Monday, February 29, 2016

Howard Smith's letter smearing Jim Haff on the Eve of election

Date: 02/26/2016 5:34 PM (GMT-05:00)
Subject: How Important This Election Is

Hi all,

First, thank you everyone for you efforts in making 2015 a great year at the KPAA.  I look forward to our continued progress in 2016.  We were able to accomplish so much by working together as the business community, Killington Resort, and the Town. These relationships have allowed us to grow our organization significantly. 

With the Town Meeting/Election Day right around the corner, I wanted to reach out to all KPAA board members and stress the importance that not only you get out to vote, but that you also get your employees and friends.

This is a critical year for the KPAA!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, our community is better off than it was a year ago. Everyone must understand this election is critical to the life of the KPAA. One Candidate clearly supports our objectives and the other?

The other candidate has proven to be destructive in the past, and I am sincerely concerned for the future of the KPAA if they were elected. Everyone must understand that things we have worked so hard to develop would go away. We could not be housed at our new Welcome Center without the support of the town with the park and ride nor could we solely employ such a skilled director for our organization.  Without these two assets we could not partner with the Resort in such a productive and collaborative manner. It takes actions from the organization’s members to drive the will of the organization and we all need to realize these possible effects if the wrong candidate is elected.

I know I don’t want to start over, and re-develop this organization. We all have worked too hard and sacrificed too much to get to this point. As a community, we should make sure we are advocating for a candidate that supports our mission and progress.  Please get out and vote this coming Tuesday, March 1, and remember the candidates who have helped us get to this point and need your vote.

Thank you,
Howard



Comment: So Mr. Smith admits the KPAA is a weak organization that could not exist without being subsidized by the taxpayers. What do the taxpayers get in return for this subsidy? Unless they are a business and/or KPAA member they get nada, zero, zilch... maybe even less as the proposed increase in the municipal tax rate just about equals the amount the town is subsidizing the KPAA. 
This email just shows how the town's government and resources have been co-opted to serve business interests as a priority. It's not enough to be spending the options tax on this so called economic development now we get a 2 cent increase in our taxes because the selectboard, as currently constituted, is prioritizing benefits to a private entity whose members are in large part not even residents of our community (i.e. Howard Smith, KPAA president and author of the above email)
WHY ARE WE SUBSIDIZING A PRIVATE ENTITY??? WHY IS THE PRESIDENT OF THIS ENTITY, A NON-RESIDENT, TRYING TO DICTATE THE DIRECTION OF OUR TOWN??
The KPAA is comprised of million and even close to billion dollar businesses yet they donate less in total than the town's subsidy to their own organization. There's something wrong with that don't you think?

We need to balance the board so this practice is put to and end. Please vote for Jim Haff as he represents the interest of all taxpayers not just a limited few.
The board's priorities need to be redefined to look after the town not line business men's pockets at the expense of the taxpayers.
Please, first and foremost, get out and vote, and secondly urge your friends and neighbors to do so as well so we can end this frivolous waste of our town's resources. 
Vito


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