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 139 Charlotters filled out the
survey, 55 more than last year. Here for
your consideration is a tally of the responses.
|
Q#
|
Question
|
Yes
|
No
|
Not Sure
|
%Yes
|
%No
|
%Not Sure
|
|
1
|
Should Vermont
continue efforts to close Vermont Yankee?
|
80
|
45
|
14
|
58%
|
32%
|
10%
|
|
2
|
Should
drivers be prohibited from using cell phones while driving?
|
92
|
31
|
16
|
66%
|
22%
|
12%
|
|
3
|
Should
Vermont decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana?
|
92
|
39
|
8
|
66%
|
28%
|
6%
|
|
4
|
Should a 3
year moratorium be placed on development of ridgeline wind?
|
35
|
91
|
13
|
25%
|
66%
|
9%
|
|
5
|
Do you
believe VT’s bottle deposit law should be expanded to include all bottled
beverages?
|
111
|
19
|
9
|
80%
|
14%
|
6%
|
|
6
|
Should the
gas tax be increased to pay for roads and bridges?
|
57
|
73
|
9
|
41%
|
53%
|
6%
|
|
7
|
Should
sugar sweetened beverages be taxed?
|
75
|
56
|
8
|
54%
|
40%
|
6%
|
|
8
|
Should we
reduce the VT prison population via alternatives for nonviolent offenders?
|
100
|
15
|
24
|
72%
|
11%
|
17%
|
|
9
|
Do you believe
that locally grown food is an important part of Vermont’s economic future?
|
124
|
7
|
8
|
89%
|
5%
|
6%
|
|
10
|
Should Vermont
trained law enforcement personnel be permitted to use Tasers?
|
71
|
37
|
31
|
51%
|
27%
|
22%
|
|
11
|
Do you
believe growing hemp would be an asset to Vermont’s economy?
|
69
|
33
|
37
|
50%
|
24%
|
26%
|
|
12
|
Are
statewide cell service and broadband important to the future of Vermont’s
economy?
|
127
|
4
|
8
|
91%
|
3%
|
6%
|
|
13
|
Should
natural gas be an important part of Vermont’s economy?
|
63
|
36
|
40
|
45%
|
26%
|
29%
|
|
14
|
Do you
think Governor Peter Shumlin is doing
a good job?
|
67
|
41
|
31
|
48%
|
30%
|
22%
|
Most of the
questions differed from last year’s poll, but questions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 14
were similar if not the same. Charlotters
continue to strongly support efforts to close Vermont Yankee, prohibit use of
cell phones while driving, expand the bottle deposit law, and decriminalize
small amounts of marijuana. Many
commented that hands-free cell phone use should be allowed, however. A large majority does not want a moratorium
on ridgeline wind development. Governor Shumlin, while receiving a good report
card from a plurality of respondents, dropped below 50% in the survey.
Respondents
were split on two questions relating to taxation. While most disapproved of raising taxes on
gasoline, most did approve of taxing sugar sweetened beverages. Gasoline tax revenues have fallen in recent
years because of a reduction in driving and an increase in the efficiency of
vehicles on the road, and the state risks losing federal highway dollars if
state revenues can’t be restored. Sugar
sweetened beverages are considered to be major contributors to obesity,
diabetes and other health problems, and the tax has been proposed to discourage
consumers from buying them. I’m grateful
to everyone who took the time to fill out the poll this year.
You can contact me by phone at 425-3960 or email me at myantachka.dfa@gmail.com.
