Throwing money at problems that get worse might suggest to some that the problem isn’t money but not Democrats. First, it’s not their money, so why would that matter? Second, the cash enlarges government and state power which is why they spend it. What, you thought they cared?

A small percentage of people on the political Left care; the rest are fools. Government interventions, regardless of size, are almost always doomed to fail. The redistribution of wealth by acts of force diminishes true charitable giving, which is more accountable to the donors. In today’s example, we have the twin problems of Vermont and Homelessness.

The Green Mountain state is neck-deep in progs who have taken control of the levers of power in recent decades and done what Democrats always do. Set about destroying it. It’s still early days, but the signs are all there.

 

Headline one (WCAX): Vermont spends hundreds of millions to address homelessness

The report says this is the first time the state has calculated the total financial effort, and the report says that number is $455 million.

According to the data, yearly spending on homelessness jumped considerably during the pandemic. For example, in the fiscal year 2020, about $50 million was spent. But in the fiscal year 2021 that had jumped to more than $153 million. And 2022 looked similar, though the auditor’s office notes it’s likely an undercount since the fiscal year wasn’t done yet.

 

Headling two (Digger): Homelessness continues to rise in Vermont since pandemic’s onset, despite increased spending

Despite drastic increases in spending to curb homelessness since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people living without permanent shelter continues to climb, according to a report issued Thursday by Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer. …

Former Gov. Peter Shumlin, a Democrat, announced a five-year plan to end homelessness in 2013 and issued an executive order with a four-year pledge in 2016.

Although the state has seen an infusion of funds into various services aimed at addressing the issue, the efforts are fractured, according to Hoffer’s report.

Homelessness is a complicated public problem, and the pandemic has added to the intensity of it …

 

Homelessness is a problem but let’s be honest. The pandemic didn’t “add” to the problem. Spending didn’t jump because of the pandemic. Both result from extreme government action that destroyed jobs, businesses, and families.

It is no different than the opioid crisis. It, too, is a direct result of decisions made by Democrats in positions of power. The open border started it, and leaving it open exacerbates it.

But the solutions are the same. Democrats who won’t take responsibility for creating a problem try to solve it with more of someone else’s money instead of reversing course or learning from past mistakes.

And when that fails, the answer is more of the same. More of what makes government bigger, less efficient, and still incapable of doing anything about whatever it is they claimed needed their attention.

And that’s because the priority is always to make government bigger regardless of the cost, fiscal, human, or otherwise.

 

 

The post Vermont Spends Hundreds of Millions – The Problem Got Worse appeared first on Granite Grok.

Heh!  For years, I said that a large part of what I write about is based on what “they” said. In this case, the Insufferable GAC Twins – extremist Commissioners Doug Lambert and Jade Wood who made it REAL clear that they were bound and determined to resign yesterday at 5 pm (“Extremists Doug Lambert and Jade Wood: Their Clintonian-Style “Wag The Dog” Political Stunt Failed. Spectacularly” – abstracted below).

So today, I am starting a new series: the Insufferable Resignation Watch Day XXX.  Their words on what they said they would do – not mine. Their actions in not living up to those words.  I’ll just track them and ensure that they promised to resign in front of their family and supporters; they wouldn’t lie to them, would they?

This will either end with a bang (they finally summon the political courage to do what they promise to do and resign) or a whimper (tails between THEIR legs, they’ll clamber into chairs at tomorrow’s special GAC meeting – the only question will be will they meekly do their job or will they continue to grandstand and obfuscate in getting nothing done?).

Either way, this series will continue to remind them to either do what they said they would do (you know, honor their promise to resign) or act like any other crass politician who is full of rhetoric but refuses to take up the responsibility of said promises and do what they want anyways. The former might restore some bit of honor – the second shows that they are just projecting onto others what they themselves have become – just as craven as any Democrat politician that never apologies (unless they think it might keep them out of jail).

SO, DOUG AND JADE – Day Two!  Can you send me your signed resignation letters that you promised you would sign YESTERDAY?  Or are you both “all hat and no cattle”???  Just empty promises as valuable as Biden’s statement that we are not in recession?  You know, Baghdad Bob and Bobbett?

Promises made, promises unkept. And remember YOUR words, not mine.

Oh yeah, I still have to finish processing the video from yesterday. Sorry, too many phone calls this morning and then talking to the candidates at the 603 Alliance training session this afternoon.  Hopefully, tomorrow!

From the above link:

During yesterday’s GAC meeting, both Wood and Lambert kept up the attempt to whip the attendees into a mob-like mentality right from the get-go. Both made the case that unless both Peter Ness and Dr. Strang resigned by 5 pm yesterday, the mountain would close because of those GAC Commissioners. Then, Lambert started to nuance it was all about the insurance being pulled if both of them didn’t resign by 5 pm yesterday.

So, the “Wag the Dog” – Clinton bombed an aspirin factory in Libya in an attempt to take attention away from his political problems.  Lambert and Wood tried the same thing:

IF THE DELEGATION DOESN’T DO SOMETHING BY 5 PM, WE’LL RESIGN TOO!

First off, they knew that the Delegation can’t operate that fast – Laws don’t allow it. So this “demand”, too, was yet another political stunt.  And one that they weren’t willing to follow through on. The Daily Sun has the sorry story:

• They realized that no one on the Delegation listened to them
• They realized that no one else cared
• They realized that their power play of “YOU MUST DO WHAT WE TELL YOU TO DO” had a blackout

I’m still not sure that they’ve realized that they are the tail and not the dog.  Dogs wag their tails – not the other way around.  When you are appointed by the Delegation, you can’t order them around and the Delegation knows it.

…At 5 p.m., they stood outside Gunstock’s ticket office with a half dozen employees and members of the Lambert family.  Lambert folded and unfolded an unsigned resignation letter in his hands.

Soaring words, no action.

Tomorrow will be Day 3.

 

Note: (Upon hearing from the copyright holder to the image that was here, we have removed it from this post and our library.)

The post Insufferable Resignation Watch Day Two… appeared first on Granite Grok.

Remember when the media and public health machinery exclaimed that “research” out of Brazil published in the New England Journal of Medicine proved Ivermectin was ineffective? The together trial did prove something, but not what the experts claimed.

It proved that interested parties could get a study published that said whatever they needed, not that this was new or news, but the media left all that out.

 

Pfizer, Merck, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Australian Government, Rainwater Charitable Foundation, Fast Grants, Medicines Development for Global Health, Novaquest, Regeneron, Astrazeneca, Daichi Sankyo, Commonwealth Science and Research Organization, and Card Research. …

“Several organizations associated with the trial have a paid client relationship with Pfizer, which has secured Federal government contracts worth $5.3 billion for its antiviral treatment, Paxlovid…”

 

Let nothing stand in your way, including public health. But not everyone listens to Bill Gates or Merck or Pfizer. Some doctors continue to look for the best outcomes for patients, so Brazil is back. This time, researchers compiled data from over 88,000 individuals.

 

Regular use of ivermectin as prophylaxis for COVID-19 led up to 92% reduction in COVID-19 mortality rate in a dose-response manner: results of a prospective observational study of a strictly controlled population of 88,012 subjects among 223,128 participants

In the interest of public health, if that were a priority, any study that suggested proof of efficacy would be hailed as a positive step, especially for an FDA-licensed product with decades of documented safe use in people. One that even the WHO’s compiled research data from all studies suggests gets the best results.

Screengrab and highlights care of Steve Kirsch.

 

 

Make sure you take a look at the cost column. Treatment with Ivermectin costs 1.00. Molnupiravir is 707.00 dollars, Sotrovimab, 2100.00, and Paxlovid at $529.00 (not free, just because Biden spent a few billion for those at your expense). Fluvoxamine is only $4.00 but ranks as only 37% effective compared to Ivermectin which ranks well at the WHO.

 

 

Despite all the data, the WHO doesn’t Ivermectin it, which tells you what most of us already knew. The World Health Organization does exist in the interest of public health. Neither does the NIH, FDA, CDC, or, in most cases, your state or local Departments of Public Health.

As for Brazil, they’ve got a massive study that looked at tens of thousands of individuals and concluded what the WHO wouldn’t admit. Ivermectin may be the best prophylactic, as well as an early treatment for the symptomatic cases of COVID, which almost no one needs to fear (as a reminder).

For those who need to fear Flu or COVID, Ivermectin could have kept them out of the hospital or saved their life, but the “experts” scared you off. That is a lot of blood on their hands, including the media who aid and abet the fear when they should be reporting on studies like these so people can make their own decisions.

That’s not what journalism or public health is about anymore, and if more folks don’t realize that (and soon), they may have to find out the hard way, and haven’t we had enough of that already?

 

 

HT | Steve Kirsch

The post Another Ivermectin Study From Brazil: 92% Reduction in Mortality appeared first on Granite Grok.

At least it wasn’t a deranged Bernie Sanders supporter shooting up Representative Steve Scalise. That’s about all you can say for the hideous display of Joe Biden’s efforts for unity and reconciliation. If only Trump were out of office, they told us.

Instead, Trump is gone and the entire Biden Regime has engaged in disgusting rhetoric against the deplorably unvaccinated Neanderthals. We get gaslit on a daily basis about energy prices, the state of the economy, and pretty much anything that the federal government and Deep State have their claws on.

Now, our side gets the bird from these ideologically corrupt and morally bankrupt fools. Just watch:

Democrat Rep. Linda Sanchez (CA) flips off the Republican dug out. Her team got blown out 10-0.pic.twitter.com/CgPOaEsLs4

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) July 29, 2022

For anyone interested in who the clearly-unathletic toad was painstakingly jogging – if you can call it that – around the field, that would be Democrat Rep. Linda Sanchez of California.

The good news is that the GOP aren’t whining crybabies and didn’t need to crawl to a safe space afterward. They just ripped the Dems a new one and cranked up the volume, finishing the game victors in a 10-0 shellacking. Many comments online suggest this is foreshadowing for things to come in November.

No, the anger (if that is the right word) directed at this action is not the action itself per se; rather, it is the continued breaking of social norms, etiquette, and double standards being applied to the left and the right. We are simply tired of it.

Receiving less coverage at the same game was a planned protest over the communist love affair of climate change. The Daily Wire reported a message from Capitol Police urging everyone to either stay home or remain peaceful.

“A message from U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger ahead of tomorrow’s Congressional Baseball Game for Charity,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger told Fox News. “We are aware that demonstrators are planning to protest political issues at the Congressional Baseball Game for Charity. Our mission is to protect the Members of Congress during this family event, so we have a robust security plan in place.”

“We urge anyone who is thinking about causing trouble at the charity game to stay home,” Manger continued. “We will not tolerate violence or any unlawful behavior during this family event.”

The classy nature of Democrats isn’t confined to this one moment. Readers might recall that another heavy-set woman gave then-President Donald Trump the middle finger as his motorcade passed through her town. For her efforts, she was fired from her job as a government contractor, but she later won a seat in Loudon County on their Board of Supervisors. It always feels like it’s Loudon County with this stuff.

Anyways, does the GOP take the high road? You bet not. I would love to see Donald Trump be named Speaker of the House after the red wave, and he could introduce himself to her by returning the favor. That would be awesome.

 

 

Hailey Sanibel writes for The Blue State Conservative.

The post Democrat Congresswoman Flips Off GOP Dugout During “Friendly” Baseball Game appeared first on Granite Grok.

Summer 2022 Newsletter

Giving voters a voice by empowering elected school district officials to reclaim control over budgets and curriculum.

Announcing SDGA’s New President:  Eric Pauer

Eric Pauer, formerly SDGA Vice President was elected President at the SDGA Annual General Meeting on July 9th. Eric brings a strong background in organizational leadership, and we look forward to his direction especially in legislative matters. You can read his impressive CV here.

Updating the Croydon School District Budget Cut

At Croydon’s annual district meeting this year, voters cut the school district’s proposed $1.7 million dollar budget down to $800,000.  This lower figure reflects a per student cost of $10,000. The district that fought for and obtained school tuitioning to private schools thanks to our own Jody Underwood, did not, however, hold onto its extraordinary budget cut.  Citizens called for a special meeting where they organized a supermajority to pass the $1.7 million budget.

If you wish to puncture the worn and polished, but false old chestnut that schools are starved for resources you will get great assistance from Ian Underwood’s powerful printout.

SDGA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held over Zoom on Saturday, July 9 from 9 to noon. Those in attendance passed a new annual budget, revised our bylaws to eliminate Standing Committees in favor of Ad Hoc Committees, and elected a new board.  This is your newly organized SDGA board :

• President   (Eric Pauer)
• Vice President (Donna Green)
• Secretary (Jody Underwood)
• Financial Officer (Jan Bettencourt)
• At Large  (Jon Dipietro)
• At Large (Glenn Cordelli)
• At Large (Robert Chase)

Please thank these committed individuals and consider offering to volunteer a few hours a month to improve public education in NH. Membership participation is the fuel of board effectiveness. We are especially in need of a membership coordinator. Calling the extroverts among us!

***   MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW! ***

SDGA Events

August 28, 2022:  Let Your Voice be Heard:  How to promote or support a bill in the NH legislature.  Conducted by David Saad of Right to Know NH, and Eric Pauer, President SDGANH.  7 pm – 9 pm on Zoom.  Free but advance registration is required to obtain a Zoom invitation.  Register here: https://sdganh.org/event/webinar-let-your-voice-be-heard-how-to-promote-or-support-a-bill-in-the-nh-legislature/

September, 2022:  Meet and Greet NH Legislators. This is your chance to talk to legislators about bills of importance to you.
Details TBA soon. Will be held in Manchester.

October 3, 2022, 7:00-8:30pm.  Budgeting Staff – the Elephant in the Room Staffing costs typically make up over 70% of a school district budget yet are rarely questioned by the elected officials. Staffing drives annual increases in payroll, health insurance, and pension contributions which easily dwarf the marginal trimming which the elected members try to apply to the non-staff portion of the budget. Learn strategies to effectively challenge the core staffing model while protecting quality of education. Arthur Green, our presenter, is a past member of the Timberlane Regional School District Budget Committee, a founding member of the SDGA, and a semi-retired consultant in the banking industry. Registration is free, but required in order to receive a Zoom invitation. Register here: https://sdganh.org/event/webinar-budgeting-staff-the-elephant-in-the-room/

Legislative Update:

1. SB381 “An act establishing an office of the advocate for special education” – signed into law
2. HB1431 “Establishing the parental bill of rights.” – failed in House
3. HB607 “Establishing local education savings accounts for students.” – tabled in House
4. HB1026 “relative to budget information provided to a budget committee.” – failed in Senate
5. HB1033 “Prohibiting recipients of state or local grants or appropriations from using such funds for lobbying.” – tabled in House
6. HB1070 “relative to the default budget in official ballot jurisdictions.” – failed in Senate
7. HB1131 “relative to facial covering policies for schools.” – vetoed by Governor
8. HB1137 “relative to the duty of school boards to provide education.” – interim study in House
9. HB1169 “relative to public comment and inquiry during school board meetings.” – failed in House
10. HB1236 “relative to the legislative oversight committee for the education improvement and assessment program.” – signed by Governor
11. HB1241 “prohibiting a school district from mandating a COVID-19 vaccination for school attendance.” – failed in Senate
12. HB1276 “allowing for school district budgets and warrant articles to include cost per student information.” – failed in House
13. HB1298 “relative to eligibility for the education tax credit.” – failed in Senate
14. HB1366 “relative to cooperative school board reapportionment.” – interim study in House
15. HB1393 “relative to the adoption of school district budget caps.” – failed in Senate
16. HB1399 “relative to school district withdrawal from a cooperative school district.” – interim study in House
17. HB1679 “relative to the dissolution and repeal of cooperative school districts.” – interim study in House
18. SB410 “relative to public comment periods at school district meetings and meetings of the state board of education.” – signed into law.,

SDGA’s bill, HB 1393, to enable district voters to cap school district budgets based on enrollment, met defeat in the Senate. In the next session we will try again to get this passed and hope to also reintroduce a bill to require collective bargaining of public entities to be conducted in public.

Did you know that SDGA has outstanding model policies and newly elected school board member training?

• Save public education by helping to make known our cutting edge school district policies. We continue to put timely and critical policies on our website ( SDGANH.org under “Resources,”) for you to promulgate in your district. These policies promote parental rights, transparency and best practices in governance.  You won’t find the likes elsewhere. We are truly a different voice and our policies should be adopted by school boards throughout NH.
• Tell the newly elected school board members in your SAU that there is a better training program for new members than what is offered by the NHSBA.  The SDGA’s webinar, “Newly Elected School Board Members Toolkit ” is available on our private members’ website which you can access with your password provided when you joined. Here is a link for your convenience. 

Upcoming Board Meeting

***Saturday, August 6*** 
  9 am – 11-30 am    via Zoom.

Open to all members.  If you wish to attend, email me for a live Zoom link invitation. SDGAofNH@gmail.com

A New Way to Change School Boards for the Better

Here’s a pleasant thought experiment…  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could get a majority of SDGA oriented members elected to one or two school boards?  Our model policies could be implemented and parents rights would take the forefront – along with administrative accountability. If we can identify four or five boards that are close to having a right-thinking majority, we could work with the 603 Alliance to recruit and train good candidates to run in those districts.  Once elected, of course, the SDGA would then train and support the new member.  One well functioning board would be a model for so many others.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO IDENTIFY PROMISING BOARDS AT THE TIPPING POINT.

Drop me an email with some board names and we will see what can be done.    Donna at  SDGAofNH@gmail.com

SDGA Committee Updates

Every year SDGA introduces 1 – 3 bills to promote greater transparency in the governance of school districts. SDGA President, Eric Pauer, is heading a Legislative Committee to explore worthwhile bills, draft them and then shepherd them through the legislative process. He would very much like some members to help him draft bills, write testimony and testify in Concord when our bills come into committee. This is not a big commitment but it does require some consistent follow up.
Please join Eric’s committee for a rewarding time making NH better.  You can reach Eric at SDGAofNH@gmail.com.

SDGA’s Policy Committee has produced a good number of timely policies intended to replace the NHSBA model policies so many districts adopt with little critical thought.  The Policy Committee under Arthur Green’s leadership is seeking people who would like to draft model policies for the committee to vet and to eventually obtain legal vetting. You can reach Arthur at SDGAofNH@gmail.com.  The committee meets over Zoom once or twice a month on weeknight starting in September.

 Get your school board candidates to sign this pledge and let’s change the culture of our schools!  Spread this pledge far and wide!

SDGA Candidates Pledge

 

I, _________________________, PLEDGE TO THE VOTERS OF ____________________________

THAT I WILL DO MY UTMOST AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO

1)    Promote education that cultivates in our children a profound respect for our nation’s founding principles and the U.S. and New Hampshire Constitutions;
2)    Promote an academic program that teaches that all people are created equal and have equal rights and responsibilities under the law;
3)    Prevent school faculty and staff from politicizing education, while respecting the free speech of individuals and the educator code of conduct;
4)    Insist on maximal transparency to the public, including, but not limited to, curriculum, budgeting, grants, expenditures, bidding, academic outcomes, school environment, etc.;
5)    Respect that parents are the ultimate authority of their children’s values, education, and well-being;
6)    Pursue academic excellence through an academic program actively overseen by the elected representatives;
7)    Advocate for reading, writing, and arithmetic as foundational to academic advancement;
8)    Treat all academic program innovations or changes with healthy skepticism;
9)    Represent the residents of the school district by responding to questions, being prudent in budgeting, and holding administration and faculty accountable to those residents;
10)  Hold administrators and staff accountable when they fail to uphold these standards.

SDGA Looking for a Membership Coordinator

Are you outgoing and like talking to people over the phone?  The SDGA needs someone who will reach out to new and old members to make them feel welcome, encourage them to attend events and training, and urge them to volunteer in the organization. This requires only as many hours as you can give it but no less than 2 hours a month. Please send an email of interest to SDGAofNH@gmail.com.  Start time is flexible.

Get Involved in SDGA

Help us with outreach: Please invite us to introduce ourselves to your local school board. Are you involved in groups interested in school-related issues?  Invite us to speak!

Join us:  Dues are $20 annually, which we’ll ask you for after we process your application.  Fill out an application.  You can also consider a Lifetime membership for $200. SDGANH is funded exclusively through membership fees, seminar receipts and fund raising activity.  (New members who joined in the last quarter of the previous year have their membership carried forward to the end of the next year.)

Renew your membership:  Renew your yearly membership here. Thank you for your continuing support!

Make a donation: We run on a shoestring, and every little bit helps. Please donate!

Members are encouraged to join the SDGA Facebook group to see events and announcements and to have discussions about them. The SDGA Facebook page shows our announcements only.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Warm best,
Donna Green
Vice President, School District Governance Association
SDGAofNH@gmail.com

Copyright © 2022 School District Governance Association of New Hampshire, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are a member of, or interested in, the SDGA.

Our mailing address is:
School District Governance Association of New Hampshire P.O. Box 95
Grantham, New Hampshire 03753

Add us to your address book

The post SDGANH 2022 Summer Newsletter appeared first on Granite Grok.

According to the World Health Organization’s Monkeypox expert, 99% of cases are in men, and 95% of those admit to having sex with other men. Do you know what this tells us? Four percent of men are lying about with whom they are having sex.

Their business, I suppose, but a global health organization that at least some of the population still trusts says that the pox is spreading almost exclusively among gay men, which had to hurt. The WHO’s done in WHOville are globalist progressive purveyors of identity politics. Admitting that the current spread is because of gay men having gay sex must have been incredibly painful.

Will the “community” try to have them canceled?

 

The WHO’s monkeypox expert, Rosamund Lewis, said men who have sex with men are the group at the highest risk of infection right now. About 99% of cases are among men, and at least 95% of those patients are men who have sex with men, Lewis said.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it is crucial for public health authorities to engage communities of men who have sex with men to reduce transmission of the virus and take care of those infected while protecting human rights by fighting stigma and discrimination.

 

Related: NYC Public Health Mafia Wants WHO to Rename Monkeypox Because It’s Racist

Maybe not. That discrimination bit looks like a tribute to the LGBT gods.

 

“For men who have sex with men, this includes for the moment, reducing your number of sexual partners, reconsidering considering sex with new partners, and exchanging contact details with any new partners to enable follow up if needed,” Tedros said.

 

So, in solidarity with radical feminists, gay men could go on a sex strike over the Dobbs decision. For a few months at least. No touching, kissing, or anything else. But AIDS wasn’t exactly the deterrent it should have been, so why would this? And abstinence has never been a strong suit of the Left, so you’ll get no help from them.

I don’t think they can do it, but nice of the WHO to give it a shout-out while we wait for this “to become” a heterosexual problem.

 

 

 

The post 95% of Monkeypox Cases are Gay Men – WHO Says ENOUGH! – Recommends Abstinence. appeared first on Granite Grok.

Local media, such as the Daily Sun, continue to print letters and articles portraying Conservatives and groups like Proud Boys and Free Staters as enemies of Democracy. Maybe so, if we are talking about the “democracy” of BLM/Antifa, Marxist Progressives, and the like.

After all, we have a Republic and NOT a democracy). Yet, not even CNN has been able to identify any violent riots attributed to Conservative groups unless you count Jan 6 during which the only injury of any note was a Trump-supporting unarmed woman shot and killed by a Black Capital Police Officer. Imagine if it had been a black anti-Trump woman killed by a White officer.

Add to that, the hearings by the Left’s Kangaroo Court never found any evidence against Trump; the whole thing is universally regarded by all except Leftists radicals as a phony “show trial”  Stalinist-type exercise (aka, “Star Chamber”).

Also, I just can’t recall any Republican supporter shooting up a Congressional softball practice trying to kill Democratic legislators – did I miss that?

Another question: how many right-wingers planned and stalked  Supreme Court Justices like Progressive Nicholas John Roske (arrested for just that recently)? Roske had hopes of killing three Justices that HE didn’t approve of (meaning Conservatives). Guy had a semi-auto rifle, a pistol, and a knife outside Justice Kavanaugh’s house and his recovered texts show he did plan the attacks. So yeah, innocent until proven and all that but I’m still highly suspicious, aren’t you?

Someone on the Right with a “voice’ (nationally known) should make a clear and unequivocal statement to the Left that if they resort to or cause others to attempt assassinations, there are those on the Right that not only have the ability but the experience in the art which could make it extremely costly to the Left. (What goes around comes around.)

 

The post Off they Go appeared first on Granite Grok.

In light of what seems to be a disconnect about what is happening with Gunstock, let’s try for some fact-based clarity.

1. We can all agree that Gunstock is a county-owned asset.

2. We can all agree that Gunstock our beloved, county-owned asset is a benefit to all the communities of Belknap County.

3. One fact, that many might not be aware of, is the mountain CAN NOT be sold by the Delegation or the Commissioners. There is an enabling statute from 1959 that is clear on this point.

4. The 1959 enabling statute formed the GAC (Gunstock Area Commissioners) of which there should be 5 members. The Belknap County Commissioners relegated their duties to the GAC with the enabling statute.

5. Under normal circumstances, each delegation has the duty to appoint two commissioners in an open process in the full purview of the public, one each year.

Now that we’ve established and clarified the basic facts, let’s fast forward to today. It has been an unusual year, with lots of discussions that somehow the Delegation wanted to “sell or privatize” Gunstock. Nothing could be further from the truth. This narrative came about by a group of people called “Friends of Gunstock”, who from the very beginning, wanted to bully the delegation into appointing only those whom the now former commissioners wanted on the commission.

During meeting discussions, one of the former Commissioners was asked (after having served a five-year term) which “cost centers” (departments/events) were profitable. This Commissioner stated he “did not think it was important” [That would have been Russ Dumais  -Skip], and in good faith, I personally could not vote for this Commissioner for another five-year term. Don’t you think a Commissioner who had already served 5 years should know which aspects of the mountain are profitable and which are not? Wasn’t this Commissioner appointed to be a steward of our beloved mountain and to make sure it would benefit the county taxpayers?

We want to thank NH State Rep. Barbara Comtois, Belknap County District 7, for this Op-Ed. If you have an Op-Ed or LTE
you would like us to consider, please submit it to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.

In answer to this, the appointment of Commissioner Wood was made (through the regular process). It was clearly obvious Commissioner Gary Kiedaisch would have none of this. At the first few Gunstock meetings with Commissioner Wood, his tone with her was surprisingly dismissive. As a member of the delegation, I was appalled by his treatment of her, but Commissioner Wood held her own and persevered.

Now we come to the true boondoggle where propaganda began flowing: that the delegation wanted to sell or privatize Gunstock. Remember now, this is absolutely UNTRUE but those who wanted that propaganda out there persisted in spreading this misinformation. Commissioner Gallagher resigned in January 2022, leaving a vacancy. The normal process commenced to fill this vacancy, and three applicants submitted their resumes. The local newspaper was full of articles telling us which person we HAD to put on the commission, supporting only Commissioner Gary Kiedaisch’s choice for this opening.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I do not like to be bullied. I was not elected to cave to bullies but to be thoughtful and introspective in serving my constituents. After interviewing all candidates, the Delegation elected Dr. Strang to fill this vacancy. We erroneously thought it would be for a 5-year term, but it came to light that when a commissioner resigns, we can only fill the position for the remaining term. Therefore, Dr. Strang’s commission will be up in November of this year.

Due to this revelation, it was brought to our attention that Commissioner Rusty McLear had previously been appointed to fill out a previous commissioner’s term, but that term expired about 16 months prior, so another appointment needed to be made. Again, we had 3 candidates and Doug Lambert was elected to fill that vacancy. Commissioner McLear chose not to seek another appointment.

So, here we are. The new Commissioners were asking important questions and it was crystal clear the current management did not like this at all. Despite management’s less than informative responses, the new Commissioners understood they had the ultimate responsibility of overseeing the mountain for Belknap County taxpayers. Frankly, I was amazed that the management was so upset when an Audit Committee was formed. Apparently, this practice of having no oversight has been going on for several years.

No one was looking out for the taxpayers.

In answer to this, the management decided to resign, leaving Gunstock and Belknap County high and dry. Management was clearly not interested in being accountable to the taxpayers. POLITICAL THEATRE aside, their “mass exodus” was nothing short of disrespectful toward Belknap County citizens. It was totally unnecessary, and obviously a pre-planned and well-thought-out POLITICAL strategy.

As a member of the very first Audit Committee at Gunstock, it is my duty to do due diligence and make sure the taxpayers of Belknap County are being represented in the best light. It was NOT the Delegation who dropped the ball here.

Hopefully, this summary is enlightening to all. The residents of Belknap County deserve to know all the facts and not slanted misinformation that paints a picture that is not real or true.

Respectfully submitted,

The post Let’s Talk Gunstock and Accountability appeared first on Granite Grok.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2022

Contact: Josh McElveen
EMail: josh@mcelveenstrategies.com

Strang to Remain on Gunstock Area Commission

Cites need for three Commissioners to End Resort Shutdown

Gilford NH – After several days of internal turmoil that led to the resignation of a pair of Gunstock Area Commissioners, David Strang MD, has decided to remain on the GAC emphasizing that another departure from the Commission would leave it unable to function as a governing body.

“We need a quorum and the stakes are high and time is running out. I understand members of the commission and senior management have differences of opinions on important matters. I believe those can, and will, be addressed.” Said Strang. “Right now, I believe the remaining commission members and critical members of senior management must collectively stand on the common ground that Gunstock must reopen as soon as possible.”

Strang says he supports the immediate return of Gunstock General Manager Tom Day and Facility Operations Director Patrick McGonagle. Both resigned their respective positions last week after differences with Commission members were not resolved.

Strang says their return is critical to resuming normal operations at Gunstock ahead of the SoulFest Music Festival scheduled to begin next week.

“Our employees, their families, and the entire region are counting on us to come together and figure out a way to make this work. I am confident we can do that and my hand is extended for the greater good of our cherished resort. If we fail to bridge this divide, I fear the negative impact will be significant, and we can’t let that happen. We have to get back to work.”

The post Breaking: Strang to Remain on Gunstock Area Commission appeared first on Granite Grok.

She does a damn good job of it too! pic.twitter.com/WQX3sByw0t — Graves Williams (@GravesWilliams6) July 30, 2022 Tom Bowler

(Upon hearing from the copyright holder to the image that was here, we have removed it from this post and our library.

During yesterday’s GAC meeting, both Wood and Lambert kept up the attempt to whip the attendees into a mob-like mentality right from the get-go. Both made the case that unless both Peter Ness and Dr. Strang resigned by 5 pm yesterday, the mountain would close because of those GAC Commissioners. Then, Lambert started to nuance it was all about the insurance being pulled if both of them didn’t resign by 5 pm yesterday.

Sidenote: He’s lying. I have an email coming that states that is exactly wrong. And while Lambert and Wood told the sad story of how much time they’ve put in at the Mountain to keep it running, this email will also state that the GAC should NOT be doing that because it opens up the GAC and the Mountain to legal liability. And that’s what other GAC members have been saying.

Frankly, during the second Public Session, both of them sounded like a pair of Doomsday Climatistias in which WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE IF <pick something> DOESN’T HAPPEN RIGHT NOW!!!  It’s very much like they were Fire and Brimstone touring circus tent-based Evangelists warning of eternal damnation if you don’t get rid of your Devil.  Or replicated by almost every candidate’s frenzied fundraising email that says the other side is going to win if you don’t give me $100 in 10 minutes. But that kind of rhetoric, when used in the political arena, is a tried and true part of the Saul Alinksy toolkit.

So, the “Wag the Dog” – Clinton bombed an aspirin factory in Libya in an attempt to take attention away from his political problems.  Lambert and Wood tried the same thing:

IF THE DELEGATION DOESN’T DO SOMETHING BY 5 PM, WE’LL RESIGN TOO!

First off, they knew that the Delegation can’t operate that fast – Laws don’t allow it. So this “demand”, too, was yet another political stunt.  And one that they weren’t willing to follow through on. The Daily Sun has the sorry story:

• They realized that no one on the Delegation listened to them
• They realized that no one else cared
• They realized that their power play of “YOU MUST DO WHAT WE TELL YOU TO DO” had a blackout

I’m still not sure that they’ve realized that they are the tail and not the dog.  Dogs wag their tails – not the other way around.  When you are appointed by the Delegation, you can’t order them around and the Delegation knows it:

During their Friday noontime meeting, Gunstock Area Commissioners Jade Wood and Doug Lambert issued a 5 p.m. deadline for Belknap County leadership, specifically the Belknap County Delegation, to take a stand on the issue of Gunstock.

At 5 p.m., they stood outside Gunstock’s ticket office with a half dozen employees and members of the Lambert family.  Lambert folded and unfolded an unsigned resignation letter in his hands.

First fail:

“I had made up my mind to do this tonight,” Lambert said, referring to his letter, if no action or action plan had come from the delegation. “But I owe this one last opportunity to the wonderful staff to make this work.”

Second fail:

In an interview, County Delegation Chair Rep. Mike Sylvia said that Wood and Lambert had written to him saying they would resign at 5 p.m. today if Strang remained on the commission. 

Well, I just got off the phone (11 pm, Friday) with Dr. Strang who IS out of town on business.  He’s not a quitter.  But it’s clear that Wood’s and Lambert’s political courage failed them when they realized (yet another item) that their bluff had been called.

And yes, when you are the tail, you’re not in a strong bluffing position.  You see, as I said above, Wood and Lambert are hell-driven by only one thing.  Like the pieces that I have brought back from Treehugger, where they are incapable of understanding that other people have priorities than climate (like inflation, food prices, transportation – and not “climate” and CO2 emissions), Wood and Lambert are caught in their own little bubble of their own making. They are unable to accept that other people have other priorities not theirs, or that they aren’t going to be cowed into behaviors that they are demanding.  In this, Wood and Lambert are acting just like the Treehuggers (regular readers of GraniteGrok understand this analogy; if you are new, you have a lot of catching up to do).

But never fear – there’s one MORE demand attempt: Third fail?

Lambert said, if nothing had changed, he intended to sign that resignation, effective immediately, on Monday.

Well, standing on one’s Principles is a GREAT thing.  Mr. Lambert, the Delegation isn’t going to do anything by Monday morning – or even by 5 pm. YOU KNOW that’s not the legal process for them.

And Strang isn’t going to quit. So, are you, Doug Lambert, going to “fall on your sword” again and disappear back into the mists again?

Or be that political coward that demands someone else quits but you won’t follow through?

And be like Nelson6666, a commenter at that Eco-Socialist site, who demands that billions of people should die to save the earth – but when confronted, never will “lead from the front”?

 

The post Extremists Doug Lambert and Jade Wood: Their Clintonian-Style “Wag The Dog” Political Stunt Failed. Spectacularly appeared first on Granite Grok.

Robert Schmad, Washington Free Beacon: Kavanaugh’s Would-Be Killer Googled ‘Quietest Semi Auto Rifle’ and ‘Most Effective Place To Stab Someone’ Nicholas Roske searched on Google for the "quietest semi auto rifle" and the "most effective place to stab someone" before... Tom Bowler

Tom Bowler

There are many threats to America on the global front. Russia, Iran, and North Korea are the most talked about, but nobody comes close to the level and number of ways that they are attacking our people and country as China. China is our greatest threat, and we are complicit in much of what they are doing to harm us. Other countries are much more patient than Americans. China started its assault decades ago but has escalated its efforts in the last twenty years. Let’s take a look at the weapons they are turning on us.

China has been coercing American companies to relocate their manufacturing facilities to the Red State because of reduced costs, particularly labor costs. Not only has this been done at the expense of jobs in America, but it has put control over these companies and their products in the hands of China. How could we ever have put our pharmaceuticals in the hands of the Chinese government? That is the tip of a colossal iceberg of products that used to boast Made in the USA only to now say Made in China!

Not only did the COVID Pandemic originate in a Chinese lab, but now we are importing vaccines from the country responsible for killing millions worldwide. To make it worse, the CDC and Dr. Fauci were sending money to help support the research in Wuhan.

China has been buying land in the U.S. for years, but now we uncover their effort to buy lots of land surrounding strategic military installations throughout the country. The most recent attempted acquisition was in Nebraska, adjacent to our drone base. Other than surveillance, why would they be doing this? Governors Ron DeSantis in Florida has gone on record saying China will not be allowed to buy property in his state. We need more Governors with the strength of DeSantis.

This month, China bought millions of barrels of oil from our reserve. The decision to withdraw oil from the reserve was made by Biden to help bring down the cost of gasoline for Americans. Why did he authorize this transfer to China? Oh, that’s right, Biden is in the pocket of China because of the millions the Biden cartel received from China. Nothing to see here!

While we are suffering through the transition to alternative fuels per Joe Biden, China is building coal-burning facilities for energy. There is no concern for carbon emissions or air quality in China. Just put on a mask.

Somebody has to get a grip on this assault. China is not using its military to attack us. They don’t have to. They are effectively harming our economy, health, military, and national security with their seemingly unlimited supply of money. We need to wake up and say no more. We are done supporting this corrupt country, but we have to get our government to stop, also.

The post How Many Ways Can China Destroy Us appeared first on Granite Grok.

I like Bill Burr. He’s over the edge, off the ledge, unapologetic, vulgar, and funny. He has me a little worried when it comes to COVID. He is not as bad as Jim Gaffigan, who became such a Karen he lost me as a fan, but Burr is always stepping over the line.

That’s what he does, especially if it seems woke or offensive. He loves to beat the approved narrative into submission—something he (sort of did) on the subject of abortion.

I watched this (from Red Rocks) when it first dropped (I’m a fan, after all). Burr is his angry, incredulous self – just how we like him. And these are jokes, people—lots of them, about many things. But when you talk about abortion, especially now, it triggers a lot of folks, so hey, why not talk about that?

He does talk about it and crosses the line in both directions, but what he says might make a few people think about it, so here’s what he had to say.

Language warning.

 

 

Problems with the play? – Try watching it here.

 

 

The post Bill Burr on Abortion ” You Cake Murdering Son of a…” appeared first on Granite Grok.

The fact that Hakeen Jeffries is talked about in the Presidential contender talks is laughable. The guy is a hack congressman from New York, where an empty beer glass with a donkey logo can get elected to any office. He is also an outright liar. That is not hyperbole. It is not opinion. It is a fact.

Today, as he has in the past, he went to the microphones to tell his rabid listeners that it is Republicans who are anti-police, and no front-line Democrat ever uttered a desire to defund or do away with the police. The problem here, Hakeen, is that everything today is on record. Everything is on video to be seen and verified. Let’s review a few of the comments from the past from the squad on police.

Second up in the loud-mouth category is Islamist Ilhan Omar, the Jew-hater. She declared: “What we are saying is the current infrastructure that exists as policing … should not exist anymore, and we can’t go about creating a different process with the same infrastructure in place. … Not only do we need to defund, but we need to dismantle and start anew.”

Third in the lineup is Rashida Tlaib, who said, “Policing in our country is inherently and intentionally racist. … No more policing, incarceration, and militarization. It can’t be reformed.”

Ayanna Pressley insisted she is “ready to continue the systemic work necessary to radically reimagine a system of public safety in our country that finally censures the dignity and humanity of all.” She declared, “Yes I support the defund movement.”

And last, Cori Bush says, “Defunding the police isn’t radical, it’s real. … I am for defunding the police.”

So even with a plethora of video evidence to the contrary, Hakeen Jeffries can still address the American people and boldly lie that it is the Republicans who are anti-police. It is embarrassing for the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and one of the possible candidates for President in 2024.

But talking about defunding the police is only part of the scam for the Democrats. It is what they are spending on personal security and what they are planning on spending of our money to protect these rabid hypocrites.

U.S. taxpayers will dole out about $4 million to help elected Members of Congress pay for security upgrades to their private residences.
“The House Sergeant at Arms is creating a new residential security program,” reports Punchbowl News managing editor Heather Caygle. “Each member will get $10k to secure their residencesU.S. taxpayers will dole out about $4 million to help elected Members of Congress pay for security upgrades to their private residences. They will also get a stipend of $150 per month to maintain these systems.

Rep. Cori Bush has injected nearly $400,000 of campaign funds into private security services while refusing to tone down calls to defund police, federal filings show. Just another example of how little concern these Democrats have for our safety while going to great lengths to protect themselves.

We must continue to battle the Democrat lies and the complicit media that will readily spread the talking points. We need to point out the blatant hypocrisy and do all we can to get these charlatans out of office. The longer they remain, the more entrenched they become and strengthen the Washington D.C swamp.

The post Defund Police is a Fantasy Story for the Left appeared first on Granite Grok.

Yup, hardly time to grab a breath – Obama’s “Dense Pack” strategy has returned (i.e., the bad guys swamping the good guys with everything for FUD purposes: Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt at a mind dizzying pace) when it comes to Gunstock. But that pace also strains the bad side and they start making mistakes from overreach.

So, what’s making YOU FOLKS dizzy in the political side of things?  As that old song said:

As always, your thread – let us know how you REALLY feel!

The post Friday Open Thread: Gunstock-the Local Example of Peyton Place Mixed with Bad Governance by Saul Alinsky Tactics appeared first on Granite Grok.

So who am I to be that speedbump on his road??

Look at his demeanor after 1) the first Public Meeting, 2) the non-public meeting (very long), and then 3) the second short Public Meeting at Gunstock today (lasting from mid-morning to mid-afternoon) when both he and Jade Wood (also a GAC Commissioner AND the NH GOP Area 5 Vice-Chair) were whipping up the attendees to be, in Doug’s words (paraphrased – video coming later on) “Be the Barry Goldwater who hounded Nixon out of office – make Dr. Strang resign his GAC Commissionership!).

Peter Ness had already resigned during the non-public session; both Lambert and Wood (with behinds-the-scenes Brian Beihl of Open Democracy NH playing the orchestra leader) then furiously getting another mob together.

I’m working on the video now to demonstrate that action by them (and previous meetings) in doing that “whipping the mob”.  This is the tactic of the Left. Those will go up later.

However, I brought it up to Mr. Lambert near the end of the second Public Session about his current hypocrisy: 15 years ago, the mob came for him and hounded him out of normal life.  Now, he (along with Jade Wood) is using the same Saul Alinsky tactics to do the same (for “mean tweets”, about the only reason I can think of) to get rid of Peter Ness and Dr. Strang from the GAC.

He’s changed and not for the better. Here is Doug Lambert with his neck veins bulging out as I was calling him out for that hypocrisy (a bigger picture than that above):

Lovely sneer.  And then he started into an absolute rant afterward.  Not a happy camper when a constituent calls him out, eh? Note the even more pronounced bulging neck veins.

 

I understand that during the non-public session just before this, he was FAR worse, screaming and cursing at both Strang and Ness. But I’m waiting on confirmation of that as well.

The post Gunstock Area Commissioner Doug Lambert – Just Look at the Bulging Veins in His Neck. His Ends Completely Justifies His Means. appeared first on Granite Grok.

When did Public health agencies become the mafia? Extortion, protection, numbers, prostitution (of politicians), and if you contradict the family or cross them, hey, you’re dead to me.

Was it COVID or sooner? And now that they’ve come into this all-encompassing authority, can we claw it back (I know NH Rps are trying)?

And it’s not like that everywhere, but as with any bureaucracy, they lean left and are willing lapdogs to every progressive narrative. Take the NYC department of health. They are very concerned about the stigma “to communities of color” over the name monkeypox.

And who is it that is making a connection between monkeys and people of color? NYC Dept of Health! Seems like a stretch, though perhaps not in those offices.

I could see Monkeypox and gay men, maybe, but only because the current outbreak is linked to gay men and pride festivals. So what the heck?

Reformatted.

 

NYC joins many public health experts and community leaders who have expressed their serious concern about continuing to exclusively use the term *monkeypox* given the stigma it may engender, and the painful and racist history within which terminology like this is rooted for communities of color.

*Monkeypox* is a misnomer, as the virus does not originate in monkeys and was only classified as such due to an infection seen in research primates. And we know alternative terminology is possible and entities are starting to use terms such as “hMPXV* and “MPV.” We need leadership from the WHO to ensure consistency in naming and to reduce confusion to the public.

 

The odds are good that almost no one knew any of this “racism” until NYC Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan MD Ph.D. “learned them” about it.

Related: The COVID19 ‘Episode’ of Sex in the City – NY Health Dept. Has Helpful Tips and Tricks

But before we lean in and take this kiss on the cheek from Mafia Boss Vasan, let’s see what the WHO has to say.

 

Introduction

 … Monkeypox primarily occurs in central and west Africa, often in proximity to tropical rainforests, and has been increasingly appearing in urban areas. Animal hosts include a range of rodents and non-human primates.

Natural host of monkeypox virus

Various animal species have been identified as susceptible to monkeypox virus. This includes rope squirrels, tree squirrels, Gambian pouched rats, dormice, non-human primates and other species.

Preventing monkeypox through restrictions on animal trade

Some countries have put in place regulations restricting importation of rodents and non-human primates.

 

Hey, hey, we’re the monkeys?

Non-human primates are…monkeys. Monkeys are animal reservoirs for this pox. Monkeypox is, therefore, not misnamed.

But now that NYC Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan MD Ph.D. and his public health made-men have made it about race can the WHO resist the winds of change? And if not, can we make some suggestions as to what the new name should be?

• Squirrel pox.
• Pouched pox.
• How about Pride Pox?
• Chinese Flu?

Just tossing a few out there to see what sticks.

 

 

ht – JoePages.com

The post NYC Public Health Mafia Wants WHO to Rename Monkeypox Because It’s Racist appeared first on Granite Grok.

“We are a for-profit entity that has a donation line item in our budget and we donate to different things to promote Gunstock and promote the area and promote skiing in general,” he said. “We generate our own revenue and this donation does not affect Belknap County residents because we don’t take Belknap County money.”

-former Gunstock General Manager Tom Day’s response as to why he wrote a $500 political donation check using Gunstock Mountain Resort money. Honesty much?

Keep in mind, that Tom Day is now under investigation. The big question now is this: is Sununu going to write a check to Gunstock to reimburse the citizens of Belknap for a check to him that NEVER should have been written in the first place?

Or how about Tom Day?  Will he write a check which SHOULD have come out of his own pocket in the first place??? Naw, both of them are too arrogant – but I’m willing to eat crow bout that characterization and admit that I was wrong if either of them did exactly that!  Better yet, how about BOTH of them?

And then there’s that “for-profit entity” bit as well. Keep in mind as you read this: Gunstock is not subject to Business Profits Tax and Business Enterprise Tax that “for-profit entities” must pay here in NH.

Yep, now that disgraced former general manager Tom Day has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar at Gunstock (see here) we can take another slice or view at how false his statement was in trying to downplay, deflect, and distract the falsity of his patently ridiculous statement in defense of his issuance of a Gunstock check to the partisan political campaign of Governor Sununu.  And remember, he was Sununu’s General Manager at Sununu’s Waterville Valley ski area before being “transferred” (??) to Gunstock. Just sayin’…

Is Gunstock a for-profit business? Does it refuse money from Belknap taxpayers either on a regular basis or when in need?  True or False?

False: Gunstock is owned by Belknap County so all of its assets, including its money, is a taxpayer asset. Add to that this obvious observation – regardless that it is providing a service, like the Dept of Motor Vehicles, it takes money from Belknap taxpayers all the time.  Instead of getting a driver’s license, they are getting an RFID chipped ski pass so they can be monitored every second that they are on the property.

False: what other private for-profit business pays less than $7,000 per year in property taxes on assets estimated to be valued at over $15 Million?  In other words, Gunstock is being subsidized by all the other taxpayers in Belknap County and this situation has existed for over 50 years.

False: what other private for-profit business can borrow money at very low-interest rates based on its own creditworthiness?  Not Gunstock.  Its ability to borrow money from time to time, and to issue bonds, is entirely dependent on the full faith and credit of Belknap County and its taxpayers.  All of those loans/bonds for Gunstock have to go through the County and those notes are signed by Belknap County Treasurer after approval by the Belknap County Commissioners – then and ONLY then is the taxpayer-guaranteed money handed over to Gunstock.  Again, a taxpayer subsidy for Gunstock.  Thus, it takes money provided by Belknap taxpayers.

False:  While recently financially successful, Gunstock operations have not always been successful.  Thus, a few years ago, when Gunstock was unable to make the payments due on some of “its” bonds, the County had to step in and take over those payments with the promise of being repaid by Gunstock, which repayment in full has never happened.  Again, a taxpayer subsidy for Gunstock.

False:  What other for-profit businesses in New Hampshire can avoid the state’s Business Profits Tax and its Business Enterprise Tax?  Answer: NONE. Not even Sununu’s Waterville Valley ski area pays both taxes (well, I’m assuming so).  But Gunstock does not pay either the BPT or the BET; it gets a free ride.  Another subsidy of Gunstock by all of the taxpayers of the state, not only by those in Belknap County.

Let’s ask the most important question AGAIN! Where are the minutes of any properly-noticed meeting of the Gunstock Area Commission in which the payment to the Sununu campaign was discussed or approved?  As a former Budget Committee member, we had to put it into the budget which THEN had to be approved by the voters at Town Meeting either as a line item in that budget or by a petition warrant (or for SB2 towns, Deliberative Session/Ballot day).   Same with Belknap County contributions to outside agencies- they must be discussed in public and must appear in a published budget finally voted into effect by the Delegation.

And I have yet to find, in Law, where Gunstock is just sooooo special?  Obviously, Tom Day did.  Willing to share all of the property tax payments, the BET payments, and the BPT payment (especially THIS year where y’all were crowing about the millions you made this year) if you are a “for-profit entity”?

So, Tom Day put up or shut up (other than to apologize for lying to the rest of us).

We do not let town or city or county employees dip into the public trough and make political contributions with taxpayer money.  But not so for Gunstock apparently (they DO believe that they are just soooo special that they don’t have to follow the same Law that the rest of us have to!).

So now the issue of the political contribution will head to the office of Attorney General Formella.  The same John Formella who is listed on the Sununu campaign finance reports as having been a significant contributor to the Sununu campaign.  Will he recuse himself and appoint a special independent counsel or prosecutor?  Will Sununu ask for this?

Whether it turns out that the Gunstock donation to the Sununu campaign was illegal or not, the simple fact of the matter is that it was not right.

But do either Tom Day or Chris Sununu even care?

Oh, this – I have heard that NH State Rep Mike Bordes is trying to sweep this under the rug by saying, in effect, “hey, what’s the deal – it was only $500”. Seriously?

He’s running for re-election – with such a slovenly attitude towards YOUR money, why would you vote for him? He obviously doesn’t care either.  But that’s part and parcel of being part of the [Tim] Lang gang…

 

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