#TBT

 

 It was a Nightmare in my real life 

The Town tried to sell our old run down Farm

For pennies .

I saw Myself as that little Girl again,

Deja Vu of another time 

History repeating itself,

I thought I was all over that

Vulnerability 

Rerun for the Taxed

Rerun of my latest top tweet 

Supreme Court ruling came out

Barely a ripple 

But I saw it

And Remembering oh so vividly 

The day I found out my Farm had been for sale

For paying taxes 9 months late

By my idyllic little town selectboard in Monkton,Vermont 

I couldn’t fight it

I couldn’t 

That probably made me angriest..

That I couldn’t fight for my Constitutional Rights 

I gave up

I don’t regret it

Now if I seem to bring it up a lot,

It’s really my only way to fight what was wrong...

It was a beautiful place

In spite of the experiences I had there

⁦@Scotus⁩ affirms unanimously what I’ve been saying since Monkton, Vermont Tried to sell My Farm for paying Vermont Property Taxes 9 months late and never gave me Due Process. https://t.co/3k6yVwYJuz+ too late for me. We left that hateful town 😢 https://t.co/Sy4WfLBKvM

— Mary Gerdt (@marygerdt) February 20, 2019

Departing Thoughts #Adios802

This Land is My Land, Not a #fracking crib for (un) natural gaz

For educational purposes:

In November, Attorney General Maura Healey released a study that concluded additional natural gas pipeline capacity is not the best solution to meet the state’s long-term energy demand needs.

Grid operator flags pipeline constraints, growing role of renewables

By Michael NortonPublished: January 26, 2016, 9:20 pm

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
• 1Share on Facebook (Opens in new window)1
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Photo: Thinkstock

BOSTON, JAN. 26, 2016….With New England increasingly dependent on natural gas and the region moving to a “hybrid fleet” featuring more renewable power generators, power prices and system reliability are directly tied into the ability to move lower-priced gas supplies through pipelines and into the region, according to grid operators who provided an annual overview of the system on Tuesday.

Gordon van Welie, president and chief executive officer of ISO New England Inc., told reporters during a “State of the Grid” conference call that natural gas-fired power plants produced 49 percent of the electricity generated in New England in 2015, but the system is stuck in a “precarious position” in the wintertime when demand for natural gas rises for both power plants and residential home heating.

With Beacon Hill lawmakers gearing up for a major energy policy debate, van Welie clarified that ISO New England does not favor any fuel or technology or transmission or pipeline project, does not buy or sell electricity and has no financial connection to the natural gas industry.

In part due to the production of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale, New England can take advantage of wholesale energy prices that are competitive with other states if they are able to address pipeline constraint issues, he said. But under current conditions, prices rise and the system is constrained for 30 to 50 days per year when temperatures dip into the teens or lower, he said, noting there have been “hardly any issues” in recent weeks marked by mild temperatures.

“No one can predict what the weather will be in the long run,” van Welie said, adding that natural gas-fired power generation is also required to ensure “fast and flexible” energy and grid reliability as system operators learn more about the reliability of wind and solar sources that are growing in popularity.

“The generation fleet is shifting to a hybrid fleet from a system based almost entirely on large-scale oil, coal, and nuclear generators located near large population centers,” van Welie said. “This hybrid grid will continue to include large generators, but they will be mostly natural gas power plants located near large population centers and wind facilities in remote locations. Increasingly, our resource mix will include distributed generation, such as solar panels located at customers’ sites, and resources that reduce demand, such as energy efficiency measures and companies that can lower their power usage when needed.”

Oil and coal plants are retiring “in large numbers,” van Welie said, but still play an important role during peak demand periods in the winter. He said natural gas and wind energy would replace retiring plants and discussed the need for transmission improvements to pull wind and hydro power from sources in northern New England and in Canada and deliver it to more populated areas in southern New England.

Natural gas pipeline projects have run into resistance from residents along the proposed routes, elected officials and environmental groups. Asked about his confidence level that projects will get approved, van Welie said it’s hard to gauge which ones will make it through siting and contractual hurdles. “I think something will come to fruition,” he said.

Investors and market-based competition are working to fill gaps in power demand and a pay-for-performance system going into effect in 2018 will further mitigate reliability risks, van Welie said.

In November, Attorney General Maura Healey released a study that concluded additional natural gas pipeline capacity is not the best solution to meet the state’s long-term energy demand needs.

Healey, whose report puts her at odds with Gov. Charlie Baker’s desire to increase natural gas capacity, said that while new pipeline capacity would have consumer price benefits, it would also carry significant up-front costs with risks for ratepayers of long-term commitments to pay for new infrastructure. The study, funded with grants from the Barr Foundation and the John Merck Fund, demonstrated “that a much more cost-effective solution is to embrace energy efficiency and demand response programs that protect ratepayers and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” she said.

New England’s power system features 350 generators and 31,000 megawatts of generating capacity, including 15,000 megawatts of generation added since 1997. The system’s all-time peak demand was 28,130 megawatts on Aug. 2, 2006. About 80 percent of the generation capacity added since 1997 runs on natural gas and 65 percent of all proposed new generation would use natural gas.

Other points raised by van Welie during the conference call:

— State policy requirements are also driving up the demand for wind and solar power, and energy efficiency improvements are driving down peak demand power levels.

— The need for natural gas supplies will not be offset by hydropower coming down from Canada, although that new source of power would help. It’s “important,” van Welie said, to ensure that hydropower will be available to New England when the system needs it.

— Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth, which last year announced its plans to close, “was driven out of the market by low natural gas prices.”

— While most solar power is based on “behind the meter” sites off the grid, the grid overseers are seeing an aggregate effect on the power system during daylight hours, van Welie said.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wish I was at this human chain that happened yesterday. Looked well attended.

(I wanted to post a link to the video but the tv station didn't post it)

A Call to join with landowners:

Nate Palmer Rotax Road

Calendar

Event: Jan 28, 2016

I ask you all to consider what it would be like if a giant corporation came knocking at your door, informing you that you had to acquiesce to them cutting down your trees and creating a 50 foot wide swath through your land...land that used to be forest and pasture, so they can put in their pipeline to carry fracked gas through it, so they can make more profit and create the need for more fracked gas.

Add to this, your fear of gas explosions, and the prospect that you will no longer ever feel safe in your home of more than 20 years again. Imagine that you politely declined their offer but that makes no difference to this giant corporation or our own government because the government has decided this pipeline that perpetuates and expands the need for fracked gas is actually good for Vermont and Vermonters.

Such is the fate of several Monkton residents and if you thought you might get involved but were waiting for the right time, the time is this Thursday, January 28.

All I could do was sit in my chair and type my heart out. meg

Fracking Pipeline

Mary Gerdt, Cemetery Rd

Discussion

My heart is with the few targeted property owners who oppose the pipeline And are defending their Property Rights. Since when did the town start giving the go ahead permission for permits before the applicant has the right to be there? How can one or two selectmen, a governor, a newspaper, a paper mill, the PSB (Gods) and a college just decide...there, there, that's the route we are giving the Canadian energy monopoly. Landowners be damned. Landowners lawyer up (oh, that is mean...expensive...Singularly painful). I try to keep updates on my blog listed under Fracking http://traveloguefortheuniverse.blogspot.com

I also have a lot under Vermont property taxes, Get used to it, people. You do not own anything, all of you. You rent from the town and state who have the power to make your life very complicated. If you all stand by when the PSB process tries to pull another land grab for big power, then you too may be subject to the same oppression.

Email

JOINT STATEMENT OF TOXICS ACTION CENTER AND JUST POWER RE: VERMONT GAS PIPELINE RULING

JOINT STATEMENT OF TOXICS ACTION CENTER AND JUST POWER RE: VERMONT GAS PIPELINE RULING

January 8, 2016

MIDDLEBURY, VT – The Vermont Public Service Board today issued a ruling stating that it would not reconsider the certificate of public good issued in December 2013 to Vermont Gas Systems, Inc. (VGS) to expand its transmission pipeline into the heart of the state.

The decision comes in the wake of news earlier this week that over 1,400 businesses, organizations, faith and community leaders, and individuals predominantly from Vermont signed a letter requesting that pipeline construction be stopped where it is at 11 of the 41 total miles. (See press release, letter, and signers at this link: http://www.toxicsaction.org/news/tac/1400-sign-letter-end-gas-pipeline-project) Even though the deadline for signing passed, the tally has continued to go up and is now 1,500.

For the last few years, Toxics Action Center staff and Just Power volunteers have followed the Board proceedings closely, carrying out extensive fact checking on VGS’ claims and review of the Department of Public Service’s (DPS) and other parties’ analyses. We’ve found everything ranging from obvious math errors to repeated instances of contradictory and misleading statements in VGS’ testimony and exhibits.

DPS is the public’s sole representative in utility cases. We’ve been alarmed by DPS’ blind support of VGS, including the shifting of goal posts to accommodate VGS’ cost increases and delays. In light of DPS’ unwillingness to enforce project conditions and regulations, we have little confidence that VGS’ pledged rate cap will hold. Ratepayers will not be able to enforce the agreement, and we have yet to see DPS do anything but VGS’ bidding since review of this pipeline began four years ago.

Today's decision sheds light on the broken regulatory process. The ruling relies on vague statements from VGS about how it might mitigate exorbitant rate increases necessary to pay for the project and notes that those options will be addressed in a future rate case. However, VGS could have filed a rate request already. Instead, the company, with ardent support from DPS, extended its Alternative Regulation Plan and deferred the costs of the first 11 miles of pipeline until next year. In other words, the latest cost increase could have been reviewed on the basis of facts. Instead, customers are left with continued uncertainty about cost increases that will affect them decades into the future. When DPS protects the utility rather than the public the regulatory process as a whole is broken.

In 2011, VGS received special dispensation from the State to pre-charge customers for what VGS said would be a distribution line serving businesses down Route 7 at a total cost of $60-70 million. Today, with a price tag of $154 million, rate increases that could exceed 15%, almost no price difference between fracked gas and oil, alternative home heating options dropping in price, available compressed natural gas for commercial customers, and a dangerously high-pressure transmission line that cuts through prime agricultural land and sensitive wetlands, the project and the conditions around it are simply unrecognizable.

With so much at stake for Vermonters’ safety, health, and economy, we today call on the Board to reverse its decision and appoint independent counsel to represent the public immediately. Vermonters deserve a fair and thorough review of this large-scale utility project. Under these circumstances, the only way the public good can be served is through effective representation by independent counsel – whether before the Board or before the Supreme Court on appeal.

###

CONTACTS

Shaina Kasper, TAC, 802-922-4780

Rebecca Foster, JP, 646-468-3511

Property Rights

I do not profess to be a legal expert

I do believe that property rights are the hub of a free society,

and without them we are slaves, all of us.

So consider what Prudence tweeted...

made sense to me. meg

YOU MUST GO VIRAL!!! #WakeUp Here Are Seven Things You Need to Know About The Bureau of Land Management https://t.co/SNnuF7ffzX

— Prudence (@dennygirltwo) January 5, 2016

Wind

Wind

It's such a fleeting friend,

Here this second, 

Then Gone again,

Cannot see it,

Inviso-Power,

The Wind it howls,

Up goes the Tower (s),

Taller, and Taller,

The Towers they Grow,

Making the Mountain

An ugly eyesore,

The Beautiful View,

That drew us to you,

You were our Mountain,

Before they blew your top off,

And Ruined the Poetry,

We call the Green Mountains,

A more beautiful verse,

Than a Green Mountain Top,

Cannot be written,

But can be blown up.

I was drawn to the wind project listening to an interview on WDEV

Here's a link to the opposition article.

Proposed Swanton Wind Project Unnerves Neighbors | Off Message | Seven Days | Vermont's Independent Voice http://t.co/s4e6yxCZn3

— Andreas Marciniak (@ajmarciniak1) July 3, 2015

#Fracking #Gaz Updates

For the curious, the lovers of the natural environment,
the hills and valleys of Monkton, Vermont,
As precious as the dock where Bernie stood Tuesday.
Vermont is a natural resource.
More articles coming in...
so here goes.

opinion piece from the Burlington Free Press:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/opinion/my-turn/2015/05/22/opinion-gas-pipeline-economic-net-loss/27795029/


Eminent Domain land grab not successful in Kentucky:

http://www.kentucky.com/2015/05/22/3865010/court-of-appeals-rules-pipeline.html

Very strange one about the Gaz company blaming the prior owner? Hmm. From the Digger:

https://vtdigger.org/2015/05/24/vermont-gas-owned-wetland-allegedly-altered-by-former-owner/


another opinion piece from Rutland Herald:

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20150520/OPINION04/705209971/1018/OPINION

Last but not least, from the Digger,
AARP weighs in:

http://vtdigger.org/2015/05/19/greg-marchildon-will-ratepayers-ever-see-benefit-from-pipeline/?utm_source=VTDigger+Subscribers+and+Donors&utm_campaign=6aea1f232d-Weekly+Update&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dc3c5486db-6aea1f232d-405565701

The Hogback Mountains of Monkton, Vermont
Appropriately named,
We love the way they look anytime.
Like Mom said,
Mountains remind you of where you are,
Tell you where you are,
a landmark,
exerting a  gravitational pull.

First we fight the pipeliners,
for property owner's rights,
for the environment.
Next we will fight the Don Quixote's of 2015.
The unnamed perps want to put windmills on the Hogbacks.
This is our view without giant hideous windmills.
Will we fight?
Oh, fight we will.

Addendum...late additions,
link to opinion piece in Burlington Free Press:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/opinion/readers/letters/2015/05/27/opinion-justification-pipeline/27794947/

from seven days:

http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/truckin-natural-gas-deliveries-fuel-industries-and-pipeline-foes/Content?oid=2627255

Please give what you can...

A letter I found to myself

I found a letter to myself,

or I suppose to anyone who might stumble onto it.

It is dated in the future,

how strange I did that.

guess I did it that way so I could cool off.

Oh I am cool, alright.

here it is,

more perhaps to follow...

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

To Whom it May Concern,

Regarding Property Taxes on a 48+10 acre property with homestead

located in Monkton, Vermont, 

where family settlers relocated to

over a hundred years ago.

In 2009, the Town of Monkton attempted to sell a tax lien on our property.

This would have made someone else own our property.

Our property taxes were less than one year late

In the greatest depression we have suffered.

We ended up having to pay 12 thousand dollars that year plus ads, legal costs and penalties and interest. Oh yes, and humiliation and shame at so many people knowing or thinking they know our business.

I am a woman landowner. The Town of Monkton never notified me.

They thought my husband, whose Dad just died should tell me the bad news.

I have been verbally attacked in the town hall by a town official.

No one believes or cares.

When I raised questions of how they selected our property 

they themselves said only certain ones were selected 

but that is because they decided that.

When I asked for how they contacted me they said they didn’t have to.

They all voted together except one, abstention. Not one person in eleven felt I should have been notified. Not one person in eleven thought 

There was anything wrong with trying to sell our property in less than a year property tax delinquent. Even though that may have caused our bank to foreclose. And take more away.

I cannot waste any more of my finite life fighting these people.

The next victim I pray, will be a stronger soul, not battling MS, not afraid to death of courtrooms.

The next victim, I pray will enter the town office will say, “I am proud to be a flatlander! I was born in a city! I was a Tiger in high school, a champion of the debate team! Aggressive pushy lawyer, your worst nightmare to avenge Mary!”

Gaz Update...with gaps

There are Gaps in my Gaz updates.
I am not a journalist,
Really more of a Journal-er.

The group/listserv I belong to cranks out the links,
More every day,
Sometimes I just delete a bunch...
"natural gas" mistakes, land grabs, explosions,
occasionally...a victory for the environment.

So here are some links to read.
Realize there is so much more to this movement.
Fracking...injecting stuff into old dinosaur burial grounds,
squeezing the oil out
then send thru a pipeline from Alberta, Canada...Indigenous people's lands,
to a New York State paper mill via my neighbor's garden in Monkton, Vermont.
Stranger than fiction it is....(did they use google maps?)

http://www.addisonindependent.com/201502regulators-vt-gas-gird-newest-court-battle

Property rights...

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/deerfield_files_suit_against_t.html

Friend Meredith talks electricity rates

http://vtdigger.org/2015/02/03/meredith-angwin-electricity-costs-spiked/


Great Commentary from a lakefront resident..

http://vtdigger.org/2015/01/29/norton-latourelle-questions-answers/

and another co patriot for the environment:

http://vtdigger.org/2015/01/25/rebecca-foster-vermonters-cannot-bought-sold/


that's all I can handle today...
help make history
fight gaz pipelines in rural vermont
it's not saving anyone...

Are Vermont Delinquent Property Tax Procedures Uniform? Fair? Constitutional?

some weeks i cannot go a step farther without trying again, to reform some injustice, to right a wrong, a heaviness in my heart i feel

as someone may fall victim to a tax sale...anxiety triggers my memories,

so i wrote this last monday and emailed it,

meg

To: Selectboard of Monkton, Vermont,

From: Mary Gerdt

Pardon me for sending a string of emails

but within this group of emails is my argument for Monkton Delinquent Property Tax Reform.

These sales are not structured as to a specific date each year.

For instance, our property was targeted at 9 months.

I have never received information I asked for in 2007 like how was I contacted. ( I was not).

When I read the minutes, there is very little info there. Anything that goes in the pay to view newspaper should be in the online minutes.

I never saw my properties were for sale. I was never noticed as a female co- landowner.

I have never been successful at attempting to get the Monkton Selectboard to change the policy, to make it kinder, fairer. John Phillips told me the policy could not be changed.

I question the constitutionality of delinquent tax sales.

Some towns have None. Hinesburg is one.

The reason I bring this up is I feel like these tax sales are too quick, hostile and in our case,

creates a sense of fear.

Our certified card to prove we sent the taxes to the town was returned unsigned, unstamped.

Whether you as a selectboard choose to listen to me or not, I am compelled to speak up again, as I have done since this town tried to take my property.

Having a test at the hospital a tech told me about my neighbor Matera who lost his property to a sale.

A selectman bought it. Not even a ripple on the beaver pond.

Sincerely,

Mary Gerdt,

Monkton, Vermont

---

From: Gerdt, Mary
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 1:48 PM
To: 'David Sharpe'
Subject: RE: I left you a message about property tax penalties and reform

Thank you for responding and for trying to change the laws.

I feel the way the law is written and carried out is unconstitutional.

There is no one for me to complain to.

There is no board that I can speak to.

The town has a mostly male board of abatement that denied all of my protests.

This is the way it always has been.

John Phillips told me the rules will not change.

There is so much more to this particular situation which is why I stated blogging.

People wanted what I and my husband own.

I want to see the constitution followed. Due process, right to abatement offered before sale.

I want to see consequences to the town when they do not follow this.

I want my grandchildren to own land without encumbrances like fees, interests and penalties. Oh yes, and fear someone will take it.

The taxes are too high and are not equalized across different towns.

The townspeople or town lawyer should not be the ones deciding whose property is sold.

No property should be sold at all.

How my life would have been different had Rod Burritt knocked on my door and said, Mary, the taxes are late, are you OK?

Instead, I discovered a month afterwards, that my husband was forced to take an early withdrawal to pay taxes, penalties, etc under duress from an account I had earmarked for my inevitable disability so our mortgage would be paid if I cannot work.

That is when we had to take out another $5,000 or so to pay the next year.

The treasurer made a snotty comment about it was from an annuity account.

As if we could pay but just were refusing.

We pay our way and have suffered shame and hardships.

Thanks for listening.

Mary Gerdt

---

From: David Sharpe [mailto:dsharpe@leg.state.vt.us]
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 12:26 PM
To: Gerdt, Mary
Subject: Re: I left you a message about property tax penalties and reform

Hi Mary,

Thank you for your note, I am very sympathetic with your situation. In fact, I have co-sponsored legislation to reduce the amount that a community could impose for a penalty, that bill did not get out of committee will not pass this year.

If you add together the 8% penalty and the 1.5% interest per month a taxpayer could pay as much as 23% additional tax in the first year, not to mention all the fees and expense if the property goes to tax sale. It is WAY TOO HIGH!

The legislature did respond to the concern I and others put forth to allow communities to set a rate lower than 8%, unfortunately few have. I would suggest you get a petition or other pressure to the Monkton selectboard to put it on the ballot for next town meeting.

Regards,

Dave

Representative Dave Sharpe
1209 Meehan Road
Bristol, Vermont 05443
dsharpe@leg.state.vt.us
home - 802-453-2754
cell - 802-989-6427

>>> "Gerdt, Mary" 3/29/2011 8:53 AM >>>

Hello Dave,

I am at work and read your synopsis in the Monkton paper.

Please consider this another plea to reform the delinquent property tax laws.

We were the victim of a close encounter tax sale after being 9 months late paying statewide locally administered property taxes to Monkton.

I was never notified as the woman landowner. My husband sheltered me from this mean spirited move by the town of Monkton.

We owed $6500 for 1 year and had to pay 15% to the town’s attorney ($1,000), 8 % to the tax collector ($500) who hates us, interest and paid for the add I have never seen.

Our property was nearly sold 1 month before the next annual taxes of $6500 came due.

We came up with the money to keep our poor 4^th generation family farm.

We go without, cannot fix our house or improve our property. We both struggle with getting older, health issues and less money.

Much more on my blog which is easy to find. Search for my name.

Alternately, if you feel I am hysterical or otherwise contrary to your ideals,

Just ignore.

My fight is as strong as the day I found out my property worth $300,000 was nearly sold to the highest bidder, my name was published in the shame section of the paper which I do not read, others knew my property would be sold and I had no idea.

Everyone wants to blame my husband. I love him and understand he was just trying to protect me as a good husband would.

He paid one day before the sale.

What if we were gay? Who would the town have told? The town said they were OK just telling the husband of 2 landowners/taxpayers.

I want to see the whole law reviewed. The attorney decided which properties would be sold based on value.

Percentages of values have become inflated with the growth of taxes.

Back to work at my day job, I want to impress you with my feelings of frustration.

I do not know for how long, but we are living in Vermont one more year since we paid the taxes again in November.

Is that what my grandchildren will say?

Mary Gerdt  

Monkton Chronicles

Monkton Chronicles

"all the news that fits, we print." alfred e. newman

@vermontbiz looks like everybody wants a piuece of my heart... pic.twitter.com/yx6uyosaji
— Mary Gerdt (@marygerdt) December 2, 2014

Well, in the dim light of a Vermont winter's day,
I can see my editor really needs to pull it up a bit...

Next thing you know,
(after struggling to scrape money from my nest egg savings
that I will pay taxes on,
on top of taxes)

Then the town of Monkton, Vermont posts minutes from the selectboard
Where they are changing the delinquent tax policy...or something...actually it is not clear
what, why or when they sprung this baby on us...nice warning to voters...

Immediately I went into Lois Lane mode...
searching memory banks...searching...searching...
Hey, the head of the selectboard told me,
"You Cannot Change the delinquent tax policy"...
 Guess that meant I cannot, but some other schmuck can....

So if you are huddled
In a cold and drafty room,
and you're wondering what to eat next,
and you forget to use the broom,
and your body doesn't smell so good,
The tax bill on the stand,
The bread bag, oh so empty,
They have the upper hand,
2 cents here, 4 cents there,
You got to pay the man.

All you feel is cold despair,
You huddle with cats,
With blankets, socks and underwear,
Cover all the windows there,
Keep out the cold night air.
You smell the hate of others,
Blowing in the Wind,
Hate or Greed, they smell the same,
All will do you in.

Grow calluses
or skin of brass
don't let them
pull you into 
The Morass.

Sparring, #fracking and Nerve endings

Sparring

Back and forth I go,
editorial arguments,
woven with social media,
like burrs,
snarling up,
the ties that bind kept entering my mind...

Addison Independent's reporter Zach has renewed my interests.
Commenters using what seems like alias personae are verbally sparring with me and the neighbor, about that pipeline Canadians want to slip in thru the neighbor's garden.

It hit a nerve again today
Property Rights
It screamed.

So I thought I would post one letter,
out of all the letters that I wrote
where I attempted to show the cold cruelty of the so called select board-5 elected people who make some decisions,
and sometimes go too far.
Impossible to fight,
I chose to bring to light what is possible in a sleepy town.
People can be cruel, mean, without even drawing a weapon.

Really an FYI, readers,
My nerves need a virtual poultice.
yes, I did all I could do to try to reform this corrupt sick system...

Hello Governor Shumlin,

On October 13, 2009, our 48 acre farm plus 10 acre swamp property was nearly sold by the Town of Monkton to satisfy about $6,000 for being late 9 months paying taxes.

This was the first year we qualified for property tax adjustment by income.

We had always paid taxes on time for 17 years. This property has been in Fred's family since the late 1800's.

We incurred shame, fees, penalties, costs including percentages of the tax to a lawyer and tax collector.

We were never offered abatement or other arrangements.

I never had any idea this happened until a month later when we paid the next year's tax: $5,000.

The day before the tax sale, Fred paid them from an account we established in case I cannot work.

I have MS. Fred was out of work and had been a self employed electrician.

I have been struggling to get resolution. I applied for abatement but could not face certain people in town.

I argued because of many factors. These are on my blog.

I lost.

I still want to see what they did to notify us they were selling our property and why after only 9 months late.

The selectboard is not cooperating in seeing this. I cannot afford an atty. I am sorry the bill died in the committee to look at penalties like the $500 we had to pay the tax collector (8%). The town cannot even tell me what they did to inform me or my husband. I have asked for over 1 year.

The selectboard does what they want and they stand behind this practice. God help the next people

who are 9 months late paying taxes. Nobody else cares.

Thanks for listening. I think you are doing a good job.

Please look at property taxes, they are robbing from my family of bread.

and off topic, Please let Yankee stay open with conditions. Talk with Meredith Angwin. Please do not emotion rule your decisions on this. Rely on science.

Mary E. Gerdt
alvarita1@aol.com
traveloguefortheuniverse.blogspot.com

Gaz Updates #fracking

Natural Gas     correction: unnatural #fracking Gaz updates...

full of gaz emails again, links, humans desparate to control the frackers that threaten our planet. the last straw was the so called free press which put in a fluffy infomercial "editorial" by the president of vermont gaz, rarely mentioned: it is a  subsidiary of Gaz metro, a canadian power conglomerate. there is an unproven theory they are still sore at vermont for vt presing the contract back in the 1988 ice storm. i can see the secret board meeting...when they found out vt was suing them! them: we will get back at them some day...well that is the only way for me to explain how canadians bought all our power and now want to cram a gaz pipeline through my neighbor's garden and under Lake Champlain. (and though popular w/some & unpopular w/some, our nuke plant was shut down taking jobs, raising rates.)

Will just dump all this out, read if you must.Be aware.

This is all about scattering people likea flock of birds.

Try to stay focused...meg

First a little background..

Found this on the digger, when they dug it up, it got set aside for 4 years.

good time to review:

http://vtdigger.org/2011/07/07/gaz-metro-green-mountain-power/

A link to the Free press editorial/article veiled as a feel good about don gilbert

http://bfpne.ws/1qb8vog

Thanks to Chris Bray for this counterpoint...

Yes we have constitutional rights!

http://vtdigger.org/2014/06/18/christopher-bray-pipeline-phase-2-comes-high-constitutional-price

Everybody should put this on their ballot...

http://news.msn.com/us/texas-gas-town-considers-banning-fracking#tscptmf

(thx sister nancy for that link)

article from the digger starting at my comment...

Weird boldness, arrogance.

say no.

http://vtdigger.org/2014/06/17/vermont-gas-seeks-waiver-begin-construction-staging-pipeline/#comment-125029

The governor cautions against doing what is happening that he facilitated

or did he?

"his" PSB certainly is hot for the pipeline...hey...this was a new england conference...the canadians want to run the pipeline through my neighbor's garden in rural Monkton, Vermont to got to the paper mill in New York, under Lake Champlain. Maybe they should have invited Andrew Cuomo as well....meg

http://vtdigger.org/2014/06/16/governor-cautious-build-energy-delivery-infrastructures/

Regarding taking swamps...

starts at my comment reply...

http://vtdigger.org/2014/06/13/kim-greenwood-pipeline-worth-wetlands/#comment-125034

Last one for now....

http://www.addisonindependent.com/?q=201406pipeline-foes-urge-regulator-nix-phase-ii-project

The Truth About Felton Protecting your water supply from corporate predators. Are You Aware?

Good Job by activated citizens....

The Journey of Understanding Vermont Property Tax Snarling Beast

On my Journey of Understanding

the Snarling beast called

Vermont Property taxes...

the digger helped me out yesterday...>

http://vtdigger.org/2013/11/13/property-tax-exemptions-remain-changes-loom/#comment-77141

 

i found out

how small i was,

a woman,

in this hostile town

that thought they owned what i fought so hard to get

and

keep.

(near victim of property tax sale 2007)

 

 

 

reminding me of that day,

the stretcher being wheeled out.

whose hand was i holding

no one told me.

i guessed it was dad.

and his mom.

 

 

Late news..

Something woke me up...surfing twitter w/kindle,
play a game, check FB, email.
Then I saw the emergence of the deal to sell back property to a man who lost his family's legacy to a delinquent tax lien sale by the town.
It was a feel good rare kind of never happens fairy tale thing,
if it were not for things like lawyering, which I guess had to be a part of it.
So I looked for clever tweets to re-tweet thus saving my tired mind from being creative.
Found not a one worth retweet. all pretty snotty, snarky,empty.
newspapers make money on tax sales..legal notices, gossip, shame and icky stuff,
It would be up to me to set the record straight...

I am proud of Governor Shumlin for giving this man back his property.
Not a political move, nothing really to gain.
It was cool. I am surprised. The lawyers need to find new work.
No long drawn out scandalous court case.
Now, time for Vermont Property Tax Reform...if not now, when...

 

Proud of Governor #Shumlin for selling property back to tax sale victim.Now time 4 VT Prop tax Reform.Stop sales of tax liens!
— Mary Gerdt (@marygerdt) August 14, 2013

Tiger's Tale

Tiger's Tale

Vermont Tiger is an ally in my fight for Truth and Clarity.
In this case,
How does the Vermont Property Tax really work??
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shoot, I did not want to zone out more readers who could care less about what i pay.
some of us vermonters started out somewhere else anyway. not that illinois is so special, land of lincoln, like kin he was. kindred anyway, born poor, wanted equality for all.
So if you just came to see a pretty picture, view and move on, I am really good with that.
that was one reason for my blogging anyway, like national geographic in my backyard.
in turn, i follow others who keep me seeing the global perspective.
vermont does have exceptional beauty and feeling.

here it is

Lincoln, Vermont
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now for more about how VT property taxes work...if you dare...

http://www.vermonttiger.com/content/2012/03/how-does-act-60-work-.html

#5

Dreaming of Springtime in Vermont

if you do not like political stuff, enjoy the photo above and stop reading right now :-)

#5

Will be the last in this series.
The beginning of my age of true disillusionment.
Can already hear some of you sighing, the politically adverse segment of the population
how i wish i could be there somedays.
These are my feelings about town government & powers they have.
My true life experience in 2009 of nearly losing my properties.
What did not work for me to regain some sense of dignity or righteousness.
The brochure online about rights of taxpayers really doesn't cover the half of it.
In truth, towns can be more powerful than banks.
This has happened before and it could happen to you.
This was a letter I sent the town when I found out what they did.

fyi afterword...i have never received any of this information. meg 3.25.13



Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:57:50 EST
Subject: To the selectboard
To: admin@monktonvt.com

Pleases deliver To the Selectboard of the Town of Monkton,

From Mary E. Gerdt, 40 Cemetery Rd, Monkton (mailing address North Ferrisburg, VT).

I requested some information from David Rath, your attorney.

I have not received it.

I now request it from the Selectboard.

Please send me the following by US Mail

addressed to Mary E. Gerdt, 40 Cemetery Rd, No. Ferrisburg, VT 05473

I want to have all the documents the Town of Monkton has related to the tax sale of real estate property I own.

I want copies of the actual minutes where my property was described and this was discussed.

I want copies of the accounting of the Town Tax Collector, records of his phone calls, attempts to contact me or my husband.

I want copies of receipts of any mail sent to me or my husband.

I want you to tell me how many people are presently in arrears in taxes.

I want to know how you decided to choose us.

I want to know who had abatement of taxes.

I want a copy of what went into the newspaper which I never saw.

I do not feel comfortable at the town hall anymore.

My emails about minutes all summer apparently were in vain since when you finally decided to post them, all I saw was "tax sale". My suggestion to you is to be more open about this process to the actual owners. I wonder how many of my neighbors knew and I had no idea.

I am serious that I want all these documents. Do not ignore this request.

Mary Gerdt

 

Fives....lots of Fives....& Virtual Neighborhood...

Fives, Dang a lot of fives came together today...

me 55, born in 58, 5th child, on the 25th, mom born in 25...it seemed like a lot,

Or was I just looking for meanings and there was all this coincidence?

anyway, we are now part of a "virtual neighborhood". It is a listserv of town residents. When I close my eyes I still see the houses of the neighbors of my youth,The Pfeiffers, The Stahlhuts, The Jennings', The Kuethes', Braziers, and many more...

Now with a new found outlet to speak to my neighbors I have not know for the 30 years I have lived in the neighborhood, have been wanting to connect about a few issues I find imperative. So I wrote the entry below and thought I would log it in my blog as a time marker. Hoping for change but not counting on the change being what I want. Just something better.

If I get no response, OK, I will stick with sharing feelings with my worldwide web of bloggers, friends, musicians, artists, photographers, activists, and fellow poets. If I get a response, perhaps I will finally feel I have arrived at a neighborhood. If positive, a kindred neighborhood. If negative, well, sorry, I am entitled to feel however I feel.

If something here offends you, just push the I/o button in the o direction.

mary e. gerdt,

over the hill of 55,

55 trips around the sun.

God do I miss Mom at times like this...

 

Pipelines, Notices to Residents & Delinquent Tax Collection

Mary Gerdt – Cemetery Rd

I fully support everything Jane and Nate Palmer say...and I hope other Monkton residents will stand there too. It is unfortunate the black suited lawyers and lobbyists seem to have all the power, eh? This proposed pipeline (anybody see a map yet?), is being crammed down our throats by a Canadian conglomerate to feed a rich college town and a paper mill That Already Gets Gas!!!

They want a 2 way RACEWAY...anybody get the visual?

Meanwhile the Selectboard seems to passively yawn which leads me to believe they have blessed this.

So why do we pay all the conservation taxes and taxpayers pay to preserve land if we are just going to become, let's face it, Transmission Fields...WRONG, all Wrong!

Why not criminal charges or sanction for what looked like deceptive practices against our great and vulnerable neighbors.

It makes me sick to think the town would let them stomp people like them.

Next, have you experienced not being noticed by the town for a meeting or a application/permit that you had a right to know/be at? Let's change that.

Next, have you been the victim of a delinquent tax sale in Monkton where there are questions about the proper procedure or even, is this like other towns do it? If enough people connected who are as disgruntled as I have been, perhaps we could really change this Draconian, 6 months late, we sell your property thing.

I was told it would never change. Don't do well with never.

Next, I will be publishing all the letters I have sent the town on my blog. It can be a test of, well, what works, what doesn't. Is anyone as frustrated as I am? Or, Mary you are all wet! Ok. I am a big girl (no comments). I can take criticism. Likewise, if others feel like I do, the front porch is truly helping me feel part of a neighborhood and have hope we can connect even though you may be a couple hills over. I hope if there is common sense, ethical reform possible, I hope we can recreate the kind of town Everyone wants to be a part of. Not just the Yellers, the Bullys, the This, the That. The Pipeline people? Ran roughshod over this town. Ripe for the picking I would say. Can the Selectboard choose to engage in fights for the little people instead of looking for new zoning restrictions? Can we put a moratorium on going after people like gravel diggers? (I could have used some local gravel when my driveway washed away).and people too poor to pay taxes this year...instead of raise taxes and shorten tolerance.

http://traveloguefortheuniverse.blogspot.com Mary Gerdt