Tornado Alley (PROG)

[JimLur]

Vt. mayor says election loss was due to support for Syrian refugees

RUTLAND, Vt. — Defeated Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras says he thinks his election defeat was due to his support for a plan to bring Syrian refugees to the economically depressed Vermont city.

Louras was defeated in Tuesday’s voting by Rutland Board of Alderman Member David Allaire.

Louras was seeking his sixth two-year term.

Allaire says a change in leadership is needed to heal the city of about 16,500 that has been divided by Louras’ plans to bring up to 100 Syrian refugees to the community this year, and possibly more in years to come. So far two Syrian families have been resettled in Rutland. It’s unclear how many more will arrive.

Louras said Wednesday that he believes his community will be defined across the state and the nation by its stance on refugees.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2017/03/08/mayor-says-election-loss-due-support-for-syrian-refugees/yTBCtqcOYcDaAZEj8YGjiP/story.html