Act 250 Laws - Laura Brueckner

Governor Peter Shumlin is saying Vermont is still a small enough to call the governor about an Act 250 permit and that California has stiffer laws on development.

First and foremost one shouldn't have to call the governor -- one should be able to comply with the laws if they weren't extraordinarily complicated and duplicated in several different ways and were not applied differently for special developers and stacked against an individual. But then, we know how Peter Shumlin feel about the little guy.

Picking California shows our Act 250 laws are so onerous he picked California. Just because some other state has stricter more restrictive laws don't make Vermont's law effective, necessary or non-bias. If one looks one can find wetland development for the special few. Look at septic systems regulations and find real estate with a drain ditches so it will pass next test. The state itself violates the laws they pass. Look at the highway run-off next time you are on the interstate. Look at Waterbury's flood plain where permits are flying along with your taxes!! Now who has such power?

Two summers ago called the governor about roadside farm signs for four farms and never got a return call! Yet Shumlin took time to publicly chastise our road crew for picking up school event signs even though the crew was correctly doing their job as he had previously directed.

So according to Howard Dean and the U.S. Supreme Court campaign contributions buy you access. Never mind that this violates the equal treatment we are guaranteed by the constitution. And, since I haven't contributed I can't expect Shumlin to do his job when it affects me.

Sincerely,

Laura Brueckner

Waterbury Ctr., Vt.