sarahDownstreet Pays Taxes
To the Editor:
I want to correct a recent opinion piece that stated Downstreet Housing and Community Development does not pay taxes on the properties we operate. In fact, Downstreet makes significant tax and tax-equivalent payments to the communities where we work. In Montpelier alone, we paid more than $250,000 over the past year.
Affordable housing strengthens communities, and part of our commitment is contributing to the local tax base while ensuring that homes remain affordable for those who need them most.
Angie Harbin, executive director of Downstreet Housing and Community Development, Barre
Why We Inverted Our American Flag
To the Editor:
People have asked why we display an inverted American flag at our home. This is why.
Our grandparents, parents, siblings, and friends served in World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, respectively. They taught us that the American flag stood for the Constitution of the United States above all else. Those were the principles to which they had sworn an oath. The government today is ignoring and abusing the values contained in our Constitution and we believe as a nation we are in serious trouble. The U.S. flag code specifically says the flag is not to be inverted “except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.” We believe we have crossed that threshold.
We believe in respecting each other for both the things we have in common and those we don’t. The Constitution gives us freedom to choose, to believe, and to practice what is meaningful to us and making sure others can do the same, even if it is not what we choose.
Our veteran family members fought for these values and did so with dignity and honor.
When names were removed from the indexes at Arlington National Cemetery because they were noted as Hispanic American, African American, and/or Woman, only to be relisted in generic political groups, we were angry. When active veterans who have served this country both on the battlefield and off are discharged or demoted because of the color of their skin, sexual orientation, and/or cultural background, we are sickened. When a true hero, John McCain, is ridiculed as “a loser” for being captured in Vietnam, we can’t understand why every citizen in this country isn’t outraged.
John McCain was held for over five years in a prison where he was so badly beaten, he lost the use of one arm. When offered the chance to be released early, he refused to go until every man in his unit was released. That is what the American flag represents to us.
Every day the current administration erodes our democracy by ignoring the U.S. Constitution and the rule of law. The flag represents these tenets. We cannot, in good conscience, raise the flag and condone what is happening to this country we love.
Dianne Muller, Montpelier
Plant-Based Options in Sports Arenas
To the Editor:
As a huge sports fan, I’ve noticed an exciting shift in stadiums across the country: more vegan food.
Nationals Park offers vegan hot dogs, Yankee Stadium serves veggie sliders, sushi, and more, Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena has vegan chocolate cake, and NBA arenas like Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center have vegan pizza and chick’n tenders. My favorite is the Birdland Fresh cart at Baltimore’s Camden Yards. Their all-vegan options make me feel right at home — and they prove that vegan food can be every bit as fun and satisfying as traditional stadium fare.
This isn’t just about taste. Every veggie choice helps cut greenhouse gases, promotes healthier communities, and spares animals. Sports are about bringing people together, and plant-based options make sure no one is left out.
That’s why I hope more stadiums keep expanding these menus. When fans can cheer their team and enjoy compassionate, climate-friendly food at the same time, everybody wins.
Maxwell Branset, Montpelier
Letters to the editor represent the opinions of the authors and do not reflect the opinions of The Bridge. Submit your letter by email to editor@montpelierbridge.com. Preference is given to submissions by those who live in central Vermont, should not exceed 300 words in length, and may be edited for brevity and accuracy.
