Dear Members, Thank you to those that came out and voted on Town Meeting Day. I would like to congratulate Chris Bianchi on his re-election and thank voters for passing the budget. Your votes helped ensure that we have a Selectboard and a plan that supports that mission of the KPAA and the best interests…

By Andy Robinson, VTDigger.org contributor Despite what you’ve heard, Vermont is a great place to do business. In 2002, I moved my business and my family to Vermont. Since we arrived, the business has grown every year, so our adopted state has been a great place to own and run a business. Let me tell…

Dear Editor, As the Vermont Legislature considers its budget deficit, a viable alternative is to increase the sales tax on liquor and tobacco. Vermont presently has the lowest sales tax on liquor in the nation. With these increased taxes Vermont can close its budget gap, save money in social services, and improve the health and…

Dear Editor, By now you should already know the outcome of the vote: 176-153 in favor of Chris Bianchi. I’m glad I ran for office and happy I spent the time and effort putting together the data from the town report about the Town of Killington having a deficit. The independent auditor did come out…

By Lee H. Hamilton The question usually comes toward the end of a public meeting. Some knotty problem is being discussed, and someone in the audience will raise his or her hand and ask, “Okay, so what can I do about it?” I love that question. Not because I’ve ever answered it to my satisfaction,…

By Governor Peter Shumlin As we head into the second half of this year’s legislative session, it’s a good time to evaluate the progress that has been made in the two months since the session began. In January, I laid out a number of priorities to keep Vermont moving forward that included cleaning up Lake…

Dear Editor, ARC Rutland Area, an organization that works with citizens with developmental disabilities and their families (short for Advocacy, Resources and Community) wants to say “Thank you” to Rutland Lodge of Elks #345 for again having sponsored a Valentine barbecue and dance for approximately 70 members, family and friends of ARC Rutland Area on…

By David E. Raven Most of us have heard the phrase “pay yourself first” at one time or another when referring to personal savings plans. The idea is simple, designate a portion of your weekly paycheck to automatically go into your personal savings account, just as you would pay your mortgage, car loan, or child’s…

We have a long way to go until we are all able to make an informed decision about legalizing marijuana. The recent report released by the RAND Corporation is a good first step in learning more about the issue, but it is imperative that we do more information gathering, research and data collection before Vermont…

By Governor Peter Shumlin Putting together a budget is never an easy task–everyone knows that from personal experience–and it is harder when finances are lean. But we all do what we need to do to make ends meet. Perhaps we cut back on dinners out, cancel a family vacation or keep the family car another…

February 27, 2015 Dear Killington Residents, We are writing to further explain our budget proposal (Article 3) and the financial status of the Town to address questions and misinformation that have been circulated in the last few days. The reality is that Town finances, while not ideal, are the deliberate result of how we, as…

Editor’s note: The Mountain Times receives many questions from readers every week about Killington Resort and Pico Mountain operations. In order to best answer some of the most common questions we will pose them directly to Mike Solimano, president and general manager for Killington Resort and Pico Mountain, who has agreed to respond in an…

Editors note: The following is a public letter by the Killington Select Board addressed to Killington residents reproduced here in full. Fiscal Year Change On Town Meeting Day in 2014, Killington voters overwhelming approved Article 3 and adopted a July 1 through June 30 fiscal year in place of using the calendar year (Jan.-Dec.).  We…

Dear Editor, It’s now been six years since Killington residents first elected me, Chris Bianchi, to the Select Board and I’m asking for voters’ support again as I seek re-election at Town Meeting this March 3. It’s been an honor to serve our town and I want to continue to work with our board and…

Dear Editor, I’d like to touch base on your question 5 in the Q&A. Part of the question asked what specific things I propose cutting from the budget, my answer was to implement the proposal from the KPAA, which includes the community businesses that also includes the resort. I would like to expand on that…