WINOOSKI, Vt. -
This Wednesday some of Vermont's politicians will be flying to Florida to hear the F-35's for themselves but, the question is...is this trip for show or, will it really help shape decisions on whether the f-35 should come to Vermont?
The Florida guest list is made up of Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and Winooski Mayor Michael O'Brien. All of them will go to Eglin Air Force Base and we wanted know whether you thought the trip was a good idea or not.
"Yes very much so," Burlington resident and St. Michael's teacher Joshua Green said.
"I think it's absolute political show," Burlington resident Eliza Cowan said.
"I think that's the best thing I've heard in a long time about it," Winooski resident Lars Murdock said.
There are many opinions under the plane filled skies of Winooski. We wanted to relay some of your thoughts to the people who represent you like Mayor Michael O'Brien.
"I think it's beneficial to go down there and hear it first hand so that you're not just relying on what you read in a paper," Mayor O'Brien said.
He believes this trip is more than a political charade.
"I've got nothing to do with that. My primary goal is to hear the plans and to determine in my mind 'is there a difference and if there's a difference how significant is it?'"
We went to South Burlington to talk with residents about the f-35 on this topic but there was only one problem. No one from their government is going to Florida to hear the F-35 fly. In fact they're not even invited.
"It is actually irrelevant in my estimation if I go or anybody goes to hear the noise," South Burlington City Council Chair Rosanne Greco said.
She says she has all the info she needs in this EIS report on the F-35. She is against the jet coming to Vermont which not everyone agrees with either.
"It's really small potato's you know," Murdock said.
But of course some do.
"I just wish they would train somewhere else," Green said.
Mayor Weinberger has said he's in favor of the F-35's coming to Vermont but his assistant Mike Kanarick said the mayor is looking forward to the learning opportunity and will go with an open mind. Governor Shumlin has come out in favor of the F-35's as well while Mayor O'Brien hasn't decided one way or the other yet.
