View Full Version : Killington secedes from Vermont! Residents to Live Free or Die!
hungryhowie
03-03-2004, 09:25
From March 2, 2004...
"KILLINGTON, Vt. - Voting with a thunderous "aye," residents endorsed a plan Tuesday for this ski-resort town to secede from Vermont and become a part of New Hampshire instead.
The overwhelming voice vote opened the next chapter in what could be a long and costly push to join New Hampshire, 25 miles to the east.
Ultimately, the vote could prove to be only symbolic. State lawmakers in New Hampshire and Vermont will have the final say. And Vermont legislators said secession will probably be voted down.
"I think the town has to be ready to get in cars and buses and spend a lot of time talking to representatives in Montpelier," said Diane Rosenblum, a retiree who moved to Killington eight years ago.
Town officials said about two-thirds of the 200 to 300 people who attended the town meeting supported secession.
The main source of discontent is Vermont's new system of financing education, adopted in 1997 on orders from the state Supreme Court. It dramatically increased property taxes in wealthy communities like Killington.
Secession activists say Killington's restaurants, inns and other businesses send $20 million a year to Montpelier in sales, room and meal taxes, while the state returns just $1 million in municipal and education aid to the town of roughly 1,000 residents.
"The state is treating us like a cash-cow," said David Lewis, town manager.
Town officials will now draft a petition to present to New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson and the state's Legislature. Lewis said town officials want New Hampshire's approval before approaching Vermont's lawmakers.
Benson said he was "tickled" by Tuesday's vote but doubts Killington will ever become part of New Hampshire.
"How do you take a piece of property completely removed from our borders? How do you connect it?" the governor told The Associated Press. "I just don't know how you'd connect the dots." "
hmm...As a Southerner, I can say with historical perspective that secession usually doesn't work they way you plan...
I wonder if the secession were really to happen if it would effect thruhikers? I used to ride "The Bus" into Rutland, but the service may be cancelled if it were to become part of "NH". Other effects? Anyone?
-Howie
Perhaps a better thing to do would be to separate the Burlington area from Vermont.
As the natives say, the best part about Chittenden County is that it's close to Vermont.
[QUOTE=Peaks]Perhaps a better thing to do would be to separate the Burlington area from Vermont.
Hey, thats my home man! But, yes you are right. Many people mistake Vermont for being a very liberal place when in fact they are talking about Burlington and environs, not the rest of the state which is made up of more traditional conservative farmer types. Theres a stereotype for ya
Moon Monster
03-03-2004, 16:52
New Hampshire's reaction is very interesting; their lawmakers are very receptive to the idea:
http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=34040
Killington is very serious. The town spent $20,000 to study the financial and legal aspects of secession, which by the way is really "retrocession" since Killington was originally chartered in New Hampshire prior to Vermont's existence. I live in Arlington County, Virginia, which is itself a precedent for retrocession. Arl.Co. was originally in Fairfax co. and then was ceeded by Virginia to the Federal City. Residents of Alexandria City later decided to go back to VA to get money for a canal project. Richmond of course welcomed the land back--Alexandria being an important town. DC's government (i.e., Congress) had to vote to allow the leave. I doubt Vermont will be so allowing--Killington is worth too much to the state in vaccation-inflated taxes.
As for AT hiking impacts, a Killington, NH would have to secure town services from NH or private enterprise. Many services in some NH and VT towns are already done on contract so the bus system will likely still stop there--it will just need a contract with the state of NH.
I'm wondering though, about search and rescue. Would this be done by NH for that sliver of trails that go through the town boundary? The peak of Killington may not be part of this deal, by the way--it is owned by the state of VT and not Killington.
How can anything VT does be taken serious after yesterday when the only state that Kerry lost was VT to none other than the very dead campaign of Dr. Dean. :datz :datz EEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!
azchipka
03-03-2004, 17:01
Being from vermont and living just outside of killington i may be able to provide a bit of additional info on tis to every. If in fact Killington is removed from the state of vermont there is no question that rutland will no longer provide "The Bus" service to killington if it does it will be at a higher rate then it currently is.
One of the primary reasons that killington is doing this, which has not been brought up yet is because of the additional ski lifts that vermont has voted down for the last 5 years. This would include 2 lifts to connect killington and pico together (both owned by america ski and inside the town of killington), an addition lift at bear and developement on the other side of route 4 which is currently planned for developement but vermont has not allowed them to start building. In addition killington would then be removed from being controlled by Vermont Act 250 which prevents certian buildings, radio towers, and other man mad objects to infringe on the "natural bueaty" of vermont. Killington developer have been stopped in their tracks for the last 4 years due to act 250. Leaving the state of vermont would cause a instant surge of development in the town of killington.
Killington aslo currently employees around 400 vermonters during the off season and another 1000 during the winter ski season. This number does not include all the bars, clubs, ski shops, and things of this nature in the killington area. That is only people who work for killington ski resort.
I find it highly unlikely state of vermont will ever allow killington to remove it self from the state. Mainly because it is in the dead center of the state. Additional as noted killington is the largest cash incoming for the state of vermont. Removing killington from the states economy would cost killington over $25 million a year. Not include the people who would then surge to Killington to take advantage of lower tax's on purchased goods.
On the plus side lift tickets would go down. On the down side teenagers from mendon vermont would most likely not get free pass's any more.
Before this can happen it would need to be put to a state wide vote and the people of vermont will not let it happen.
B Thrash
03-04-2004, 21:22
From March 2, 2004...
"KILLINGTON, Vt. - Voting with a thunderous "aye," residents endorsed a plan Tuesday for this ski-resort town to secede from Vermont and become a part of New Hampshire instead.
The overwhelming voice vote opened the next chapter in what could be a long and costly push to join New Hampshire, 25 miles to the east.
Ultimately, the vote could prove to be only symbolic. State lawmakers in New Hampshire and Vermont will have the final say. And Vermont legislators said secession will probably be voted down.
"I think the town has to be ready to get in cars and buses and spend a lot of time talking to representatives in Montpelier," said Diane Rosenblum, a retiree who moved to Killington eight years ago.
Town officials said about two-thirds of the 200 to 300 people who attended the town meeting supported secession.
The main source of discontent is Vermont's new system of financing education, adopted in 1997 on orders from the state Supreme Court. It dramatically increased property taxes in wealthy communities like Killington.
Secession activists say Killington's restaurants, inns and other businesses send $20 million a year to Montpelier in sales, room and meal taxes, while the state returns just $1 million in municipal and education aid to the town of roughly 1,000 residents.
"The state is treating us like a cash-cow," said David Lewis, town manager.
Town officials will now draft a petition to present to New Hampshire Gov. Craig Benson and the state's Legislature. Lewis said town officials want New Hampshire's approval before approaching Vermont's lawmakers.
Benson said he was "tickled" by Tuesday's vote but doubts Killington will ever become part of New Hampshire.
"How do you take a piece of property completely removed from our borders? How do you connect it?" the governor told The Associated Press. "I just don't know how you'd connect the dots." "
hmm...As a Southerner, I can say with historical perspective that secession usually doesn't work they way you plan...
I wonder if the secession were really to happen if it would effect thruhikers? I used to ride "The Bus" into Rutland, but the service may be cancelled if it were to become part of "NH". Other effects? Anyone?
-Howie
Hummmm, Howie, if they fire on Fort Montpelier the trail will proberly be re-routed around Vermont just to keep hikers out of the line of fire.
bearbait2k4
03-12-2004, 19:18
What a bunch of idiots.
I could see protesting a tax increase if the money were being used to torture kittens or something, but for public education?
Pick your battles.
Anyway, I hope this leaves the trail and services undisturbed. I'm sure it will. It's not like they're trying to join Canada-eh.