Slacker Wrap-Up

This is how lazy I am- I've built up this debt of posts I owe the blog- things I've promised I'd come back to but haven't yet, mostly from the caucuses but other stuff too. I'm about to write-off this debt by producing the laziest reviews and follow-up you've ever seen and then lumping all into one post. I promise not to do any of the important subjects I touch on any justice.

Ed Cashman- I've been promising to do a post on Cashman for some time. Why don't I just skip to the three theories of punishment justification I learned from Derk Pereboom at UVM? Let's see...1) Retributive theory- 'Just because.' 2) Moral Education theory-'Punishment teaches right and wrong.' 3) Deterrence theory- 'Punishment deters the criminal himself (specialized) and the public at large (general).

The Onion River Co-Op Parking Lot- It sucks. I think they should make it two way through the YMCA lot and let people exit to Union Street. If the neighbors don't like it they can move. Oh wait, they're all UVM kids who are about to move in six months anyway. My bad. I would love it if someone took over their old space down the road and competed with them. I wish more stores had the foods I eat. I'm hungry.

Burlington Progressives Caucus IV- I ran into Peter Clavelle and he said Bob wanted to run a Prog in the special W1 race. Peter wondered out loud if the Dems would retaliate by running someone against Sharon. (I still seriously doubt that either the Progs or the Dems are going to find anybody and get the signatures by early next week.) Peter said he's doing international consulting for ARD .

Burlington Progressives Caucus III- I had a long chat with a man named Don Horenstein who was seated near the mayor....Don said he's been a member of Burlington Employees Retirement System Board since 2002, and that the formally contentious board has found "comity" under the guidance of Jonathon Leopold, formally Burlington treasurer under Bernie now Bob's "Chief Administrative Officer."

Why can't we keep it simple, people? There was nothing wrong with the term "Treasurer," and the fact of the matter is Jo LaMarshe is the City Clerk, whether you call her the "Director of Elections and Records," or not. Jon's the Treasurer and Jo's the Clerk! Got that?!

Anyway Horenstein said the Board was looking at saving Burlington's retirement system a lot of money by consolidating fees paid to multiple fund managers. He raved about Bob Kiss and in particular Leopold. He said Republican Charlie Smith told him Bob Kiss was lucky to get Leopold.

My conversation with Don left the immediate orbit of city finance and went into a little macroeconomics. Don said employers looking to relocate were more interested in the quality of a location's labor force and cultural amenities than in its tax rates. He also said the high per-capita debt of Americans, our Federal Trade and Budget Deficits were all leading to "a day of reckoning."

I also chatted with Jane Knodell. I asked about the 1% sales tax we enacted last year. She said half its revenues were going into the general fund and half were going into the city's rainy day fund- now over a million dollars! Yes! Also- the city is now fully funding its retirement obligations and is looking for ways to reduce them.

I finally got a chance to speak with Bob and he basically confirmed what Jane told me about the 1%. I told him that reserve was similar to my idea of a "municipal endowment" which he said was great in theory. (My idea is to have about a billion dollars or more in the municipal endowment and pay a huge chunk of the city's general budget with its revenue. Call me a dreamer, but if Harvard University can do it, so can the City of Burlington. )

Burlington Republicans Caucus II- Of all four caucuses I attended, I felt the most comfortable at this one. I feel like everyone wanted to shake hands. Kevin said I could vote in the W7 caucus since I was there, even though I'm an Independent. That was nice. Craig Gutchell, who is sitting councilor Paul Decelles's father-in-law won the nomination to run R in 7 (I didn't vote) thus setting up what promises to be the most competitive race this year with him versus Dem Linda Deleduka for the seat being vacated by Carmen George.

And of course, as we have all heard, the Republicans allowed the nomination of Loyal Ploof for W3 council and Shawn Starfighter for W3 Inspector of Elections. I'll let Charity cover this one.

She's Right on Channel 17- Speaking of Charity, I went on her TV show on January 19. I haven't seen it yet, but I heard it was good.

Done. Now I owe you Nothing! Nothing!

Ed Adrian Update II- Wait a minute- Just in from Ed Adrain... (not to be confused with Ed Cashman)... We could be looking at a four-way nomination race in the Dem Caucus tonight. It's 5:30 at the Burlington School District Office on Colchester Ave. If you live in Ward One, be there or be...Prog? No official word yet from the Progs Re: W1 Special Election Shocker... Update on who wins the Dem caucus can probably be found at VDB. But even if it isn't, I still owe you nothing.