A study found widespread housing discrimination in Vermont, students continued to protest in Quebec, companies disputed the state’s cloud tax, the governor signed a mental health system overhaul bill, the House passed a reapportionment bill and Miro [muh ROE] Weinberger took over as Burlington’s mayor.
These were some of the voices in the news this week.
Study Finds Widespread Housing Discrimination In Vermont (4/3/12)
(Rachel Batterson) Vermont Legal Aid’s Housing Discrimination Law Project) "We look for behaviors mostly. It can be things like shaking hands or not shaking hands. Giving an application form or not giving an application form. Describing the positive aspects of an apartment or describing the negative ones. And some of those are more concrete and some of them are less."
Student Protests Continue Across Quebec (4/2/12)
(Joel Pednault) McGill University in Montreal and is a member of the Students’ Society. "We’re doing what we’re doing on a matter of principle. Many of us think that education should be free because it’s a right. It’s not something that’s a privilege only reserved for a few rich people."
Technology Companies Dispute Sales Tax On ‘Cloud’ (4/4/12)
(Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding) "We recognize that small businesses in Vermont are accessing more business via the cloud and we want Vermont small businesses to not be put in a bad situation and have their expenses increase on essentially business-to-business transactions and have to pay a 6 percent sales tax."
Governor Signs Bill Designed To Overhaul Mental Health System (4/4/12)
(Mental Health Commissioner Patrick Flood) "One of the stories of this bill if you ask me is not just that it creates the best and most progressive mental health system in the country, but it is very comprehensive. Almost every aspect of the mental health system is changed or touched or improved."
House Reapportionment Passes With Tri-Partisan Support (4/5/12)
(Burlington Representative Chris Pearson) "This bill serves as a model of redistricting for the country. Members of all parties find areas to support and areas of disagreement, but local input was valued and neighborhoods respected if at all possible."
Weinberger Begins New Job As Burlington Mayor (4/3/12)
(Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger) "I’m very aware that I’m the newest member of a 600-person team. The team needs to work together to deliver the services people expect and deserve."