Political Quotes

“Vermont is a small State, but it is filled with very big people. Perhaps none are better known or more well liked or more respected than Antonio Pomerleau. He is the Vermont Chamber of Commerce 2012 Vermont Citizen of the Year. Vermonters know Tony Pomerleau by many names. They either call him Mr. P or Tony. My wife Marcelle and I have the good fortune of calling him Uncle Tony. He is my wife's uncle. They have a family bond that I admire. But no matter what we call him, we all agree that the best term to describe Uncle Tony is ``generous.'' This is not the first time I have come to the floor of the Senate to share stories of Tony Pomerleau's good deeds. Only 6 years ago, the Burlington Free Press named him the 2006 Vermonter of the Year. After that editorial, I came to the floor to tell the story of a successful real estate magnate turned philanthropist who touched the lives of thousands of Vermonters for the past several decades. At that time, he was 89 years old. This year Tony has undertaken a series of good deeds so substantial that it would be irresponsible if we Vermonters did not acknowledge him with additional recognition and praise. In addition to his unwavering philanthropic commitment to Vermont, this year Tony has demonstrated why he is seen as a pillar of our community--I might say a granite pillar of our community. When Tropical Storm Irene destroyed people's homes, Tony immediately donated $1 million to put them back together.…”