Good Questions,
Wrong Target

Week by week The Herald tells how world and national policies we either support, rail against or are indifferent to, play out locally. "All politics is local" it is said.

Yet I witness much local "political" activity that would be even better directed at our representatives in Montpelier, or directed at our representatives in Congress and or directed, accompanied by a wise vote, at whoever will next occupy the White House.

At our annual Royalton School Board meeting we had reports to reflect on, articles to vote. People on our school board, our principal and staff seem to have open minds, soft hearts and thick skins. They grapple with the issues year-round and invite and encourage the voters to attend and get involved.

(Like our town budget, school budget rose around 7% this past year which I could only wish happened to my heating and electric bills!) Voters find it irresistible to question, refute, praise and challenge these local individuals who serve us. That civic involvement is priceless. Yet in my opinion we ought to summon and direct the same fervor to where policies of greater import on urgent issues like climate change and energy independence are set, where "the big bucks" are really spent: Montpelier and Washington.

Kudos to three local residents we heard from tonight—Bill Benoit and Judy McCullough, for their reminders that there are folks in our midst who are in dire financial straights. Those people often don’t have a "voice" but Bill and Judy gave them voices tonight.

We also heard Toni Hover speak with passion about not just the importance of education itself but the messages our children receive by the specific choices we make with regard to supporting our local school. (Toni said it much better than that and to great applause.)

She began with the fact recently "front page" in Vermont media about Vermont spending more on prisons than education. My understanding is that our Corrections Department has gobbled the majority of state spending for several years now: Put your dollar into education or put more than that dollar into prisons.

Imagine how much of the federal income tax you have paid during these two Bush terms has gone to the ongoing war in Iraq? While we must remain mindful of the difficulty local taxes place on those in our towns of lesser or little means, please also remain mindful that taxes and expenditures that result from policy set at the national level impact earnings and standard of living to a much greater degree.

Match the energy you focus on local school board budgets and direct it by mindfully voting in the national presidential election (and the Vermont gubernatorial election) coming in November.

Kathleen Hassey

Royalton