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The latest blog posts!
Posts 1 to 10 of 42
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Breezy |
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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. |
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Posted
by: Hardy Machia
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Date/Time:
11/7/2006 9:38:10 AM
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phone
calls |
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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. |
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Posted
by: Hardy Machia
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Date/Time:
11/6/2006 6:03:50 PM
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Can't
Afford These Taxes? |
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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. |
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Posted
by: Hardy Machia
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Date/Time:
11/2/2006 10:38:06 PM
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LTE:
Kevin Steady |
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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 |
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Posted
by: Hardy Machia
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Date/Time:
11/1/2006 8:04:32 AM
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Vermont's
Tax Nightmare |
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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. |
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Posted
by: Hardy Machia
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Date/Time:
10/30/2006 10:03:03 PM
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Health
Care Mailing |
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Want cheaper health insurance? Let Vermonters buy it
from other states....
Here is the PDF
of my Health Care postcard. |
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Posted
by: Hardy Machia
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Date/Time:
10/30/2006 9:47:12 PM
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Halloween
Party! |
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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! |
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Posted
by: Hardy Machia
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Date/Time:
10/28/2006 12:03:37 PM
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LTE:
Robert Skinner |
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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 |
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Posted
by: Hardy Machia
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Date/Time:
10/26/2006 4:02:11 PM
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