Chester GOP holds event for State House candidate Tom Charlton
Shawn Cunningham | Sep 10, 2024 | Comments 9
By Shawn Cunningham
© 2024 Telegraph Publishing LLC
Voters gathered in front of the Fullerton Inn to hear from Charlton, who spoke from the porch. Photos by Shawn Cunningham
But the event’s main message was that the Democratic Party’s supermajority in the state legislature should come to an end. Chester resident Mike LeClair introduced Charlton by referring to the large number of vetoes the legislature overrode this year.
Charlton is opposing incumbent state Rep. Heather Chase, a Democrat, in the Nov. 5 General Election to represent the Windham-Windsor District, which consists of Athens, Chester, Grafton and Windham.
Charlton said he did not have a “magic Montpelier wand” that he could use to transform the place so that “Vermonters ruled the world.” He said he realized that if elected he might be the “only elephant in the room,” but he would be a working class Vermonter who is keeping his house together and figuring out how to pay his bills and balance his checkbook.
He said he didn’t have an agenda and would not go to Montpelier to pick fights or even to win fights but to find solutions and hear what everybody has to say. Charlton said he would not be going to represent the Republican Party but instead the whole community.
Tom Charlton speaking in Chester on Sunday
Speaking on infrastructure, Charlton said that towns hadn’t “seen any additional highway funds for a decade” but then moved on to outline the high per capita in taxes that Vermonters pay and called for “cost effective soul searching.” Charlton went on to say he didn’t like laying people off or cutting programs or leaving someone in need but “we need to be a lot more responsible.”
Charlton said he was in favor of education providing good academics without bringing politics into the classroom and he asked people to keep an eye on the work of the commission that is looking at the education system because they are “already studying” what schools they close to cut costs.* “That may be a way to cut the budget, but you know what that does to a community,” said Charlton.
In closing Charlton looked back at the Vermont of 50 years ago saying that it was resourceful, stubbornly independent with a culture of “pretty much everybody minding their own business.” He said there was more local governance then while today he feels the state is giving “a lot more direction than it’s taking.”
*Editor’s Note: The Chester Telegraph has published three articles since July 31 on the Commission on the Future of Public Education, and to date no discussions have been taking place about closing specific schools. The commission is currently in its formation stages.
Filed Under: Chester • Featured • Grafton • Latest News • Windham
First, I want to thank everyone who came out to the event at the Fullerton. You all count!
Second, The bill creating the Commission on the Future of Education in Vermont includes the directive that the Commission must provide “an analysis and recommendation for the most efficient and effective number and location of school buildings, school districts, and supervisory unions needed to achieve Vermont’s vision for education…” (Section 2 (B) (i)). This has not begun yet, but is a required part of what our recent legislators passed. It is curious that our non-partisan editor felt the need to include the comment above.
Third, I am sorry that Kathy Pellet was unable to add to our number on Sunday. The comment that seems to have sparked the reaction (above) is only half of a sentence – the other half not having been quoted. Sean however did mention in a previous paragraph that I “went on to say he didn’t like laying people off or cutting programs or leaving someone in need,” a detail which might have been overlooked. I do remember a Vermont of 50 years ago where people pretty much minded their own business (a comment directed at excessive business, land use and zoning restrictions) until there was an emergency, at which point everyone would show up with a covered dish, or tools to rebuild the barn that burnt down.
You ask if I am suggesting that we “turn a blind eye to your community’s needs”. I think you are suggesting that I am. With respect for your concern and former hard work, I think you are profoundly incorrect. My neighbors know I am not about to leave someone hungry. I hope this is good news.
My approach is twofold: 1) to explore further how can we do what is needed in a cost effective manner, and in a way that minimizes the burden on working taxpayers. 2) to ease restrictions on business and economic growth in the whole state, including rural communities. We need a larger economy and better paying jobs statewide if we are going to sustain this budget, and adequately provide for the things named above.
I’ll talk to all of you soon – TOM CHARLTON
Size does matter!
I take a head count at all our events – it’s just what I do. 70 is accurate.
There is another voice in town after many years and it is making some people uncomfortable- it should! It’s the voice of common sense! We are here to support our candidate, Tom Charlton because we believe that Vermont is out of control and he is the best shot Chester and our district has to represent the silent majority in Montpelier.
If you happened to see our facebook invites or flyers around town you would see that the Chester GOP sponsored the event because we wanted to get to the heart of the issues we are all facing. Our invites were much friendlier and inviting to all – not just to our party. We invited and tried to work with Heather Chase and her party but they declined. You should wonder why a good ole fashioned forum/debate with both parties represented would be turned down. You, as concerned citizens, should ask for a heathy debate of the issues in Chester- at this point it is not scheduled to happen this election season. Question it!
Size matters because common sense is now represented in Chester! We are growing-100th member party next month- biggest Republican town organized in Vermont with VTGOP. Come join us – we are growing! Chestervermontgop on Facebook. Get involved – send name, Chester voting address, email and phone number to chester.vtgop@gmail.com.
I know it doesn’t seem it but every vote does count – especially this year! If everyone who complains about our sad state of affairs in Chester, our Windsor-Windham District, and our state voted we could change things!
Do your part – vote early- send those ballots in! Look for us around town! Thanks. Join us! Be The Change!
It was more about accurate reporting ! Especially when the opposition candidate refused to participate . That was not mentioned in the article .
Really? Arguing about the size of the crowd…..sounds familiar.
Tom Charlton’s comment, “50 years ago everybody was minding their own business.” Tom, are you suggesting that things would be better if everybody just minded the their own business these days and not get involved in what’s happening in their community and their state? Issues that affect everyone and make Vermont a better place to live, to raise families, to provide a better education, better health care for all? To recognize when families are suffering from food insecurity, the social service programs that help them rise above poverty levels, providing free school lunches, and in some cases breakfast, so that children are not going hungry in school.
Tom, are you suggesting people turn a blind eye toward your communities’ needs? No, Tom, we can’t just mind our own business, we need to see and feel and act on how to improve lives for everyone. We need to make sure people get the healthcare, they need, they need to earn a livable wage, they need affordable childcare and everyone benefits when we help each other.
You need to keep moving forward, not backwards. Rep. Heather Chase recognizes this and has done a stellar job in her first term — she listens Toto what her constituents need.
Kathy Pellett
Former state representative
Republican obsession with crowd size has come to Chester. Did people leave before the rally was over?
Simple math would say 40+12+5 =57 plus the people in and around the gazebo .we also had a well attended sign wave before our event of around 70
I, too, was there: Chester Telegraph reporting is accurate in that some 40 people were indeed gathered in front of the Inn. An additional 10-12 were up on the porch. Another 5 or so showed up in front of the Inn later, once the speakers had already started.
“Around 40” attended? I was there and I counted 70. The photo the Telegraph “chose” to use to represent the event cut out more than half the attendees who were spread out in chairs in the parking area and overflow on the Village Green. The Telegraph editor is a self identified Democrat and this publication clearly shows its bias against the Chester GOP and Tom Charlton their candidate. Shame on you.