Dear Editor, As a financial official, I could list many reasons for choosing Bruce Lisman for Vermont governor over Phil Scott, in the Aug. 9 primary. Lisman has extensive financial experience and management skills which are needed in the governor’s office. The next governor will have a huge task in repairing our state government as…

Dear Editor, When I spoke face to face with Bruce Lisman and suggested that Vermont needed to go on offense, so to speak, to expand our economy, instead of taking incremental defensive measures, I saw that he was really listening. In fact, growth of new businesses was never far from his thoughts in our lengthy…

Dear Editor, The Vermont Inn and Bed & Breakfast Association brought to my attention on July 19 a consideration from the Vermont Department of Health that would compartmentalize lodging accommodations by size (the number of guest rooms) when it comes to the application of the department’s recently revised health and safety regulations. I do not…

Dear Editor, As a former legislator, I would like to help you get to know Kesha Ram, a candidate for lieutenant governor in the upcoming primary. Kesha Ram was my seat mate in the House of Representatives, and though far younger than I, 26 years old at the time, she was already an experienced legislator…

Dear Editor, I agree totally with the Jon Margolis op-ed, published in the Mountain Times July 13 -19, but I don’t think the millionaires who were described in the article are the ‘rich’ that a lot of people are talking about. Those whose annual income is in the $75,000 to $150,000 range are considered to…

Dear Editor, I am a Rutland City resident, registered voter and taxpayer. Kudos to Rutland First for standing up for everyday citizens like me, and to the Board of Aldermen for asserting their authority as our representatives by sending the letter. Rutland First is concerned that public discussion on the refugee matter and authority for…

Dear Editor, The primary responsibility of elected officials is to the citizens. When Rutland’s Mayor Chris Louras single-handedly devised a plan with respect to bringing Syrian refugees to the Rutland area, he failed to consider the citizens he represents. Vermonters are generous and welcoming. They deserve no less than equal consideration from elected officials in…

Dear Editor, Vermont Veterans of Foreign Wars tried in the past to get Vt. Route 103 named for Desert Storm veterans and their families, but it was discovered that half of Route 103 was named for Calvin Coolidge back in the 1930s. Therefore, we have re-petitioned the state asking that Vt. Route 22A from Fair…

Dear Editor, Bruce Lisman’s candidacy in this year’s Republican primary for governor seems, to me, to be a rare chance for us as Vermonters to help ourselves. I introduced myself to Lisman after hearing him speak at a candidate forum last October. I found his thoughtfulness and engagement to be head and shoulders above the…

Dear Editor, Here at my Rutland home I have a wonderful golden retriever named McKie. He’s the most mellow, people-loving creature on the planet. We feed him an all-raw diet of healthy meat and local produce and he will soon celebrate his 10th birthday in apparent good health . . . a long time for…

Dear Editor, Over the past eight years, Vermont has rapidly become a precarious state in which to own a small business. Per the Department of Labor Statistics, 60.5 percent of Vermont businesses employ four or less persons; in Bennington County, 62.5 percent and in Rutland County 60 percent. These are our mom and pop operations.…

Dear editor, With the weather warm upon us, family travel and college and high school schools out on vacation, the need for blood is critically low – but the Gift-of-Life Mini Marathon Blood Drive is fast approaching. The annual summer blood drive, the offspring of Rutland’s national-record-setting Gift-of-Life Marathon, is set for July 19 from…

Dear Editor, There’s a vocal segment of  Vermonters who consistently decry what they see as “the liberal” tendency to spend “other people’s money” on social programs. I ran across this most recently in comments supporting gubernatorial candidate Phil Scott’s public statement that he’s pretty sure that $50 million can be cut from Medicaid. That’s an…

Dear Editor, I haven’t fully made my mind up yet about the national election, but there’s a weird similarity between the presidential campaign and the politics of Rutland, Vt. Without a doubt the presence of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump (both totally unlikely candidates) have demonstrated that change is in order. Both spoke clearly on…

Dear Editor, I am writing regarding the Rainbow Family of Living Light Gathering of the Tribes that has been setting up in the Green Mountain National Forest in Mount Tabor. I am a California native who has travelled to Vermont in order to volunteer my time and labor at the gathering. Rainbow Gatherings mean a…