Vermont town votes to rejoin Granite State

Manchester Union Leader ^ | March 3, 2004 | LORNA COLQUHOUN

[CatoRenasci]

Cool! Bump!

[billorites]

Killington today,
Tomorrow the World!

[longtermmemmory]

“I support what’s going on, but I look back on Vermont and say Vermont supports progressive ideas,” he said.


""" "" ""

So this is a "Gay!" town?

[Alberta's Child]

Another resident, retired after a career in political lobbying in New York, urged residents not to be complacent after the vote but to be ready to fight for what they believe.

While I might be inclined to support the efforts of these people in trying to secede from Vermont, I must say that people like this make me wonder about what the real source of the problem is. I yearn for the days when a career in "political lobbying" was considered about as respectable as a career in arson.

What you have here is a classic case where someone who spent his life earning a substantial amount of money in politics fled to a neighboring state to retire -- probably to avoid the high taxes in his home state (that are due, in large part, to people like him). And now it hurts to be on the receiving end of the process.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

So this is a "Gay!" town?

Best skiing in the East. Maybe 40th best in America, but it's a four hour drive from Boston, maybe eight from New Yawk. Huge tourist industry, they don't feel the need to subsidize the rest of Ben & Jerry Land.

[AF68]

Five or six years ago, said Ed Fowler, a 35-year resident, his taxes were $2,200. He anticipates they will be $11,000 later this year.

Working people love socialism until the tax bill hits them in the pocketbook. By then, it's too late.

[jobshopper]

Having grown up in upstate NY, right on the Vermont border, I am quite familiar with Vermont. When I left the area 25 years ago, I joked that pretty soon Vermonters would have to get permission from the government just to take a crap. You could see the state gov't stifling the people way back then. The question is, what took them so long to figure it out? I say, good for Killington!

[JimVT]

Problem is.....it's 20+ miles from Killington to the NH border.

If Dean were still Governor he'd charge an exit/entrance fee.

[Loyal Buckeye]

To use an oft-repeated Vermontite phrase -- yeeeehaawww!

[pabianice]

It's an old story. Liberals -- fed up with crime and taxes in MA and NY -- move to VT and immediately demand the same services (and taxes) they had before they moved.

I propose a Constitutional amendment that requires a person to wait five years before they can move.

[OldFriend]

If Jeffords can jump, then Killington ought to be able to jump!

[OldFriend]

Well, NJ charges a Real Estate TRANSFER tax.....meaning you pay the state many thousands when you sell your house to leave the state!

[PBRSTREETGANG]

maybe eight from New Yawk.

Used to get to Killington in 5 1/2 hours from Long Island. Haven't gone back to Vermont since Jim Jefford's sold his soul. I would immediately visit Killington again if it was actually part of New Hampshire. (Won't happen, but fun to watch.)

[StriperSniper]

He also wondered whether New Hampshire has been able to reduce spousal abuse, as Vermont has done in recent years,

If all the addresses now have a 'NH' instead of a 'VT', wife-beating will go up? Is that what he's implying? What a dufus!

[moonman]

Exact same thing they want when moving here to Florida. "Back North we did or we had ... " Move daHell back!

[raybbr]

Connecticut has a "conveyance tax" when you sell your house. Whether you leave the state or not.

[JimVT]

Heck...we pay that if we sell the house and move next door!

[vetvetdoug]

Looks like Vermont is going to send troops, suspend habeas corpus, take the possessions of the people that live there so they can keep them in Vermont. It worked before for the Yankees before, why change?

[wbill]

I like the idea - but - what the article doesn't mention is that NH does not have a state tax. Methinks that the people are more motivated by the almighty dollar, than by any other reason.

I also laughed out loud when they called Vermont a 'progressive state'. Sort of like calling Bill Clinton 'ethically challenged'.