Dear Editor, On May 11, 2022, Governor Scott signed into law Bill H.411, which prohibits killing wildlife without intention to use or dispose of it properly—known as wanton waste. A 2017 survey by the University of Vermont’s Center for Rural Studies showed that 70.5% of Vermonters oppose wanton waste. The passing of H.411 ignited a glimmer of…

Dear Editor, A third party always challenges the dual-mode of the scales, up and down. The dual-mode (“two party system”) has dominated America since John Adams was president. Picture a fist fight. Dramatic, sure. Useful? To vested interests, very. You get the drama. Vested interests pocket the dharma: the money and influence. The power.  The…

By Katrina Menard Editor’s note: Katrina Menard is state policy fellow at Public Assets Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit, people-centered, data-first organization based in Montpelier. She lives in Strafford. As Vermont recovers from yet another round of flooding and braces for what’s left of Tropical Storm Debby, it may come as no surprise that Vermont is ranked…

By Allen Gilbert Editor’s note: Allen Gilbert of Worcester, a former journalist, teacher and ACLU-VT executive director. He chaired his school board in Worcester when it joined the education funding lawsuit that resulted in the Brigham v. State decision by the Vermont Supreme Court. Don Keelan’s commentary printed in this publication July 31 — “The ‘welcome to Vermont’…

By David Moats Editor’s note: David Moats, an author and journalist who lives in Salisbury, is a regular columnist for VTDigger. He is editorial page editor emeritus of the Rutland Herald, where he won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for a series of editorials on Vermont’s civil union law. Vermont Republicans are in a bind. One…

By Melinda Moulton Editor’s note: Melinda Moulton, of Huntington, is a writer, filmmaker, social and climate activist and community leader. As the grandmother of three teenage girls, I have trepidation about their futures growing up in America. A hateful tenor toward women and anti-women rhetoric out in the open is now mainstreamed. Women’s rights are…

By Madeleine Kunin Editor’s note: Madeleine Kunin served as the 77th governor of Vermont from 1985-1991.  Just about every article about the Harris/Trump presidential campaign emphasizes how little time we have left until Election Day: fewer than 100 days. The authors of these stories see these few days as a crisis, a disadvantage or at…

Dear Editor, In response to Susan Weiksner’s letter in the last edition of the Mountain Times about being offended by political cartoons: I, in turn, was offended by your racism. You stated you are a retired teacher from Georgia. I hope your retirement offers you the time and motivation to seek knowledge, as any student…

Dear Editor, For the second consecutive year – exactly one year to the day – Vermont was struck by catastrophic flooding, wreaking havoc across our beautiful state. Kingsbury Companies, alongside many others, has been on the frontlines of cleanup and recovery efforts these past few weeks, and we are still supporting Vermonters in the aftermath…

Dear Editor, There are many acute problems crying for attention in the upcoming legislative session.  Affordability is a leading one that affects most Vermonters in one way or another. Families and individuals who would like to live in our communities are priced out due the lack of affordable housing. Businesses cannot fill open positions; hospitals, medical…

By Angelo Lynn Editor’s note: Angelo Lynn is the publisher of the Addison Independent in Middlebury, a sister publication to the Mountain Times.  Here’s the only good news about the bad news concerning Vermont’s health care system — it’s so bad reform can’t wait. We absolutely must make substantial changes and do it quickly. That’s…

By Don Keelan Editor’s note: Don Keelan of Arlington, a retired certified public accountant. Deep inside the 171-page tome of the recently adopted Act 181 (H.687) legislation was a section to extract more money from nonresidents who purchase Vermont homes after Aug. 1, 2024. Sections 73 and 74 detail the extraction of funds from those who conceivably…

By Zoie Saunders, interim secretary of education  When I arrived in Vermont, I shared my intent to spend my first 100 days learning as much as possible about the state, our schools, and Vermonters’ education priorities. What I have learned gives me great hope about the work underway in our state. There is a real…

Dear Editor, First I want to say I appreciate your free weekly newspaper. We caretake a home here in Pico for the last 6 years and it’s very informative as to upcoming events. I am truly upset about the voice of your political cartoons. I realize everyone has a right to their beliefs, but not…

Dear Editor, I’m writing in support of my State Senate colleagues, Alison Clarkson and Becca White, who are seeking Democratic nominations for re-election to represent the Windsor County District. We’ve worked together to make life better for Vermonters with economic development, a higher minimum wage, childcare, family leave, and school meals. We’ve worked for Diversity,…