Are these guys Deaniacs, too?

[Ronn_Bman]

Vt. town votes to secede and join New Hampshire By Fred Bayles USA TODAY . . . Angered by soaring property taxes, about 200 residents of Killington, Vt., voted Tuesday in a raucous town meeting to secede from the state and become part of neighboring New Hampshire. But don't expect the word Vermont to vanish from road signs and other official markings in the ski resort town anytime soon. The village of 1,000, which lies in the middle of Vermont, about 30 miles west of the New Hampshire border, faces long odds in yearning for the Granite State's lower taxes. The Vermont Legislature and Gov. Jim Douglas would have to approve the switch -- if New Hampshire would have Killington. Douglas is no supporter of secession, and there is little support in the Legislature. ''It's best to say it's an uphill battle,'' says Harry Chen, Killington's state representative. Nevertheless, Killington's leaders were emboldened by the resounding voice vote among residents gathered at the town's school. ''This is for real,'' said Walter Findeisen, the head of the selectmen who offered the declaration of independence at the town meeting. ''We're hoping to enlist three or four other towns that would make a nice corridor to the New Hampshire border.'' Killington's revolt was sparked by a statewide education financing system adopted in 1997 and revised this year that ends the centuries-old tradition of local autonomy. Under the new system, homes across Vermont are taxed at equal value, and the revenue goes into a state fund to pay for schools. Killington residents had enjoyed low taxes, subsidized by a boom in second homes near the ski resort. Under the current system, property taxes will jump nearly six-fold. To make matters worse, Findeisen says, the town sends $10 million in property taxes to the state and gets back only $850,000. Killington has sought relief from the Legislature and state Supreme Court without success. ''Hell hath no fury like Volvo owners who have to pay more than they think they should,'' said Garrison Nelson, a University of Vermont political science professor. He said he believes there is little sympathy for the attempt at secession among the rest of Vermont's residents, many of whom nurture a rivalry with New Hampshire. ''It's the ultimate in treason to yoke yourself with New Hampshire,'' Nelson said. Findeisen said town officials will draft a petition requesting that New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson and his state's Legislature adopt their town. If Killington gets a favorable answer, it then goes to the Vermont Legislature. If rejected, the town could appeal to Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court.

[ryaldin]

Does anybody remember the libertarian grad from yale or harvard or somthing, who was looking for 20,000 people to move to a state and try to take it over (peacefully) and create a less government controlled place to live? Not that it has anything to do with Vermont residents trying to secede from Vermont. It's just that people always blame an inherently evil system as a form of escapism, or so it seems.

There wasn't a picture of the offended parties in the article, so there's no way to determine if there's an adequate amount of flying spittle and bulging veins for them to truly qualify as Deaniacs [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img]

[Oblivion437]

Well, I wonder, if it goes through, what precedents it will set upon the borders and certain state powers. Though I do admit, without spittle, this just isn't any fun.

[ 03-03-2004, 07:36 AM: Message edited by: Oblivion437 ]

[skywalker]

Firstly, I don't like the term Deaniacs, we aren't maniacs. Just because we aren't happy with the way the USA is run and want to take the country back, doesn't make us crazy.

They are mainly people that are affluent and don't want to pay the high taxes that go with the area. I understand that they don't feel they are getting enough "bang for their buck" in taxes, but that is how it works. Taxes go into a pot to help everyone in the Vermont.

I don't have any kids, should I not have to pay School Taxes? 2/3s of my property tax bill goes to School Tax... a necessary evil. So they should pay their taxes and try to change the tax laws instead of running away. It just makes the whole town look foolish.

Of course if the Federal Government would pay for the unfunded mandates in education it would not be as bad. No Child Left Behind is leaving the States behind. And I hear Bush wants to cut funding for Education and boost Defense. Yep, keep them ill educated and have them join the Armed Services to fight the next War On Terrorism when they can't find a job. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Mark

Mark

[Timber Loftis]

Hey, are you Mark squared, Mark Times Two, or Markey Mark?

The more affluent residents of Killington will always be putting more money in the governmental funds than they take out. It is true for affluent neighborhoods in many instances, and logic compels me to think this is not a rare occurrence for a wealthy town surrounded by poorer towns in a generally poorer state.

[ryaldin]

Originally posted by skywalker: Firstly, I don't like the term Deaniacs, we aren't maniacs. Just because we aren't happy with the way the USA is run and want to take the country back, doesn't make us crazy.

I understand. I don't like being labeled a libertarian, a fundamentalist, republican, democrat, or liberal.

So they should pay their taxes and try to change the tax laws instead of running away. It just makes the whole town look foolish.

They were acting a bit maniacal [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img] . And Dean's over-the-top, fist-pumping, baby-kissing campaign was frankly a bit humorous for the rest of country. The jovial association between the two was merely a coincidental connection.

[skywalker]

ryaldin,

If you think that was mostly what the Dean campaign and his supporters were all about, I fear you weren't paying enough attention. Therefore it doesn't really matter as long as "we" know.

Mark

[ 03-03-2004, 12:05 PM: Message edited by: skywalker ]