[Aptor hours]

At least you won't need your toothbrush anymore VPR is announcing lots of new jobs with the new gay marriage bill although I don't know how that creates new jobs

[flu189]

The simple truth of the matter is that this utopia of liberalism label Vermont has been bestowed with does not create an ability to mitigate the oppressive taxes we pay to be able to feel privileged to live here. The most tangible benefit here for me to date has been the natural landscape and related activities, but I have reached the point where I simply cannot afford or justify spending the money I do to be able to partake in my outdoor pursuits or maintaining a home in an area that I actually very much like. I pay a staggering sum in taxes compared to the pay I earn and services that I receive that actually benefit my quality of life. I guess if I had an unrestricted checkbook then it might be worthwhile, but I don't, and neither do the bulk of my neighbors and coworkers. The bottom line is that there is no free lunch and it is very unfortunate that many that come here are lured by the prospect of Mercedes looks and performance at Chevy prices. Somebody has to pay for all this and that somebody is being squeezed to much and hard to be able to allow this system to continue at present levels.

[GypsySoul22]

I don't know about where you guys live but I am in a working class area and few people seem 'liberal' to me. Mostly there are families and people who work at the local hospitals or nearby offices, whatever. I have yet to encounter someone 'loud and proud' though there are a lot of wannbe beatniks around. There are some down and out types and some want to be hippies who are yuppies in disguise. You know, the ones with the SUVs with "Peace" on them and a full cart at the Co Op where they do their full shopping after dropping their 2.5 kids off at daycare.

[MilitaryVet]

Vermonter's are very set in their beliefs in my opinion. Which is actually nice to see. Your better off in Hollywood California

[brattpowered]

Originally Posted by GrnMtnFire

never been to Burlington/Chittenden County have you?

Several times. It's more latte/trustafarian there, and more classic hippie/liberal in Windham County. Have you ever been to Brattleboro?

[vter]

I agree....Bratt seems way more liberal to me than Burlington.

[jamesia]

There's a tax study done by D.C. comparing tax burdens in the largest city of every state. So a total of 51 cities are compared at 4 or 5 different income levels.

Vermont actually comes in (on average) at number 21 of 51, where number 1 is the highest tax burden and number 51 is the least.

They also measured "progressivity" of tax burdens. They did this by dividing the tax burden at the lowest income by the tax burden at the highest. A score of 1 means poor folks pay the same as rich folks. Vermont is 0.778 meaning the taxes are slightly progressive... low income people are taxed at a slightly lower rate. It's nothing like New Orleans, the most progressive, or Las Vegas, which taxes low income families far more than high income families.

Ohio, where I am from, actually taxed me at a higher rate than what I'd be taxed if I lived in Vermont. Just saying - you all don't have it so bad.

Here's the study, it's a PDF:
District of Columbia: Office of the Chief Financial Officer

[GregW]

Much of Vermont is so conservative it seems liberal. If anything Vermont has fewer citizen harassing laws than New hampshire and we don't have many.

[nikkolita]

You should try Hanover-Lebanon area, right around Dartmouth College. Its a beautiful area and full of budding and old-timer liberalists alike. Just about every weekend you'll see people on the side of the road with picket signs trying to broadcast their opinions to anyone who cares.