Douglas genuine in all situations
Burlington Free Press 8.14.06

Gov. Jim Douglas has managed to hold down property taxes, and kept unemployment rates among the lowest in the nation. He has worked to improve conditions for all struggling to find good quality jobs and affordable housing. Most importantly, Gov. Douglas finds time to stay in touch with what's important to the people.

In all the times I've met Jim Douglas, I've never seen him shortchange anyone, no matter how humble, who wants to express to the governor their concerns or personal stories, as he expresses to them his genuine sense of responsibility for the stewardship of Vermont. Never have I seen this as evident, as when Douglas attended the opening of Turning Point Center in Burlington.

This is a space where area residents can go to get support and assistance for their addictions to alcohol and drugs, to end the pain that these addictions have caused for themselves, their families and the community. They had a difficult time finding a home here, as Progressives said the center just wasn't welcome here.

They finally did find a space, and when they opened, no one from Burlington government was there to greet them, not Mayor Clavelle, not one councilor, no one but the governor was there, took the time, made the effort, and made sure they knew they had his support in their difficult personal struggles. I've never been more proud of Jim Douglas.

KEVIN RYAN
Burlington 

Douglas will fight for scholarships
Burlington Free Press 8.10.06

I like the fact that Gov. Douglas has made building a better tomorrow for our children and grandchildren a top priority. He clearly understands that Vermont's growing economy requires a highly skilled work force. The governor's commitment to making a college education more affordable and providing Vermont's workers with the training that they need to succeed has been a big boost to our economy.

It's disappointing, however, that the extremely liberal Democrats who seem to control the Legislature opposed the Governor's Vermont Promise Scholarship Plan. But I'm pleased the governor has pledged to continue to fight to put a college education within reach of our family and all families. Gov. Douglas has an ambitious agenda to ensure that Vermont's economy remains strong and that future generations are more prosperous than those that came before them. That's why I'll be supporting him again in this year's election.

CHRISTINA MASON
Barre 

Benjamin Franklin said nothing was certain but "death and taxes" -- he did not however say that folks needed to be worked nearly to death to pay their taxes.

Many Vermonters I see on a daily basis are voicing that very concern -- they are working as hard as they can just to try to keep up with their taxes. Clearly that concern is reflected in town and city budgets being rejected three or four times in places like Randolph and Barre. To hear that some favored folks are getting $8,000 prebates while others are struggling to stay in their homes suggests the Democratic property tax solution has failed us.

Gov. Jim Douglas has continued to be a strong advocate to look at reasonable controls on school spending as well as limiting any prebate check to $4,000 -- some commonsense approaches in a state ranked first or sixth (depending on the source) in overall tax burden. Douglas' positions on these issues are based on his interest in balancing the risks and benefits for all Vermonters. It would serve the public well if his opponent would try to offer some realistic solutions rather than just sniping from the side lines. My family and I will be voting for Douglas this year.

WILLIAM E. MINSINGER
Randolph

Scudder Parker can use all the negative partisan rhetoric, personal attacks and scare tactics he wants, because Vermonters just aren't going to buy it. He's gallivanting around Vermont trying to scare people into thinking the lights won't come on in a few years and spreading false statements about the governor's record and energy policies -- and that's just nonsense, shameful, underhanded nonsense.

Vermont is fortunate to have Jim Douglas as its governor. Douglas cares deeply about this state and its people. He is smart, thoughtful, articulate, respectful and tough. Perhaps most importantly, he listens to people and he takes time to hear what we have to say. One of the things I like best about Jim Douglas is that he often listens more than he speaks. Over the last few years, Jim Douglas' common sense, mainstream policies have put Vermont back on the right track. He has helped employers create thousands of good paying jobs and our economy grow. He has put an emphasis on improving our health care system, increasing funding for higher education, and making government more efficient and effective. He has also taken steps to protect our air, water and the overall quality of our natural environment. In every policy area I can think of, Gov. Douglas has done a great job.

Jim Douglas has always done what he said he would do. That's why I'm excited about his Affordability Agenda, because if Jim Douglas says he'll fight to cap property taxes, make health care more affordable and put owning a home and a college education within reach of every family, I know he'll succeed. And our state will be stronger and more prosperous because of Jim Douglas' leadership and vision.

EMILY KUEFFNER
Burlington

The real inconvenient truth for Scudder Parker is that while he and others have talked a good game on global warming, Gov. Jim Douglas has taken bold, decisive action and is actually doing something about it.

Douglas and his team have been hard at work planning Vermonters energy future and steadily increasing the amount of power produced here in Vermont by clean, renewable sources. Douglas is a leader in the effort to reduce green house gases and halt global warning. He was the first governor to agree to a new Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cooperative effort by Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Douglas has also reconstituted the state's Climate Neutral Working Group, established a Climate Change Commission, required a more fuel efficient vehicle fleet for state government and required purchasing policies that emphasize environmental protection. Douglas supports conservation and energy efficiency.

He supported and recently signed new energy standards for buildings and appliances. These standards assure products save energy and help reduce pollution and green house gas emissions. And the governor has proposed ... an increase in funding for Efficiency Vermont. And the governor has set the state on a path to cut its green house gas emissions by 20 percent by 2012. The governor also represented Vermont at a climate change summit in Montreal this year -- he was the only American governor to attend -- and spoke of the importance of regional, national and international cooperation on this issue. And these are just a few of the governor's energy achievements.

It's becoming clear that Douglas has taken more action in three years to reduce green house gas emissions and make Vermont more energy efficient than Gov. Dean did in nearly 12, while Parker worked for him. Parker's attacks and mudslinging are a clear illustration of his willingness to say and do anything to get elected, even if it requires a blatant disregard for the truth.

JOHN HUGHES
Leicester