gated?” Abbott wanted to know. Brock said that a new system passed by the Legislature went into effect this summer that requires the credits be based on actual payroll taxes, rather than projections of new jobs and capital investments under the old system. He said his of- fice will report on the success of the former program in January, 2007, and another report on the new program is due the follow- ing January. Further, Brock said, the award of tax credits to com- panies doesn’t necessarily mean they were taken. Democrat Thomas Salmon brings different concerns to the race. He told OITM there is a “disconnect” between Main’ Street and State Street, between the towns and the state govern- ment. Salmon has experienced both, he said, as a former CPA with the Vermont Department of ‘Labor and with local politics. Salmon made his first bid FAl\/llLY RIGHTS for public office last March for the Rockingham select board, and said as a selectman, he was involved ir1 helping find a new town manager and financial director. He said the board has successfully dealt this year with the divisive issues of whether to buy the local dam, and how to deal with financial problems the town has had. Salmon said he is running be- cause he Wants to serve, because it’s time for a CPA as auditor, and because it’s “critical” to have someone in ofiice who has expe- rience at the town level. “We don't have time for infighting — we have problems to solve,” he said. Abbott said if elected, she will actively watch the state’s expenditures and answer direct- ly to taxpayers. Abbott was not available for an interview with 01 TM. Brock said Vermonters should vote for him because he’s “the only one (candidate) who’s actually ‘managed an audit organization.” He is a certified fraud examiner and has taught related subjects overseas. Brock said he is free of political bias or agenda ' “I stay out of the public policy area,” he said. K Brock has been criticized by Tina Buehler, attorney for former Windham County Sheriff Sheila Prue, as unfairly singling out Prue, who is a Democrat and a lesbian, in an audit report that resulted in her being charged with mishandling public ftmds. Buehler said that other sheriffs had also been guilty of improp- erly handling funds. Brock said the 14 sheriffs in Vermont are audited biarmually, so six other sheriffs were audited in the same time period as Prue. He said no other audit resulted in findings of such “fraud, theft, decep- tion, and false records.” The last conviction.was of a Washington County sheriff two years ago in a similar case, Brock said.V State Supreme Court Issues Decision in Favor of Janet Jenkins Miller-Jenkins Case Goes Another Round MONTPELIER - The Vermont Su- preme Court in August issued a unanimous ruling affiiming the right of Janet Jenkins (formerly Janet Miller-Jenkins), to have visitation with her child (known as IMJ). The court heard the case, in which Janet’s former civil union spouse, Lisa Miller- Jenkins, resisted all contact be- tween Janet and IMJ, in Septem- ber, 2005. Jennifer Levi, senior attorney with Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, repre- sented Janet at that hearing, and said, “This is a fantastic decision which is critically important for all families. The court recog- nized that this family is like all others dealing with a break—up. The court applied well-estab- lished legal principles to protect children in these circumstanc- es.” Local counsel Theodore A. Parisi, Jr., also represents Janet. “I’m relieved that today's de- cision brings me closer to seeing my daughter. Ijust long to hold her, and tell her and show her how much I love her,” said Ja- net Jenkins. Janet has not’ seen her daughter since June, 2004. The separation between Janet and IMJ is the result of Lisa’s re- fusal to abide by Vermont Fam- ily Court rulings regarding the status of both Lisa and Janet as legal parents of IMJ, and the resulting custody and visitation determinations for the child. Lisa successfully pursued a con- tradictory set of parentage and visitation rulings from a Virginia court. In the September hearing, recognize and enforce a con- flicting decision of the Virginia court. Finally, the record sup- ports the family court’s deci- sion that.Lisa is in contempt of court for willfully violating the temporary visitation order.” The next steps in the case will be seeking final orders re- garding custody and visitation Lisa had asked the Vermont Su- r from the Vermont Family Court, preme Court to undo three prior ‘ rulings: That Janet was a legal parent of IMJ and entitled to temporary parent-child contact; that Ver- mont did not have to honor a subsequent Virginia court ruling ‘negating all visitation for Janet; and that Lisa was in contempt for refusing to comply with the Vermontcourt visitation order. In the August 4th decision, written by Justice John Dooley, the Court declared: “The fam- ily court properly assumed ju- risdiction of the action to dis- solve the civil union between Lisa and Janet. The civil union was not void. The court prop- erly found that it had jurisdic- tion to issue a temporary order providing Janet visitation with. IMJ, and it was not required to awaiting a Virginia appeflate de- cision on whether Virginia ever properly exercised jurisdiction to enter this dispute while Ver- mont had jurisdiction, and ‘seek- ing enforcement of Janet’s visi- tation rights in Virginia where IMJ currentslives. Attorney Jo- seph Price is representing Janet in Virginia, along with Lambda Legal and with assistance from GLAD.V Press release from Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, New England's leading legal organization dedicated to ending dis- crimination based on sexual orientation, genderidentlty and expression, and HIV status. To learn more, check the website at g|ad.org. SEPTEMBER 2006 I out in the mountains Small town. m.a.......,.s.~.oo... J Big church. J , Lots of secrets. - e o us Stember 12-17,” F|ynnSpace L www.thebustheplay.com For tickets call FlynnTix 863-5966 A Rainbow of LocaL coLoP\s... PurpLes... and greens... and yeLLows... and oranges... and reds... YOUR SOUFRGC "Fora LocaL flavoss! 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