Dan Barlow has a piece in today’s Rutland Herald about State Senator Bill Doyle’s annual Town Meeting poll, which he’s conducted every year since 1969…
Each year’s questions seem to reflect the top issues of the time — although there are questions that pop up year after year — a question on increasing the gas tax to fund roads and bridges pops up both in 1990 and on this year’s list.
Questions during the 1970s often focused on the environment — including a 1974 question on rationing gas coupons and a 1976 question asking if smoking should be prohibited in parts of public buildings. War was on the mind of Vermonters during the early years of the ’70s, as shown in a question from the poll’s second year that asked if veterans should be given an additional $120 for their service in the “Vietnam crisis.”
Many of the questions from the 1980s focused on economics, education and infrastructure, including a 1987 question on raising the interstate speed limit to 65 and a 1981 question on casino gambling in the state.
Questions during the 1990s often centered on recycling, mandatory seat-belt laws and some “hot button” issues, including questions in 1992 on welfare and abortions and a 1999 question that asked if minors who make bomb threats should be charged as adults.
Read the whole article. Here are this year’s poll questions:
- Should drivers be prohibited from using cell phones while driving?
- Do you support same-sex marriage?
- Should Vermont take the lead in addressing climate change?
- Should Vermont lease its lottery?
- Are you optimistic about Vermont’s economy?
- Do you support the legalization of hemp?
- Should jail time be removed for the possession of one ounce of marijuana?
- Do you support a four-year term for governor?
- Do you support a four-year term for legislators?
- Should Vermont Yankee’s license be renewed in 2012?
- Should the gas tax be increased to improve our roads and bridges?
- Do you believe the Vermont Legislature is doing a good job?
- Do you believe Gov. Douglas is doing a good job?
- Consider expressing your preference for the 2008 presidential election: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee, John McCain.
Exit Voices readers are encouraged to answer these questions in the comments.
Via PolitickerVT
“Should drivers be prohibited from using cell phones while driving?”
Yes, it’s a distraction to use a cell phone while driving. I thought there was already a law on the way to ban this in VT?
“Do you support same-sex marriage?”
In a perfect world, I would support this idea. The world, unfortunately, is not perfect. Too many people confuse civil marriage with religious marriage. If there is something in VT state law that is giving married couples more rights than couples with a civil union, then same-sex marriage should be allowed I think. The feds should at least consider civil unions as a compromise on this issue. Allowing same-sex couples rights will not cause the end of the world to take place.
“Should Vermont take the lead in addressing climate change?”
Why not? There’s a TON of money to be made by making alternative energy resources a reality for more people. There’s also a ton of savings for individuals to be had.
“Should Vermont lease its lottery?”
No, the current deal does not sound like a good deal for VT in the long-run. We need more money for education…not stagnant funding levels as far as the eye can see.
“Are you optimistic about Vermont’s economy?”
No, VT unfortunately has an anti-development streak that’s a mile wide. It’s going to take a lot of work from both the Right and Left to chip away at this issue.
“Do you support the legalization of hemp?”
Yes, hemp and the psychoactive drug Cannabis aren’t the same thing though. I’m not for legalizing marijuana.
“Should jail time be removed for the possession of one ounce of marijuana?”
Absolutely, de-criminalization will help out in defunding the failed drug war in this country. Just fine people and be done with it.
“Do you support a four-year term for governor?”
Absolutely, the constant cycle of campaigning needs to be broken for this office and many other statewide political offices IMO.
“Do you support a four-year term for legislators?”
No, I think that Senate terms should be 3 years and House terms should stay at 2 years. We also need less legislators in VT IMO.
“Should Vermont Yankee’s license be renewed in 2012?”
No, expanding the nuclear waste dump in SE VT will do nothing good for VT’s long-term future.
“Should the gas tax be increased to improve our roads and bridges?”
Well, if I had any hope that VT would actually spend that increased money on roads & bridges, I would say yes to this question. The state has a habit of dipping into it’s transportation fund to do other things though.
“Do you believe the Vermont Legislature is doing a good job?”
It’s doing so-so. It’s hard to move forward on the real issues in VT with some much obstructionism from our Governor.
“Do you believe Gov. Douglas is doing a good job?”
No, he is one of the main reasons that our state hasn’t made real progress on issues like education & health care spending and long-term energy needs for our state. He is a great, slick politician that’s extremely good at developing short-term gimmick after gimmick though.
“Consider expressing your preference for the 2008 presidential election: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Mike Huckabee, John McCain.”
I’m for Clinton. But what about Ron Paul? You’re going to piss a lot of people off with this question wording…
Left by Mister Guy on February 27th, 2008