Vermont Economy at a Glance

  • FY12 Budget Shortfall: $176 million, or 14%
    • One Family's Share: $1,132
  • Population: 621,760   Unemployment Rate: 6.2%   Poverty Rate: 9.4%
  • Median Household Income: $50,619
  • Potential Public Revenue from tax on natural resource extraction: $1,2 Billion / year
    • One Family's Share: $7,720 yearly
    • Currently collected by corporations tax-free
  • Cumulative Afghan & Iraq War Cost to Vermont:
    • $1,724,493,495 ...Not counting the cost of the illegal war in Libya!
    • One Family's Share: $11,904
Full Documentation on the Cost of War to Vermont families courtesy of CostOfWar.com.
Aug 212011
 
Ballad of Ladder Five

  By James Roland Hogue ©2003 James R. Hogue Illustrations by Rick Powell Originally published on the Earnest Productions website   On the tenth of September they passed the brew, They passed the cards and smokes. “Deuces to open,” he barked to the crew, And he dealt the cards and the jokes. “What d’ya know’s [...]

Aug 112011
 
London Violence: Coming to Vermont? Analysis...

With Vermont machine politicians imposing higher taxes against the middle class and business, driving local business away whilst making behind-closed-door deals with armaments manufacturers, with Omya & Entergy corporation, funding greenwashing programs such as the ‘Vermont (get this) “Sustainable” Jobs Fund’ that creates no jobs, who knows?

Aug 082011
 
Austerity in Vermont

The Vermont Legislature are setting the stage for “austerity”, right here, in tiny Vermont. Teachers are supposed to give up the pensions that they earned. Our Seniors and disabled have had cuts to their lifelines… and now the Legislature’s talking about cutting fuel assistance as well. Certain public schools like the one in Ripton are being run into the ground, in hopes that the community won’t make too much of an outcry when they’re closed…

Closing schools, cutting bus service while installing surveillance cameras all over Vermont and sending helicopters to watch what we grow… that’s the Vermont Legislature in all its glory.

Aug 042011
 
The Big Showdown: People of Burlington vs Lockheed

Burlington artist Liza Cowan reports: Thanks to the hard work, persistence, determination, creativity and time of the NO Lockheed Activists, and certain Burlington City Council Members, the Mulvaney-Stanak Resolution on Community Standards passed in Burlington City Council Tonight. Thanks to all for a turnout of about 100+ folks packing City Hall.