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Breezy
 
The weather forecast is for a high of 55 degrees. It's not there yet, and the wind chill is going to bring it down ten degrees. So I came home to make a cup of cocoa and put another layer of clothes on. Now back out to the polling places.
 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
11/7/2006 9:38:10 AM


phone calls
 
I'm having a bunch of friends/libertarians make calls to all registered voters in this district. Some of them are from out of state. I'd like like to share a couple comments from Nigel..."Just made a bunch of calls for Hardy. Vermonters are nice folks" and Renee "I LOVE VERMONT!!!! They are so polite and considerate - I'm moving from the "left coast"!!!"

It seems some of the people helping me out have made calls to Texas also, and well the Texans weren't so nice.

 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
11/6/2006 6:03:50 PM


Can't Afford These Taxes?
 
Here is the PDF of my Can't Afford These Taxes postcard.

Both incumbents are claiming in ads that they are working for lower taxes, yet they have both voted for bills in 2005 and 2006 to increase state spending by over 750 million dollars.

Rule #1 when you want to try to reduce taxes is control your spending. Families do it all of the time with the family budget. We must do it with the state budget.

Beyond the spending increases, they have voted to increase gas taxes 20%, payroll taxes, and other taxes and fees.

At first I was worried that this postcard could be seen as negative or an attack card, but the incumbents ads claiming they are for tax reduction seem to be outright fraudulent compared to pointing out how much they have increased spending. It is approximately $1200 in new taxes and fees for each man, woman, and child in Vermont. And, at a time when South Hero is sending $1.8 million, Grand Isle $400k, Isle LaMotte $300k, and North Hero $1.8 million to Montpelier in additional taxes that we never get back... it is time to cap the property taxes, control spending, and send fiscally responsible representation to Montpelier.

See the earlier post for information on the budget and where to find the budget numbers online.

 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
11/2/2006 10:38:06 PM


Small business and gun owners endorsements
 
I received endorsements today from National Federation of Small Businesses (NFIB) and Gun Owners of Vermont. I am only candidate in my district to be endorsed by either organization.
 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
11/1/2006 10:35:09 AM


LTE: Kevin Steady
 
As I was looking at the upcoming ballot, when I noticed the candidates for State Representatives a song from Janet Jackson came into my head. It's called "What have you done for me Lately!"

That's why on November 7th, I'm voting for Hardy Machia for State Rep. Hardy's a 10-year Island resident with a software business at his house, in the old Grand Isle train station. He has experience in town matters--he was the chair of the Grand Isle select board in 2000, and continues to participate in local activities, most recently working on bringing high-speed Internet access to the Islands.

He knows what the Islands need. He's got the enthusiasm to stick it out in Montpelier and fight for us. He's concerned about the water quality in the lake and the rising cost of health care. As a libertarian, he'll meet these goals without wasting taxpayer money.

Although I'm a Democrat, I'm encouraging everyone I know to vote for libertarian Hardy Machia. I know he will serve the Islands well.

Kevin Steady
Grand Isle

 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
11/1/2006 8:04:32 AM


Vermont's Tax Nightmare
 
The cover story of Livin - The Vermont Way was "Vermont's Tax Nightmare -- What it means to the working people."

They highlighted a quote from me..."Vermont's spending has doubled in the last eight years from $2.2 billion to $4.4 billion. Vermont's population hasn't. Vermont is the third highest taxes state in the nation. New Hampshire doesn't have a sales or income tax, and is the lowest taxed state in the nation. When Vermonters can't afford to stay, the folks in Montpelier have to go." -- Hardy Machia, Chairman, Vermont Libertarian Party.

Finding the budget for Vermont is a little tricky, but the Vermont Joint Fiscal Office has spreadsheets available with the budget line items broken out and what funds are used to pay for them. You can download the spreadsheets going back to 1983...http://www.leg.state.vt.us/jfo/Appropriations.htm

By looking at these spreadsheets you can compare spending on a year by year basis. If you look at the current incumbents, they oversaw a 246,525,729 increase in FY-2006 and a $258,713,763 increase in FY-2007. Which means in their legislative term of 2005&2006 there was $751,765,221 in new spending (FY06 * 2 + FY07).

There needs to be fiscal restraint and responsibility in Montpelier if we want to be able to afford to live in Vermont.

 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
10/30/2006 10:03:03 PM


Health Care Mailing
 
Want cheaper health insurance? Let Vermonters buy it from other states....

Here is the PDF of my Health Care postcard.

 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
10/30/2006 9:47:12 PM


Halloween Party!
 
The Grand Isle Train Depot is now haunted. I'm having my annual Halloween Party full of drinking, eating (chocolate fondue), and chasing away the ghouls.

Everyone is invited. Costumes are highly encouraged, but if you want to come and don't have a costume, then come anyway because I have several extra masks for people who don't have costumes.

Location: 31 Town Line Road, Grand Isle.

If you need directions, then you can call 802-372-9512.

Hope to see many of you here. Show up anytime after 6PM, and it will go past midnight so show up when you can.

PS: If the rain stops, then we will have a bonfire.

PPS: I have a fog machine this year! Yay!

 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
10/28/2006 12:03:37 PM


A mention on News.com
 
Page two of the News.com article "Web standards, Libertarian candidates win" mentions my product PocketMoney and links to my business site (www.catamount.com).
 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
10/26/2006 4:45:33 PM


LTE: Robert Skinner
 
Dear Editor

I am writing to endorse Mike Guernsey as a representative for Grand Isle county. I also write in favor of Hardy Machia. Simply put, we need Mike and Hardy representing property owners if they are to realize any relief from the automatic rise in our property taxes because of the Democrat’s brainchild, Act 60 and Act 68. Governor Douglas has done all he can to stem the growth of government, a more expensive government to run, that liberals in Montpelier seem to be impassioned with advancing. Again, just look at the Pre-K expansion, (that will cost property owners tens of millions of more dollars), championed by Senator Collins, Senator Condos and Senator Cox and supported by Representatives Ira Trombley and Mitzi Johnson. As South Hero’s highly respected and former South Hero selectboard chair, Glenn Wright, pointed out not long ago in the Islander; Mitzi and Ira have consistently voted in favor of nearly every increase in taxes, and they support the expansion of the PreK program.

If Governor Douglas, a true fiscal conservative, is to make Vermont affordable for the middle class then he must have a team of legislators who are willing to cooperate in rational thinking and problem solving - and - are dedicated to getting government off your back and return local education funding to the citizens of each town - not from the offices of the Vermont tax department. I implore independent voters to support fiscally conservative legislators who honor Governor Douglas quest to make Vermont a place where people of moderate incomes can see taxes held in check, and in time, with the right legislative team, slowly reverse the out of control government that seeks more control of your paycheck to fund education and social programs that drive common people and good businesses out of Vermont. It’s time for a change. Change that raises your quality of life is good. Change that eases your tax burden is good. Give Governor Douglas a fighting chance to fight for a better life, an affordable life in Vermont. And finally, vote for Rich Tarrant and Martha Rainville who just received the endorsement of America’s most independent minded, and likely most respected politician - John McCain.

Robert Skinner

South Hero

 

Posted by: Hardy Machia

Date/Time:
10/26/2006 4:02:11 PM


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