Salmon for Auditor
C/O Mary Farino: Treasurer
P.O. Box 341
Bellows Falls, VT 05101
or
1115 Railroad St
St Johnsbury VT 05819
802-779-8979
C/O Mary Farino: Treasurer
P.O. Box 341
Bellows Falls, VT 05101
or
1115 Railroad St
St Johnsbury VT 05819
802-779-8979
| Thomas M. Salmon CPA |
Salmon for Auditor
Vermonters learn at a young age that service to others is one's lifelong duty I learned a lot about life growing up in Bellows Falls and graduating from public school (BFUHS) in 1981. As a youth, I delivered door to door the Times Reporter, Eagle Times and Brattleboro Reformer. In my teens I pumped gas, worked as truck driver at Mountain Paper and loaded trucks at St. Johnsbury Trucking, BF terminal. I was fortunate to have this upbringing; and go to college and land a job in Accounting. It wasn't enough.....In 1992 while living in Los Angeles, CA, I left a business job and took a 50% paycut to teach disadvantaged kids in East Los Angeles . During the next ten years I served the students of Los Angeles, helped raise 4 kids, attained my teaching credential, CPA license, enlisted in the US Navy Reserves (Seabees) and our family became foster parents. During this time, I took additional jobs to make ends meet; drove and dispatched Tour Busses, was a security guard, taught Traffic School, Tutored, performed tax and accounting services, worked night shifts at a Group Home for Boys, and was lead Teacher for (CA Gov) Arnold's All Stars After School Program. My Bellows Falls and Vermont Life Skills education served me well in all situations. Thank you parents, teachers, coaches, community members, friends and family. |
“Politicians, If you want to lead by example, part of the game is being brutally honest about what is
productive and real versus politically correct, immaterial and fear-based. Politics is calling for warriors.
Step up and tell the truth with civility; people are starving for it.” TMS
productive and real versus politically correct, immaterial and fear-based. Politics is calling for warriors.
Step up and tell the truth with civility; people are starving for it.” TMS
2009 MESSAGE
September 5, 2009
Dear Friend,
It is an honor to serve as Auditor for the State of Vermont . In 2006, I was elected as a Democrat. In 2008, I was re-elected
on the Democratic/Republican ticket. 2010 will be different.
I am changing my political affiliation to align myself with the party closest to my core beliefs. It is my belief that the VT
Republican party is closest to accepting the realities of our times; and is therefore the party best equipped to manage the
very real and troubling economic and social conditions which confront us not only today, but in the coming decade.
As many of you know, in the face of the enormous fiscal crisis, I have sounded the alarm for new thinking, responsible
budgeting, meaningful long-term planning and painful prioritization.
When I returned home from Iraq , I witnessed first-hand a budget process rife with deficiencies and dysfunction. There
was little balance in the debate.
As a Certified Public Accountant, I recently completed my required Ethics course for re-licensing. The Professional Code
of Conduct demands that I act with integrity, objectivity and independence. As Auditor, I have preached that Vermont is on
an unsustainable track we cannot tax ourselves out of.
I believe the majority of Vermonters do not want to see tax increases as a consequence of poor planning. However,
without major restructuring of human services, corrections management and public education (which together account for
some 75% of our expenditures) we are going to find that situation unavoidable. Removing even greater sums of capital out
of our job-creating private sector and the budgets of Vermont families will only hasten the ill effects of the current crisis.
We all watch a healthcare reform movement focused on increased access rather than A) addressing the root causes of
the problem B) fixing Medicaid and Medicare or C) promoting incentives and personal responsibility. The big losers are
our young people, the vulnerable elderly population and the viability of Vermont 's 1778 motto of “Freedom and Unity.”
I am a believer in the America of hard work and “get oneself upstream” with a combination of personal commitment and
external support.
I’m not a believer that all of our future tax dollars should go to interest on debt or “education, medication and
incarceration.” In the current form of these primarily government-controlled expenditures, this is a path leading to a
dangerous imbalance of our "Freedom and Unity.” Economic freedom is an essential component in achieving and
maintaining political freedom. Over the more than 200 years of our nation’s founding, too many of our fine soldiers have
died for the protection of these freedoms.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you with full commitment and transparency. I promise to do my best to perform the
job Vermonters have elected me to do.
Thomas M. Salmon CPA
Vermont State Auditor
September 5, 2009
Dear Friend,
It is an honor to serve as Auditor for the State of Vermont . In 2006, I was elected as a Democrat. In 2008, I was re-elected
on the Democratic/Republican ticket. 2010 will be different.
I am changing my political affiliation to align myself with the party closest to my core beliefs. It is my belief that the VT
Republican party is closest to accepting the realities of our times; and is therefore the party best equipped to manage the
very real and troubling economic and social conditions which confront us not only today, but in the coming decade.
As many of you know, in the face of the enormous fiscal crisis, I have sounded the alarm for new thinking, responsible
budgeting, meaningful long-term planning and painful prioritization.
When I returned home from Iraq , I witnessed first-hand a budget process rife with deficiencies and dysfunction. There
was little balance in the debate.
As a Certified Public Accountant, I recently completed my required Ethics course for re-licensing. The Professional Code
of Conduct demands that I act with integrity, objectivity and independence. As Auditor, I have preached that Vermont is on
an unsustainable track we cannot tax ourselves out of.
I believe the majority of Vermonters do not want to see tax increases as a consequence of poor planning. However,
without major restructuring of human services, corrections management and public education (which together account for
some 75% of our expenditures) we are going to find that situation unavoidable. Removing even greater sums of capital out
of our job-creating private sector and the budgets of Vermont families will only hasten the ill effects of the current crisis.
We all watch a healthcare reform movement focused on increased access rather than A) addressing the root causes of
the problem B) fixing Medicaid and Medicare or C) promoting incentives and personal responsibility. The big losers are
our young people, the vulnerable elderly population and the viability of Vermont 's 1778 motto of “Freedom and Unity.”
I am a believer in the America of hard work and “get oneself upstream” with a combination of personal commitment and
external support.
I’m not a believer that all of our future tax dollars should go to interest on debt or “education, medication and
incarceration.” In the current form of these primarily government-controlled expenditures, this is a path leading to a
dangerous imbalance of our "Freedom and Unity.” Economic freedom is an essential component in achieving and
maintaining political freedom. Over the more than 200 years of our nation’s founding, too many of our fine soldiers have
died for the protection of these freedoms.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you with full commitment and transparency. I promise to do my best to perform the
job Vermonters have elected me to do.
Thomas M. Salmon CPA
Vermont State Auditor
| In 2007, Auditor Salmon and other State Auditors, regardless of party affiliation, fostered a concerted effort to breed awareness of the fiscal impacts of legislative actions. Auditor Salmon testified in Montpelier on the fiscal impact of potential decisions such as paying Bennington Sick Building claims under Workers Comp. Auditor Salmon met with David M. Walker, former Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office who preached loudly that the US is on an unsustainable path we can neither grow our tax our way out of. For more information on David Walker, please watch this 9 minute video: David M. Walker CPA on 60 Minutes |
| Other relevant fiscal information: Tom's Fiscal Wake Up Tour Presentation States Face 2.73 Trillion Bill for Retiree Benefits |
| In 2008, Auditor Salmon successfully restructured the State Auditor's Office to have true performance audit capacity in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards. Governmental organizations at the federal, state and local levels have found that a commitment to fact-based measurement of performance can have significant benefits. Such "increased financial communication" can provide critical insight into whether specific programs or activities merit additional funding, deserve less funding, elimination, or have their actions directed to more fruitful lines. |
| 2006 MESSAGE: THE VIDEO STARTS AT THE HALF WAY POINT, so please move the scroll ball over to control. PETER FREYNE loved to hammer me on the fake bookcase. He didn't know my sport coat was from TARGET. May he rest in PEACE. |