in their book to keep it up until EVERYONE submits or dies?


8 posted on 01/02/2017 10:09:51 AM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents)
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To: kevcol

Once again, it proves to me how our corrupted monetary system - where government can issue a completely fiat currency, and our Federal Reserve can create massive debt and manipulate interest rates - directly serves the goals of progressives/leftist social-engineering.


9 posted on 01/02/2017 10:15:00 AM PST by PGR88
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To: kevcol

The owners of The Berkshire Eagle in Pittsfield, MA removed Disqus commenting from their paper the day after 1,000 residents packed a meeting demanding that Pittsfield not accept “Syrian refugees.”

No questions were allowed at the meeting and only people in agreement with the plans were allowed to speak. As of this time, the plans are still in place to give them homes and cash upon their arrival.

It was rare to see articles with more than 10 comments but the “Syrian refugee” story had hundreds of comments demanding that the program be halted.


10 posted on 01/02/2017 10:15:11 AM PST by HalfIrish
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To: kevcol

Every dang one of them will be on welfare for LIFE
drawing more $ than your puny social security check!

Section 8, WIC, SSI, Disability, Foo Stams, Cash, you name it!

Deport illegals!
Expel mucking fuzzies!


11 posted on 01/02/2017 10:16:06 AM PST by Original Lurker
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To: kevcol
That cartoon is extremely deceptive!

Too many women and children depicted and almost no able-bodied young men of fighting age.

12 posted on 01/02/2017 10:16:48 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no standairds at all -- Texas Eagle)
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To: kevcol

13 posted on 01/02/2017 10:17:08 AM PST by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: kevcol

Tell it to Bernie


14 posted on 01/02/2017 10:17:14 AM PST by NonValueAdded (#DeplorableMe #BitterClinger #HillNO! #MyPresident #MAGA)
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To: kevcol

“I saw that as an opportunity to grow our population, bring in individuals, families, new Americans from Syria who have a strong work ethic, who were fleeing for their lives and looking to rebuild those shattered lives,” Mr. Louras said.

But that argument failed among some in Rutland. One online petition referred to the refugees as “the same people who hate us.” Rutland First, the opposition group, emerged with the goal of blocking or delaying the plan.

Over the summer, seven of Rutland’s 11 aldermen voted to send a letter to the State Department saying they did not support the plan.

Many members of Rutland First say that they are not biased or xenophobic, as their critics have said, but that they have economic concerns about whether the city can absorb the new arrivals.

“We’re kind of stuck out here, with our level of economic depression, with our level of crime and drug issues,” said Timothy Cook, a doctor and an Army Reserve colonel who gave Rutland First its name. “We’re the ones who are gonna have to foot the bill for this.”

Someone needs to audit the mayor Louris’s bank account- there lies the answer to the welcomed invasion.


15 posted on 01/02/2017 10:17:26 AM PST by Beautiful_Gracious_Skies ('45 will be the best ever.)
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To: Salvavida
Voting democrat means you get to eat the whole enchilada. You can’t pick and choose.

Normally, they ship the "refugees" off to red states. This must be punishment for Sanders.

16 posted on 01/02/2017 10:21:52 AM PST by Drew68
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To: kevcol

They don’t want to be forced to pay the way for their replacements.
The goal is to replace the Christians in this country with muzzies, who will vote faithfully democrat and give money to dems. Until they start chopping democrat heads off.


17 posted on 01/02/2017 10:22:50 AM PST by I want the USA back (Lying Media: completely irresponsible. Complicit in the destruction of this country.)
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To: kevcol

“He also thinks refugees will bring cultural diversity.”

Which of course is such a wonderful thing for any peaceful community.


18 posted on 01/02/2017 10:23:04 AM PST by MNDude (God is not a Republican, but Satan is certainly a Democrat)
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To: kevcol

Rutland area legislators blast mayor for secrecy on refugees

Rutland Mayor Chris Louras faces criticism from Rutland County legislators Wednesday regarding his plan to bring 100 refugees to the city.
Posted Thursday, April 28, 2016 4:54 am
By Jasper Craven

A day after Rutland Mayor Chris Louras announced that up to 100 refugees from Syria would be coming to his city over the next year, Rutland County legislators scolded him for not telling them earlier or seeking any public input on the plans.

Louras did not inform members of the delegation or the Board of Aldermen about the resettlement until hours before the announcement. He said the work between state and federal actors required confidentiality, and he promised the resettlement would bring only good to a city in need of a boost.

“I do apologize that you feel blindsided,” Louras told legislators in an early morning meeting Wednesday in the Statehouse. “But if I had to do it again I’d make the same decision.”

Legislators said they felt hurt by the level of secrecy, and many said they learned of the plans from posts on Facebook. Louras said he had hoped to fully inform leaders individually the night before Tuesday’s official announcement, but that his plans were complicated after one of the first aldermen he contacted leaked the news on social media.

“We got our legs kicked out from underneath us,” said Rep. Butch Shaw, R-Pittsford. “We need a measure of trust from you and from the city and from the county,” Shaw continued. “And if we don’t get that, it’s damaging to us here in this building.” Legislators needled Louras with questions in the Ethan Allen Room for nearly an hour, expressing security concerns and questioning how much money the refugee program would cost the state and the city.

Louras went into detail about the process for screening refugees and said he had spoken with two high-ranking federal officials about the process: Barbara Strack of the Department of Homeland Security and Lawrence Bartlett of the State Department.

“I need to be able to stand up in front of my constituents, in front of the residents, in front of my kids and my wife, and say, ‘I’m not putting you at risk,’” Louras told Rep. Thomas Terenzini, R-Rutland, who expressed deep skepticism over the screening process. “And I’m saying that to you as well.” Louras said the group of refugees would consist of roughly 30 families, who would begin arriving every other week or so starting in October.

He said the city had capacity to house the Syrians, as well as the appropriate programs in area schools for children to learn English. Louras also said he had spoken to administrators at Rutland Regional Medical Center and Killington resort who said they were in need of employees. Sen. Peg Flory, R-Rutland, and others questioned whether the refugees would take advantage of already overburdened assistance programs like Medicaid or heating bill aid offered through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Louras could not promise that no state dollars would be spent. But he pointed out that the new residents will receive an initial stipend from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Government officials will also help them find housing, employment, schooling and other necessities.

“They do not want to go on assistance,” Louras said. “They want to be successful, they want to elevate their stature. They are not a blank slate — they come here with skills and full lives.”

While legislators questioned the effects of the resettlement, the most pointed remarks were about the mayor’s lack of transparency, not the program itself.

“I think you knew there was going to be opposition, but you didn’t have the fortitude to stand in front of the community and trust the people that elected you,” said Rep. Thomas Burditt, R-West Rutland.

Louras told legislators that if the first 100 refugees did not dry up the city’s capacity, he hoped to welcome more in. The mayor also said he would be more transparent in the future, then offered a tease about another plan in the works for Rutland.

“There will probably be another initiative coming up that I just thought about today, and so it’s not quite ready for primetime,” Louras said. “But I will guarantee, you people will hear about it first.”

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/stories/rutland-area-legislators-blast-mayor-for-secrecy-on-refugees,117529


19 posted on 01/02/2017 10:25:19 AM PST by Beautiful_Gracious_Skies ('45 will be the best ever.)
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To: kevcol
He also thinks refugees will bring cultural diversity

Why is it an article of faith for Democrats that Cultural Diversity is always good?

They are always preaching to the Right that there is no Good and Evil, Black or White that the real world is different shades of grey.

Everyone in a Liberals mind is equal and all religions and cultures are equally good (except Christians and Joos. They are all bad).

I am all for immigration from Christian European countries. Their cultures are a good match for the United States. Immigration from other countries should be strictly limited and the immigrants should be closely vetted.

All immigrants should also be screened for disease and should be able to earn a living

I’ve really had enough of the US being Uncle Sugar to the rest of the world.

20 posted on 01/02/2017 10:25:56 AM PST by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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