Mountain Times- Volume 48, Number 51: Dec. 18-24, 2019

The Mountain Times • Dec. 18 - 24, 2019 NEWS BRIEFS • 15
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“‘Drawing a foreign government into our
election process is an especially serious
abuse of power because it undermines
democracy itself,’ Karlan said.
Democracy?: Hangs in the balance
from page 10
undermines democracy itself,’ Karlan said.
“Michael Gerhardt, a professor at the
University of North Carolina School of Law,
added that ‘the record compiled thus far
shows that the president has committed
several impeachable offenses, including
bribery, abuse of power in soliciting
a personal favor from a foreign leader to
benefit his political campaign, obstructing
Congress and obstructing justice.’
“‘I cannot help but conclude that this
president has attacked each of the Constitution’s
safeguards against establishing a
monarchy in this country. Both the context
and gravity of the president’s misconduct
are clear… If what we are talking about is
not impeachable, nothing is impeachable,’”
Gerhardt said.
Interestingly, neither Republicans
in Congress nor the White House have
attempted to deny the facts surrounding
Trump’s actions. They have admitted
he bribed the president of Ukraine with
an action that could have benefited his
campaign for president and put an ally in
jeopardy as if it were no big deal. And what
they are attempting to argue, bizarrely, is
that such a violation of the public trust falls
short of “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
House Democrats are right to also
incorporate obstruction charges against
Trump, as he has purposely obstructed
the investigation of his administration’s
actions on several fronts, including looking
into the possible collusion with Russian
interference in the 2016
election, which was
the basis of the Mueller
Report. Trump has
consistently ordered
those who worked in his
administration not to
provide testimony or information
that might help either Mueller’s
investigation or the impeachment inquiry
determine the truth.
Any impartial observer would know
that a president trying to hide facts from
discovery and who goes to great ends to
distract, promote debunked conspiracy
theories and work tirelessly to create misinformation
knows the truth would reveal
damning information (from his actions as
a candidate, as president and to whatever
financial information may be compromising
in his tax returns) And yet, Trump
supporters cast that commonsense aside at
the nation’s peril. It should be apparent to
all that if we are to be a nation governed by a
strongman who rules through misinformation
(propaganda), like the autocrats he so
admires, and not by laws, we will have lost
our democracy.
Angelo Lynn is the editor and publisher
of the Addison County Independent, a sister
publication to the Mountain Times.
School budget: Board discovers innacuracies
>
from page 8
a theater tech associate, at a total cost of
$234,000.
Costs of mitigating moisture issues
at The Prosper Valley School, which
has been closed for a year, will also be
considered.
Bob Crean, a resident spectator
at the meeting, suggested spending
$6,000 to test results from recent
drainage work, and $35,000 for a “deep
clean” to remove any mold before committing
to $100,000 for a new HVAC
system.
Killington board member Jim Haff,
who serves on the finance committee
that will be primarily responsible for
the budget, said the budget increases
discussed will impact the district’s education
tax significantly, possibly raising
Killington’s education tax from $1.62
this year to over $2 next year.
“It would increase our cost per pupil
$500 just to operate TPVS,” he told the
Mountain Times after Monday’s meeting,
“without increasing the number
of credited pupils in the district – just
moving them from Woodstock to
Pomfret.”
Haff cited Town Manager Chet
Hagenbarth’s recent report to the
district board that Killington real
estate prices have risen 20%, possibly
increasing the town’s common level of
appraisal penalty by 15% or more. (CLA
adjusts for the difference between a
town’s property assessments and actual
market values).
On Dec. 9, Concessi alluded to
significant efforts invested to bring the
district’s books in order. According to
Haff, actual revenue received was never
accurately recorded and only fiscal year
2018 has been updated so far.
“An outside firm has been brought in
to enter revenue figures,” Haff said. “We
may find out revenue is actually way off
from what the FY2019 budget and the
current budget anticipated.”
“We ran out of tax anticipation note
funds [money often borrowed against
anticipated tax revenues and state
disbursements by towns and school
districts] in October — the earliest yet,”
he said. “The district put payments
other than payroll on hold until they
had more accurate information.”
The board also unanimously approved
raising student and adult meal
prices starting in September for the
first time in three years.
A vigorous discussion about required
capital reserves for campus
buildings revealed while there are very
modest reserve funds attached to some
schools, the district has been significantly
under funding maintenance and
replacement funding for years.
“The draft budget includes $50,000
for capital reserves,” Haff said, “but
industry standards would suggest
putting away between $1.2 million and
$1.4 million every year. If we don’t address
this now, we’ll be having the same
conversation next year.”
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