Bob Hooper - State Representative

2 days ago

And with the passage of an ALMOST unanimous yes vote on the budget, what seems like the oddest and longest legislative session in our history comes to a close.

AND coincidentally, at the same relative time the November election ballots (a bit earlier) arrive in our mailboxes today.

Although we spent WAY too much time looking at a computer screen containing 145 or so small faces, usually on 7 individual screens, I think we did some good stuff in terms of keeping Vermont running during this plague. I wish we could have done more to address income inequality and putting more actual CASH into Vermonter's pockets, in some/many cases the Feds tied our hands. We need NEW feds!!

I hope you find our performance worthy of your vote today. I also reflect that many cohorts or co conspirators have decided to leave. Mentors, esteemed members and friends some of which will not return will be missed but replaced by other Vermonters who have hopefully the best interest of us all at heart. That is to be seen. I pray it to be true.

Thank you for your faith and support, suggestions and critical assessments. They all made a difference... This has been more demanding than one imagines, and equally more rewarding than anticipated. All good stuff.

Bottom line, about 4-5 months late, WE ARE OUTTA (our bedrooms or libraries or basements or back porches) HERE. ... See MoreSee Less

Bob Hooper - State Representative

5 days ago

A recent Front Porch Forum post...see it here FIRST!! ;*)

Neighbors,

So much going on it is a bit hard to know where to start.

First, I can attest to the fact that the F-35s ARE doing night flights! At 7:45 PM it sounded like three or four of them are out hunting for some nocturnal foe.

I think we are pleased to note that the remote legislative office that has been working up in the extra bedroom for the last six months is about to shut down for the session-hopefully on Friday! We have done some interesting work on Use of Force, the Budget allocations, Criminal Justice Training changes, the Environment and so many other things.

With the mail in ballots probably arriving this week, I and some team members have been delivering by no contact distancing, a return mail opinion card and a letter that by now is a bit old on the information side. Please feel free to fill the yellow card out and send it back with your thoughts. AND please make every effort to VOTE early. I doubt we will have the problems larger areas will have with a last minute rush on ballots being mailed in, but just to be sure, you should make every effort to mail your vote back early. As always, we appreciate your support in these unusual times when campaigning means an advertisement and running up to your porch railing or newspaper holder and hanging a rubber banded flyer, and then swiftly retreating.

So far in my walking tour of the district, the long distanced conversations I have been having center on the Global Warming Act, the Budget priorities, and police policy reform. All issues we have put a good amount of time into.

Most conversation centers on the ideas that the Global Warming criteria are going to cost more, which is an unknown since no proposals have been adopted yet; that an unelected committee is dictating policy-something that happens in the Executive branch with Commissioners implementing laws; and that we will spend a lot of money on lawyers-which is what happens when people sue rather than talk unfortunately. However, on the last point, the law does not give the opportunity for cash awards to anyone. The system is designed to allow citizens to ask the Court to order the departments to comply with the law. Attorneys fees can be recovered by both sides if a suit is frivolous so there is that deterrent on the scale.

A wise man on Curtis mentioned that our contribution to the global problem is so small…..and it is- but that should not deter us from some action. We are small, but the reality is that our contribution to the problem has been going UP in recent times when others have been going down. We are on a different track and a lot is due to the geography of our state, the weather we must fight against, and our dependence on outside sources for power and fuel. These will be tough issues to work out but we must do something. It seems like lately mother earth is kinda angry with us-fires, storms, quakes, melting, plague, WOW. Maybe we have not been the best guests on the planet, with too many societies leaving their wet towels on the floors of the global bathrooms, but in the short history of our state, WE have led the nation in positive direction so many times, why should we step back from being a leader now?? Just maybe our ideas will spread…. Or not…. Lead, Follow or get out of the way, comes to mind, which was a great phrase from a labor movement friend.

Well, it has reached the point where I feel I am rambling. Please feel free to email me with your thoughts on these issues…. Warming, policing, budget priorities (next year will be tough). AND thank you for your support over the last two years. I appreciate the suggestions, questions and advice-and the couple of jokes that make their way into conversations. We remain in uncharted waters with this plague ravaging our country and I urge you to stay the course with your mask, distancing and sensible reactions to others. Until an effective vaccine shows up, we are exposed and must be aware.

Protect each other, and please VOTE! Times are tough and experience does matter.

Thank you for your support of the Great North End.

Hooper
StateRepHooper@gmail.com ... See MoreSee Less

Bob Hooper - State Representative

1 week ago

The great RBG has died... sad day indeed.... now the spiral... Mitch will suddenly change his mind??? Help us Lord.. ... See MoreSee Less