The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 6

Ill Gershater Challenging McGregor In Repeat of 1 978 Senate Race Burlington's Republicans Seek Mayoral Candidate Election Complaint To Be Investigated The Chittenden County State's Attorney's office is investigating a complaint of possible election law violations during the September primary in Burlington. State Rep. Sadie L. White, D-Burlington, filed the complaint. She lost her seat when she finished third in the primary race for the two Democratic House nominations from District 4-7 in Burlington's old North End.

State Police Detective Stephen J. Miller, assigned to the prosecutor's office, said the complaint centers on possible improper delivery of absentee ballots. Mrs. White, 78, said Wednesday that she filed the complaint about weeks ago with State's Attorney Mark J. Keller.

She declined to comment further. Keller said the investigation "has uncovered some sloppiness" by the City of Burlington in following election laws, but declined to comment on the possibility of charges being filed. Mrs. White lost by 53 votes to Rep. Alfred Couture for the second nomination in the district.

Alderman Elaine Charboneau led the race with 509 votes. By ALAN ABBEY Fre Prist Staff Writer A state representative and a former police chief have been approached by Burlington Republicans seeking a candidate for mayor next year. Former Chief Robert G. Abare, 58, said he was not interested, but Rep. Theodore M.

Riehle III, 33, said he is "certainly giving it thought." Burlington Republicans have been searching for someone to make a strong run against Mayor Gordon Paquette, who is expected to seek a sixth term. Two left-leaning activists, Bernard Sanders and Greg Guma, are also contemplating mayoral campaigns. Riehle said he believed it will be possible for city Republicans to put up a strong candidate next year, because "pockets of disenchantment" with city policies have been cropping up. He said his interest in returning to the Legislature, where he is a member of the Natural Re sources Committee, might keep him from pursuing a mayoral bid. Riehle and Rep.

Torrey Carpenter, also a Republican, are unopposed for re-election to the two seats from District 4-9, Burlington's Ward 6. Riehle took a mild swipe at Paquette, saying he was surprised the mayor will be eligible for a city pension. "That's not healthy," he said. "Even though it is a tremendously strong Democratic town," Riehle said, "Paquette is vulnerable. It's not that he's done a bad job, but it's time for a new face." City Republican Chairman Richard H.

Wadhams Jr. agreed that on the surface it would appear any Democrat would have a mayoral race locked up. But he said there are a substantial number of independents, whose support could be tapped. Abare, who retired from the Police Department last year, said he was approached because people tho.ught he would have the time to do the job. By ELOISE HEDBOR frit Pre Corripondnr In a rematch of the 1978 race, Republican Howard 2 Gershater is challenging Democratic Sen.

Thomas McGregor for the single Grand IsleChittenden Senate seat. That race is complicated by a growing write-in movement for Mary Ellen Grupp. who lost to Gershater in the primary. All three are from Colchester, the largest town in i the district, which also covers Georgia in Franklin 1 County and the five towns of Grand Isle County. Mrs.

Grupp. 30, said she is aware of the write-in effort. Although she does not plan to encourage it with advertising, she said she became a candidate in the primary "in order to give voters a choice," and her September defeat does not invalidate that reason. "I certainly don't object to having my name written in." Mrs. Grupp's prime interest is reapportionment of the state's legislative districts, especially Grand Isle, whose residents complain of lack of representation.

She is also concerned about mass transportation for rural areas, services for the elderly and the quality and funding of education. McGregor, 46, who will move from Colchester to South Hero in December, is seeking his third term in the Senate. A one-term state representative before winning his Senate seat, he served on the Transportation and Health and Welfare committees. The owner and operator of Tom's Pharmacy, McGregor said money and inflation are major concerns of voters this year. "People are more concerned than ever about how they're going to provide for their own home food, energy and everything else." He said the state can help by providing extra fuel allotments to the needy and encouraging development of in-state energy sources.

He said he supports forest management for wood production and small hydro plants in the state. "We've got to look to our own state first," he said, before turning to out-of-state energy sources. McGregor said he believes the state can encourage the development of small industry, especially food processing facilities, and more diversified agriculture such as truck farms. Other concerns he listed include keeping taxes down while still providing needed services to the elderly, the handicapped and students. Gershater, 37, who lost the 1978 race to McGregor by more than 500 votes, is the owner of a Burlington talent agency.

He is a Colchester fireman and has been a fund-raiser for the Chittenden County Sheriffs Department and Burlington Fire Department. Gershater said the biggest issue in the minds of voters is inflation. "I'd like to see everything prices and wages at a freeze for a year as an experiment," he said. "At least it would keep people's minds in stable condition." He acknowledged that as a state senator he would have no way to accomplish this. The district is actually three separate entities, Gershater said, and each has its own special concerns.

Colchester residents are interested in public transportation and concerned about increasing pollution of Lake Champlain, an issue, he said, which also troubles residents of Grand Isle County. The islanders feel they do not have adequate representation in Montpelier and are often overlooked, Gershater said. And Georgia residents are worried about agricultural questions and about becoming a bedroom community for Burlington. Both Grand Isle County and Georgia are concerned about the inequities in the Miller formula for state to education, he said. This may be the last time Colchester residents run for the Grand Isle Senate seat.

Some local residents and legislators have suggested that if the recent census does not show Grand Isle with enough population to warrant its own Senate seat, it be combined with communities which share common concerns, rather than populous suburban Colchester. USA 5) Citizens Party Scores 'Skewed Priorities' The "skewed priorities" of Burlington city officials have "penalized all local residents" by aiming funds at large developers and commercial interests, the Citizens Party city committee said Wednesday. The city must give "highest priority to the basic social needs," said the statement, signed by city chairman Greg Guma, a potential mayoral candidate, and four others. "Our critical housing shortage has been made worse by the preoc cupation with malls and parking garages," the statement said. Expanding on comments by party member William Clark at a recent aldermen's meeting, the statement called for support of "legitimate police requests." Burlington police are well-trained, but underpaid, receive poor benefits and forced to work with poor communications equipment, the news release said.

One Ward 4 Voter At Hearing On Reappraisal Bond Alderman Robert Sweeney said everyone in Ward 4 the New North End has made up his or her mind. Whatever the reason, only one member of the general public attended a forum on the $790,000 reappraisal bond vote on Tuesday's ballot in Burlington. Robert Crosby, 5 Marshall Drive, said the central part of the city does not carry its share of the tax burden, and should be reappraised. However, he said he will not vote for the bond because he does not want the city to spend $790,000 on reappraisal. He suggested federal revenue sharing funds be used.

Crosby predicted the bond would be defeated because voters would take the same attitude he has. Jericho Voters Can Cast Ballots Saturday JERICHO The town clerk's office will be open Saturday morning for voters who wish to cast their ballots early. "iown Clerk Phyllis Farrell said several townspeople took advantage of a similar opportunity to vote on the Saturday morning before the September primary. She said her office will be open from 10 a.m. to noon for individuals who will be working, out of town or for other reasons might be unable to go to the polls Tuesday.

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