One of the
highlights of Town Meeting across Vermont is the opportunity Vermonters have of
registering their opinions on a variety of issues in the Doyle Poll. This survey has been conducted for many
decades by Senator Bill Doyle, and this year 84 Charlotters filled out the
survey. Here for your consideration is a
tally of the responses.
|
Q#
|
Question
|
Yes
|
No
|
Not Sure
|
%Yes
|
%No
|
%Not Sure
|
|
1
|
Should VT
continue efforts to close VT Yankee?
|
51
|
29
|
4
|
61%
|
34%
|
5%
|
|
2
|
Should
drivers be prohibited from using cell phones while driving?
|
62
|
18
|
4
|
74%
|
21%
|
5%
|
|
3
|
Should
Vermont have a 4-year term for Governor?
|
61
|
16
|
7
|
73%
|
19%
|
8%
|
|
4
|
Do you
think Gov. Peter Shumlin is doing a
good job?
|
53
|
18
|
13
|
63%
|
21%
|
16%
|
|
5
|
Do you
think the VT legislature is doing a good job?
|
47
|
23
|
14
|
56%
|
27%
|
17%
|
|
6
|
Are you
optimistic about the future of Vermont?
|
62
|
13
|
9
|
74%
|
15%
|
11%
|
|
7
|
Are you
optimistic about the future of our nation?
|
24
|
37
|
23
|
29%
|
44%
|
27%
|
|
8
|
Do you
believe VT’s bottle deposit law should be expanded to include all bottled
beverages?
|
68
|
9
|
7
|
80%
|
11%
|
9%
|
|
9
|
Do you
support the federal law that requires everyone to have health insurance?
|
55
|
21
|
8
|
65%
|
25%
|
10%
|
|
10
|
Should wind
turbines be built on Vermont ridgelines?
|
54
|
15
|
15
|
64%
|
18%
|
18%
|
|
11
|
Should
state and federal funds be used to allow VT’s school children to have
nutritious meals?
|
65
|
9
|
10
|
77%
|
11%
|
12%
|
|
12
|
Should VT
legalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana (2 ounces)?
|
50
|
23
|
11
|
60%
|
27%
|
13%
|
|
13
|
Should the
high school dropout age be changed from 16 to 18?
|
48
|
19
|
17
|
57%
|
23%
|
20%
|
|
14
|
Should the
state of VT continue to support our working farms and forests?
|
81
|
2
|
1
|
97%
|
2%
|
1%
|
Most of the
questions differed from last year’s poll, but questions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8 were
similar if not the same. For all of
those questions the sentiment of those taking the poll was the same as last
year. Optimism about the future of
Vermont was very positive in stark contrast to optimism about our nation. The few comments on the poll entries
addressed wind turbines pro and con, marijuana for medical use, and the current
use program. I’m grateful for those who
took the time to fill out the poll this year.
In other
matters, the issue of removing the philosophical exemption for vaccines has
generated a lot of comments. I am still
trying to understand all the implications of doing away with this
exemption. The concerns of parents are
real with respect to the large number and variety of the required
vaccines. The concerns for public health
are also valid, however, and it is difficult to weigh one against the
other. My thanks to everyone who contacted me about
this subject. Also, at the time of this
writing, there is still no word on how reapportionment of the Senate districts
is settling out. Finally, last week was
the deadline for passing any bills out of committee in time to be voted on by
the full House and sent on to the Senate for consideration.
