08/26/2010

Ninety years ago the 19th amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, giving all citizens the right to vote regardless of gender.

The battle for women's suffrage was long, arduous and contentious. In 1878, a constitutional amendment was proposed that read: "The right of citizens to vote shall not be abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

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The news this week that federal legislation aimed to prevent cuts in education staffing in Vermont would bring $19 million to the state came as a big relief to state and local education officials.

And it is good news. No one wants to cut teaching positions, particularly frontline teaching jobs. Last week the Vermont Department of Education released proposed cuts for all school districts and schools in the state and identified specific cuts for schools in the Washington West Supervisory Union.

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In a display of either arrogance or ignorance, Vermont's education commissioner Armando Vilaseca declined this week to make available a public document that suggests school district specific budget cuts.

Vilaseca denied public records requests from Vermont media earlier this week, while the Department of Education's public relations spokesperson was acknowledging that the document is a public document.

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With the re-adoption this week of the current version of the Waitsfield Town Plan, fears of a massive array of 500 wind towers on the Northfield Ridge can be laid to rest - for now.

Under Vermont law, towns must update their Town Plans every five years, but towns have the option of re-adopting the old version while planners and planning consultants rewrite and revise plans.

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