Once again
the Doyle Poll proved to be popular at Town Meeting with 213 voters
taking the time to fill out the survey. Here are the results for
your consideration.
|
|
|
|
|
Not Sure |
|
|
1 |
Should
cities and towns have a voice in siting industrial energy projects
in their communities?
|
89% |
4% |
6% |
1% |
|
2 |
Is
it important for Vermont to encourage people and jobs to move to
Vermont in light of the population loss?
|
79% |
14%
|
6% |
1% |
|
3 |
Do you believe water quality is
a major issue in Vermont? |
77% |
14% |
8% |
1% |
|
4 |
Should Vermont legalize
marijuana? |
47% |
34%
|
17% |
2% |
|
5 |
Are you concerned about the
increased use of opiates in Vermont? |
96% |
2% |
1% |
0% |
|
6 |
Should
Vermont require paid sick leave?
|
70% |
18% |
10% |
2% |
|
7 |
Are
you satisfied with Vermont's health care?
|
36%
|
46% |
16% |
2% |
|
8 |
Are statewide cell service and
broadband important to the future of Vermont’s economy? |
77% |
13%
|
10%
|
0%
|
|
9 |
Does Vermont have too many
school districts relative to our declining student population? |
60% |
19% |
21% |
0% |
|
10 |
Do
you believe that Vermont's political campaigns are too costly?
|
48% |
17%
|
34% |
1% |
|
11 |
Should
Vermont have a 4 year term for governor?
|
60% |
23%
|
16%
|
1%
|
|
12 |
Does
Vermont rely too heavily on property taxes for funding education?
|
77% |
9% |
13% |
1% |
|
13 |
Should
we reduce Vermont's prison population by using alternatives for
non-violent offenders?
|
85% |
6%
|
8% |
1% |
|
14 |
Is
Vermont a business friendly state?
|
29%
|
43% |
26% |
2% |
There were
five questions that appeared in last year's survey (Q3. water
quality, Q4. marijuana, Q5. opiates, Q8. cell service and Q9. school
districts). The opinion favoring marijuana legalization fluctuated
from 48% to 42% to the current 47% over the last three years, while
the opinion against moved from 42% to 45% down to 34% indicating a
significant shift to undecided. While still an overwhelming
majority, a smaller percentage of respondents felt that broadband is
important (84% last year). Water quality, concern about opiates and
the opinion that Vermont has too many school districts remained
nearly the same year-to-year.
Vermont's
handling of the health care issue remains in a negative light as
problems persist with the Vermont Health Connect system. The slow
progress made in addressing the problem of the “change of
circumstance” function has been less than satisfactory in the eyes
of both the public and the Legislature which is continuing to monitor
the situation and consider alternatives. Likewise, high property
taxes as the major source of education funding continue to be a
general concern.
The
overwhelming consensus is that municipalities should have a greater
say than they do now in siting renewable energy projects. A lot of
work has been done by the Senate in their bill S.230, which has now
been assigned to the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee.
We have already begun to review the bill which has great potential to
provide a path forward to make the siting process more transparent.
It will give towns more influence as they develop local renewable
energy plans in conjunction with Regional Planning Commissions, while
continuing to move Vermont away from fossil fuels and toward a
stronger renewable energy economy.
As your
representative in Montpelier, I appreciate your input on these and
other issues. Your comments help me look at issues from several
perspectives, and that is a valuable opportunity for me. You can
always contact me by phone at 802-425-3960 or email me at
myantachka.dfa@gmail.com.
