Please read this email exchange between Representative Megan Smith and local business owner Stephen Sawyer.
I would like to take this chance to echo Jim's sentiment. A little over a year and half ago I was able to open a restaurant in downtown Rutland. The enthusiasm the community had for something like this was beyond my understanding. I was able to be a bright spot in a negative environment, instead of always talking about another storefront closed we were able to rally behind my bringing 40 JOBS TO DOWNTOWN RUTLAND! That's right, 40 jobs. Today I still carry a staff of 30 people, all of them getting 40 hours. If you continue to try and break the backs of the business community we are just going to put more and more people on the system!
We in the business community can't be expected to fix every problem ourselves. We didn't create them all, why is it our responsibility to fund each solution? We recognize and testified to the fact that we will see increases in Workmans Comp, UI, Catamount etc. It is irresponsible to propose such a political program as Paid Sick Leave. Even in the best of times I would struggle with this philosophically; but now it is down right insulting. What is the purpose of elected officials that ignore their constituents wishes?
Please listen to us, the small business community, as we are the solution moving forward. HELP us, so that we may invest in our communities and help create JOBS.
Thank you for listening,
Stephen Sawyer
AND HER RESPONSE:
Steve
this was a hearing in a committee that no one from Rutland County is even on. Many bills are considered every day in every committee that never have any action other than discussion. You need to be tracking the bills that are coming up for vote, not everything being discussed. I am a VERY frequent customer in your restaurant and you should consider that before you start sending all of us emails with this kind of insulting tone.
When I owned a restaurant (the Vermont Inn for 13 years) I NEVER got involved in politics because I didn't ever want to offend even one customer, It is a good approach since the Rutland County Democrats have been holding celebrations with you as they used to with me and it was very good business.
Megan Smith
Megan Smith, same Smiths behind the Regional Recreation Center, now being proposed to be funded solely by Rutland City's taxpayers. The Smiths behind Ejay Bishop, non-resident Director of the City's Rec Dept who will not be affected by the tax liability should this expansion fail to meet all of Ejays "pie in the sky," forecast. We are still waiting for yearly costs projections to heat, maintain and employees.
ReplyDeleteWho is this Megan Smith? What district does she represent? I thought I knew all the Rutland representatives: Fagan, Courcelle, Andrews, Howard...when was she put in? What party is she affiliated with? And furthermore why did she respond in the way she did?
ReplyDeleteAnd as far as the proposed Rutland Recreation Center...what is wrong with remodeling the former Dana School which is already being used? I used to go there for events in the morning and there would be rooms completely empty...
Of course Megan Smith wants a rec. center in the city, the town of Mendon won't have the tax burden. Socialist for sure, spreading the pain around. I'm just going to vote no to the city budget and hopefully others will too so they will have to come back with some real numbers and some clarity. We should be able to vote on line items, not the whole thing.
ReplyDeletePaul Walsh
Which legislative bill is Stephen Sawyer and Megan Smith even talking about? Neither of them mention the bill number (for example, H.123 or S.123). I searched for the word "pay" and "tax" on the webpages below, and did not find the bill in question. I also searched Google for 'site:leg.state.vt.us "sick pay"' and could not find a current year bill, just some older bills from 1998 and 1994, that were not really pertinent.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/bills.cfm?Body=H&Session=2010
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/bills.cfm?Body=S&Session=2010
I agree that Megan Smith could have used more tact in her reply. I also think Mr. Sawyer needs to be more specific about which bill he is talking about, or is he just over-reacting to something he heard from someone else?
If anyone knows which bill # they are talking about, please post answer. Thanks.
I agree, Steve needs to be more specific about what he is referencing. I also agree, who is this woman? I am not familiar with her. As to Steve, wether he owns a business or not he gets to have an opinion and voice it to any gov't rep. As for Ms. Smith... I find your response completely improper for an elected official. To have such a personal response to a constituant is far beyond your job description. You shouold be ashamed and not hold public office if you are unwilling to listen to the people you serve wether you agree or disagree.
ReplyDeleteThis email was in reference to the Paid Sick Leave Bill, requiring employers to provide employees with a minimum of 56 hours per year of sick leave.
ReplyDeleteThis could be about any issue of the day, but the real cause for cocern is the attitude of an elected official towards her employer (the taxayers).
How dare she try to threaten a business owner or any other person for that matter.
Megan Smith needs to be voted out of office. her district is the Chittenden, Mendon, Killington, Bridgewater areas. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Megan Smith should be run out of town on a rail. She is anti-business and generally a nasty lady.
ReplyDeleteThere was a tea party lady in front of the Shell Station in Killington today with a petition for people to have Megan resign. Needless to say, my brother and I signed it and the couple walking in did too. She had at least one full page of them! Arrogance, arrogance and more from these people..
ReplyDeleteSeems to me, she threatened loss of her patronage to the restaurant. This is what happens when a person is given "power."
ReplyDelete