NEWS RELEASE
February 8, 2013
Contact:
Shawn Shouldice
(802) 371-7923
Public Discussion & Expert Panel of Local Service Providers & Job Creators
MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – Campaign for Vermont (CFV) founder Bruce Lisman is hosting a 90-minute public forum about creating job security and inclusive prosperity for all Vermonters from 6:30 – 8 pm on February 19 at Ilsley Public Library at 75 Main Street. The Middlebury forum is the second in a statewide series moderated by Lisman.
“We’re hosting these forums primarily to listen to Vermonters who want to share their point of view, the challenges they face and their aspirations for the future of our state,” Lisman said. “We also want to take the opportunity to learn from the panel of local social service providers, employers and other experts.”
Panel members will include Andrew Mayer, executive director of Addison County Chamber of Commerce; Paul Kervick, founding member of Living Well Residential Care Home in Bristol; and Bob Foster of Foster Brothers Farm in Middlebury.
The forums will highlight the economic and social indicators used to measure the effectiveness of current policy, as well as the need to support local organizations working to meet the increasing needs of the most vulnerable, Lisman said.
“My ultimate goal for these forums is to lead a discussion about advancing non-partisan policies that will help us build an economy where no one is left behind and everyone can prosper,” Lisman added. “We think it’s important to engage as many Vermonters as possible in this discussion because achieving real results will require real reform.”
The free 90-minute forum will include short presentations by panelists describing their work, the challenges they face and suggestions for moving forward, followed by at least one full hour of open public discussion. Coffee and soft drinks will be provided.
“This inclusive statewide dialogue is another step toward building a larger, more diverse and independent grassroots coalition to advance much-needed, non-partisan reforms to build an economy where poverty steadily declines, wages steadily rise, and everyone has the opportunity to prosper,” Lisman said.
Campaign for Vermont was founded by Lisman in November, 2011. For more information, go to www.CampaignForVermont.org.
WHAT: Community Forum
WHEN: February 19, 6:30 – 8 pm
WHERE: Ilsley Public Library, 75 Main St., Middlebury, VT
Permalink |
I’m reluctant to point out that before coming to Vermont Mr. Lisman held a prominent position in the company once known as Bear Stearns. The following is an expert from NPR:
“SCOTT HORSLEY: Bear Stearns employees owned about 30 percent of the company’s stock and there was a strong culture of employee buy-in. Today, those 14,000 employees are worried not only about their jobs, but also their savings. On Wall Street, it’s not unusual for bonuses and retirement contributions to be paid in the form of company stock. Financial planner Greg Sullivan says the cliff dive that Bear Stearns share took is a painful reminder that bank employees should follow the advice they give clients and diversify.
Mr. GREG SULLIVAN (Financial Planner): Some of those people are going to have to start all over. Yet, people with not just a few thousand dollars of their wealth in there, but, you know, tens of millions – and these are smart, wealthy people that just went down financially. You know, they took a lifetime building it up and it just took a week for it to disappear.”
—————–
To avoid appearing breatakingly hypocritical Mr. Lisman and his group might want to hold a forum on a topic other than “job security and inclusive prosperty”
Permalink |
Yes indeed, the fox is in the hen house.
Permalink |
Yes, a henhouse with no hens. For a state with a decade of 0% job growth rate, being 36th in median household income, 16% of its population on food stamps, and a resounding 44th place finish in best states to do business in, by all means, let’s not talk seriously about changing what’s long been wrong in Vermont politics and public policy.
Everything’s fine. All the hens say so.