By Guy Page
Any veteran community newspaper editor will tell you: it’s the rare voter and taxpayer who takes the time to craft detailed, thoughtful questions for local candidates for office and submit them for publication.
On July 19, Abby Crosby of the tiny Windham County town of Jacksonville, in advance of a scheduled meet and greet with a candidate for the Legislature, carefully write just such a legislative candidate questionnaire, and emailed it to Front Porch Forum.
FPF is an online outlet allowing neighbors to share information, news and comments with each other. The statewide, for-profit ‘Benefit Corp.’ begun in Burlington now has local platforms in most Vermont communities. Its branding slogan is “Helping Neighbors Connect.”
Which is what Crosby says she was trying to do when she submitted her 13-question missive covering taxation, carbon emissions, the cost of living, the quality of education, the 50×50 land conservation plan, elections, each candidates’ choice of committees, and more.
Front Porch Forum turned her down. It claimed Crosby had engaged in a ‘personal attack’ when she asked this following question:
“4) What will you do to remove CRT and DEI from our schools? What will you do to remove DEI practices from State government and how will you promote meritocracy in its place ?”
Sam, the FPF screener, called the ‘promote meritocracy’ reference a ‘personal attack.’ Crosby never mentioned any person in the question. Sam did offer to publish the questions if she deleted the offending phrase.
Crosby sent the full exchange with Front Porch Forum to VDC. It appears below, verbatim. Judge for yourself whether FPF is exercising appropriate editorial caution or exerting heavy-handed censorship in order to protect the sacred cow of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in schools.
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Re: Meet Emily Carris Duncan, Candidate for State Rep
Abby Crosby • (abbycrosby9@gmail.com) • Collins Rd, Jacksonville
Posted to: Readsboro Whitingham Halifax
Jul 19, 2024
Discussion
In anticipation of tomorrow’s event, I have come up with a starter list of questions for this candidate, or any candidate. I don’t think we will have time to address all, so I am posting here in advance for consideration.
1) At 2023 Town Meetings in Halifax, Whitingham and Wilmington voters expressed to Rep. Roberts they largely were against H.5 which would absolutely increase our heating costs tremendously. At the Chamber of Commerce meeting this spring, the Representative admitted he voted for it despite it being largely against constituents wishes. This act strives to take away our choices for heating our homes by making propane, heating oil and wood extremely expensive, so we “choose” heat pumps operated with electricity. What is your view of this harmful act, and how would you vote on anything your constituents were clearly largely against?
2) Do you understand Carbon Credits, and how they give the very wealthy an excuse to use whatever energy they use as they have climate controlled homes using heat and/or a/c 100% of the time, and hire private flights, etc. Please explain how this financial instrument works exactly and how it impacts Vermonters.
3) How will you promote school vouchers and school choice so the money follows the child rather than the assigned schools? This way even home-schooled children would be funded, and public schools would have to compete for students or see decreased funding.
4) What will you do to remove CRT and DEI from our schools? What will you do to remove DEI practices from State government and how will you promote meritocracy in its place?
5) What will you do to reverse Vermont’s sanctuary state status which puts us all in danger of illegal actions?
6) What will you do to decrease our property taxes and bring them to below 2020 rates?
7) What will you do to reverse the 30 x 30 and 50 x 50 plan? This plan to make 30% of Vermont land conservation by 2030 and 50% by 2050 requires the unconstitutional act of forcing the sale of private land to the government. It also requires overriding local zoning laws. With 75% of Vermont land currently privately owned, there is no getting around this unconstitutional plan.
8) How will you reverse requiring EV’s and shunning our vehicles of choice without penalty? How would you disengage us from California laws which is required to allow Vermonters buy and own vehicles of choice? Keep in mind that most Vermonters keep vehicles much longer than the life of these environmentally unfriendly EV batteries.
9) How will you proceed to require identification to vote in Vermont for Federal, State and Local elections?
10) What is your position on the Vermont DMV significantly increasing fees (effectively taxes) in 2024 even though it was determined that the agency did not need increased funding?
11) Are you aware that as of this April Vermont was the #3-ranked state in Tax Burden on residents? The ranking will be worse once this year’s property tax increases are included in the calculation. How will you work to reduce this Tax Burden, and what ranking will you target?
12) If you are elected, what committee(s) will you target and why?
Thank you for your consideration.
Whitingham and Halifax property tax payer.
FPF responds
Crosby received this response:
Front Porch Forum
5:00 PM (6 minutes ago)
to me
Hi Abby – Your posting, below, does not comply with FPF Terms of Use. See the highlighted portion. If you’d like to remove the personal attack and re-post, we’ll take another look.
Best wishes,
Sam
Member Support
FrontPorchForum.com
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