Richard Morton, a chaplain serving an elderly population on the campus at Vernon Homes, serves as town chair of the Republican Party in Brattleboro and is the party's nominee for a seat in the Vermont Senate.
BRATTLEBORO-Maybe you are a registered Democrat and have faithfully voted Democrat for years. You should still split your vote this year. Here are two of several reasons why.
First, an approximately 14% property tax increase in an election year tells you that your party thinks that they have a lock on your vote, that they can do whatever they want to you, and that you will still vote the party line. Will you let them get away with that?
Your recourse is to 1) call and complain to your representative or senator, 2) write them a note, or 3) vote for an alternative. Voting for an alternative is the most effective message you can send to out-of-touch leadership.
Depriving the majority party of its supermajority would be a major red flag for them, and it would tell them that many Vermont Democrats are not happy with the direction being taken in Montpelier.
Legislative party balance would not mean a legislative stalemate but rather fruitful dialogue among the various parties yielding wiser legislation. Bills would still get passed but they would be better bills.
Secondly, the Legislature is slated to vote on implementing rules for the very complex Clean Heat Standard (CHS) in the new session beginning in January. A consulting firm, NV5 Consulting, has estimated the minimum cost of implementing CHS rules, and others have calculated that those costs will translate to a $4-per-gallon tax (or credit or fee) on the various fuels we use to heat our homes and businesses in Vermont.
The $4 would be an increased cost on top of the actual price. Can you afford that? Can your favorite businesses afford that? Prices of everything businesses sell would have to go up substantially to cover such expenses.
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So how do you split your vote on the ballot? Simple. Do not vote the party line this year.
Democrats should vote Republican or independent this year to send a message to their party.
Each Windham County resident can vote for a state representative (two representatives in the two-person Windham-5 district) and two state senators this year.
Republicans and independents must be registered and decide to vote as well. Vote wisely.
Be strategic. Perhaps vote for a Republican House candidate. Or if you can't bring yourself to vote for two Republican Senators, then at least vote for one.
If you do not want to make a choice in a particular race, then skip that office. Write-ins might make you feel like you have made a statement, but they really won't be noticed, nor will they affect the outcome.
Your vote does count. Use it to make an important statement to our Legislature.
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