News & Citizen

Serving the People of Lamoille County with News Since 1881

Volume 123     No 10 No 5569            March 6 2007 Thursday                           Morrisville, VT 05661                        Web Edition

Warden Defeats Delisle in Johnson by Mickey Smith JOHNSON – What some perceived as backlash from his support for an ATV ordinance, resulted in long time Johnson selectboard member Blaine Delisle being ousted from his seat, and replaced by justice of the peace and former schoolboard member Margo Warden at Town Meeting, Tuesday, March 6. Warden defeated Delisle 209-119. In other elections, incumbents returned to their positions. continued on page 2 Click here to check out the new Lamoille Restaurant Guide Elmore Gives Selectmen a Raise By J.B. McKinley As strong gusts of wind enveloped the Elmore Town Hall in a smokescreen of windblown below zero snow, about 85 citizens squeezed into the building for Town Meeting Day action. continued on page 2 Eden voters broke for lunch apparently in preparation for the work of sending a message to Montpelier later in the afternoon! The lunch benefited ECS¹s sixth grade.                   Darrah-Roman photo Eden Town Meeting by Jesse Darrah-Roman Eden’s proposed 2007 town budget of $697,640, up 2.8% from last year’s $678,503 total, passed easily on Town Meeting Day, however the school budget didn’t fare as well. The $2,355,524 proposed school budget, an increase of 4.9% from last year, sparked some debate amongst the 115 residents in attendance. continued on page 2  Visitors For Questions or Comments on this web site please contact webmaster at http://www.kingdomsedge.com dan@kingdomsedge.com Just 24 hours after winning the Division II Girls Basketball State Championship the Lamoille Union Lady Lancers gathered on their home court to show off the hardware earned in their victory! Pictured from left to right: Alison Wells, Cara Grogan, Lacey Williams, Rachel Wellman, Becky Tisbert, Angela Locke, Cory Palumbo, Chantelle Locke, Mackenzie Pratt and Ashley Bryce. Smith photo Longest in Years at Morristown by Mickey Smith MORRISTOWN – When the gavel finally fell at 4:12 p.m., the remaining Morristown residents breathed a sigh of relief that the longest meeting in probably 20 years was over. continued on page 2 Cambridge Elementary Budget to Move to Australian Ballot By Katherine Quimby Johnson         Following a spirited debate, 133 of those present at the Cambridge Town Meeting cast a paper ballot in favor of voting, beginning next year, on the school budget by Australian ballot and 89 opposed the motion. That vote came after a lengthy discussion, which alternated between those speaking for and those speaking against. John Carleton, who led the petition drive to put the item on the warning, asked that the motion be approved because “the right to vote belongs to everyone over the age of 18 who is not a convicted felon.” Those who defended the floor vote spoke mainly about the opportunity it offers for discussion and clarification, to make an informed decision and to amend the budget. Even though this group did not carry the day, that last option had been in operation earlier in the meeting. continued on page 2 Read all the News, Sports and More Click Here To Subscribe Today Looking for something? Search for: Copyright © 2004 News&Citizen Inc. All rights reserved. Have a press release? edit@newsandcitizen.com e-mail correspondence concerning advertising should be addressed to news@newsandcitizen.com

Things Look This Way to Me

Editorial by J.B. McKinley 3/1/07

Who’s Giving Whom a Break?

Nope, it wasn’t the need for a half million dollars of new roof. Nope, it wasn’t the request for a new back-up ambulance. Yep, it was the explanation of a new veterans’ benefit that had me instantly  steaming and ashamed of state politics and government.

It is not the fact of being able to offer veterans a bigger break on their property taxes based on exempting up to $40,000 of their assessment. It was the cheap, penny ante, two-bit weaselly manner in which the state passed the buck to the towns to pay for this break. It brings to mind some sleazeball bum putting on a pressed suitcoat from the Salvation Army, walking into an upscale restaurant looking like a gent, ordering in a tony fake accent, eating and leaving without paying the check.

What am I talking about? Well, I’m trusting Morristown Town Clerk Mary Ann Wilson to have it right. She explained last night that for many years Vermont towns have been granting certain veterans, first, a $10,000 exemption on their property taxes. About 10 years ago this amount was allowed to go up to $20,000. Now, in a moment of generosity and supposed recognition of the debt owed to veterans the state has allowed towns to offer up to a $40,000 exemption. That sounds great, right? Personally, I would support the new level as a nice gesture. Though not really a big deal given today’s assessments of our residences, I’m told this would give 21 Morristown veterans a pleasant tax break.

And so it will, but the state included a Catch-22. The state won’t let its tax collections go down! The state will only subsidize the first $10,000. Presumably that means, since Morristown voters had already authorized the $20,000 exemption, we taxpayers will even have to make up the taxes owed on that $10,000 boost, plus whatever we all decide to authorize this year, up to the $40,000 level.

Let me state my position. I think the $40,000 exemption is a compassionate move that Morristown and other towns can probably afford, as Mrs. Wilson says it will cost us 1/3 of a cent on Morristown’s tax rate. But I think the Legislature is a parsimonious and hypocritical body in this case. Either give the tax break and forgo the taxes or pass no law.

Montpelier, either honor veterans or don’t. Don’t tell the towns “You pay for our charity.” Folks, lots of this kind of lawmaking  with the check being passed down the line, but this example is as blatant as can possibly be. Hey, Montpelier, really want to be cheap, next time pass a  resolution, that’s free and might even be sincere.