Friday, May 16, 2014
Will candidates running for office in Vermont this fall face any limitations on how much money they can raise?
In an opinion released earlier this week, Attorney General Bill Sorrell said yes — even though the Senate failed to correct an error in state law that appears to set no fundraising caps until 2015. Sorrell argued that the legislature clearly intended to keep older limits in place, and legislative intent matters.
But Sen. Peter Galbraith (D-Windham), an outspoken proponent of campaign finance reform, says Sorrell got it wrong. He claims Senate leaders consciously chose not to fix the error, because they were afraid Galbraith would force an uncomfortable debate over the law.
Therefore, he argues, Vermont currently has no campaign contribution caps.
"Leadership decided it preferred no limits to a bill with meaningful limits," Galbraith says. "The AG cannot now interpret leadership's preference for no limits on contributions as meaning the repealed limits remain in place."
In an opinion released earlier this week, Attorney General Bill Sorrell said yes — even though the Senate failed to correct an error in state law that appears to set no fundraising caps until 2015. Sorrell argued that the legislature clearly intended to keep older limits in place, and legislative intent matters.
But Sen. Peter Galbraith (D-Windham), an outspoken proponent of campaign finance reform, says Sorrell got it wrong. He claims Senate leaders consciously chose not to fix the error, because they were afraid Galbraith would force an uncomfortable debate over the law.
Therefore, he argues, Vermont currently has no campaign contribution caps.
"Leadership decided it preferred no limits to a bill with meaningful limits," Galbraith says. "The AG cannot now interpret leadership's preference for no limits on contributions as meaning the repealed limits remain in place."
Alicia Freese
From left, board members Keith Pillsbury, Brian Cina, Henry Prine, Alan Matson and Charlie Giannoni at a meeting on Tuesday.
Up until a few days ago, it was just the city and the school district agreeing to get to the bottom of the legal quandary at some point down the road.
Now, the state has upped the ante. The school district’s lawyer, Joe McNeil, informed the board that on Wednesday, the Agency of Education (AOE) gave the district an ultimatum: Voluntarily give up that revenue, starting in Fiscal Year 2016, or risk having to pay back the state for the previous years it had received it.
The revenues in question are the “payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT)” that Burlington’s publicly- owned utilities give to the city instead of paying property taxes. In accordance with city charter, the city then divvies up that revenue, 50-50, with the school district.
Tags: Burlington School Board , Agency of Education , Miriam Stoll , David Larcombe , Image , Web Only
Thursday, May 15, 2014
As scandal subsumes the Department of Veterans Affairs, Sanders defends it.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) defended the Department of Veterans Affairs Thursday at the first Senate hearing since the VA became embroiled in a major scandal over patient waiting lists.
Two weeks ago, CNN reported that at least 40 veterans died while waiting for appointments with the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system — and that managers hid the wait times by keeping a secret list. Since then, the American Legion and several congressional Republicans have called for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign.
Sanders, who serves as chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, did not join those calls Thursday morning as he presided over a hearing featuring Shinseki and representatives of several veterans service groups. Though he said he takes the allegations "very seriously," the Vermont independent urged his colleagues to hold their fire until after an investigation by the VA's inspector general is complete.
"I believe that every member of this committee will do everything they can to get to the truth of these allegations," Sanders said. "But if we are going to do our job in a proper and responsible way, we need to get the facts and not rush to judgment. And one of the concerns that I have, to be very honest, is there has been a little bit of a rush to judgment. What happened in Phoenix? Well, the truth is we don't know. But we are going to find out."
Two weeks ago, CNN reported that at least 40 veterans died while waiting for appointments with the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care system — and that managers hid the wait times by keeping a secret list. Since then, the American Legion and several congressional Republicans have called for Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to resign.
Sanders, who serves as chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, did not join those calls Thursday morning as he presided over a hearing featuring Shinseki and representatives of several veterans service groups. Though he said he takes the allegations "very seriously," the Vermont independent urged his colleagues to hold their fire until after an investigation by the VA's inspector general is complete.
"I believe that every member of this committee will do everything they can to get to the truth of these allegations," Sanders said. "But if we are going to do our job in a proper and responsible way, we need to get the facts and not rush to judgment. And one of the concerns that I have, to be very honest, is there has been a little bit of a rush to judgment. What happened in Phoenix? Well, the truth is we don't know. But we are going to find out."
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Image , Recommended Reading , Web Only
MEMO
From: Burlington Police Department
To: Burlington Public
Re: Things That Go 'Boom'
Don't come to us, we'll come to you.
Burlington cops received a bit of a scare last night when a New North End man brought a "flash-bang" device he found outside his home to the police station.
The citizen, whom Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling said was simply trying to be helpful, left the device in his car in the police department's parking lot and walked inside the station, announcing his intention to hand it over.
Officers on duty had a different idea: They called the Vermont State Police Bomb Squad, which removed the device, and later found it did not contain any explosive material.
Tags: Burlington Police , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
What's the best way to lure a reporter to a press conference?
"Beer?" you guess?
False. Beer and agriculture.
"We've got beer and pigs. It doesn't get any better than this," Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said Wednesday afternoon as he warmed up for a press conference focused on, um, Heady Topper.
That's right. HEADY TOPPER. HEADY TOPPER. HEADY TOPPER. Bam! Watch this post land in the most-read box next week.
Specifically, Welch descended upon Waterbury's Alchemist cannery around lunchtime (Hey, it's five o'clock somewhere!) to highlight his heroic efforts to keep idiot government bureaucrats from driving up the price of the Alchemist's heavenly double IPA.
"Beer?" you guess?
False. Beer and agriculture.
"We've got beer and pigs. It doesn't get any better than this," Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) said Wednesday afternoon as he warmed up for a press conference focused on, um, Heady Topper.
That's right. HEADY TOPPER. HEADY TOPPER. HEADY TOPPER. Bam! Watch this post land in the most-read box next week.
Specifically, Welch descended upon Waterbury's Alchemist cannery around lunchtime (Hey, it's five o'clock somewhere!) to highlight his heroic efforts to keep idiot government bureaucrats from driving up the price of the Alchemist's heavenly double IPA.
Burton Snowboards founder Jake Burton is once again stepping down from his role as chief executive officer, handing off day-to-day leadership of his company to current Chief Operating Officer Mike Rees.
Rees has held a variety of leadership positions at Burton Snowboards for the past five years, the company said, focusing on developing future plans for the Burlington-based company.
“Jake’s passion for product and for the sport extends throughout the entire organization, and growing the snowboarding lifestyle has been at the heart of Burton’s success from the beginning. I look forward to working closely with Jake to carry out his vision for growing Burton both on and off the mountain," Rees said in a prepared statement.
Burton, who founded the privately held company in his Vermont barn in 1977, relinquished the CEO position in 2005 to spend more time with his family, only to reclaim the job in 2009. He will now become his company's chairman.
“Four years ago when I got my old job back as Burton’s CEO, my goal was to get the company headed in the right direction, build up our leadership team and establish a clear plan for the long-term future of the brand,” Burton said in a prepared statement. “Looking back, we’ve accomplished these goals and have a solid foundation in place. Now it’s time to turn over the day-to-day tasks of running Burton to a new CEO."
Tags: Burlington , Burton , Image , Web Only
Hours after Burlington Superintendent Jeanne Collins agreed to resign her post — at the school board's bidding — her finance director, David Larcombe, followed suit.
Larcombe sent his resignation letter to Collins this morning, writing, "It is with intense sadness at the loss of what might have been, and what might be ahead, that I send you the attached letter." Collins forwarded his resignation to the board shortly afterward.
Larcombe, who could not be immediately reached for comment, did not cite specific reasons, but his letter suggests he'll leave on less-than amicable terms with both the board and the city administration. "In recent months I have witnessed the School Board and City government going in a direction that I believe represents serious risk for the District (my opinion, I recognize) and adopting a manner that is not collaborative."
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
The Burlington School Board and Superintendent Jeanne Collins are parting ways. The board unanimously approved a separation agreement Tuesday night under which Collins will step down on June 30.
Collins, who took the district's top job in 2005, came under fire last month, when an independent report commissioned by the school board revealed that her office had been making serious budgeting errors. Those missteps contributed to a string of deficits, including one that had been "built into" the Fiscal Year 2015 budget that voters struck down in March. Board members have also complained that Collins was not providing them with adequate financial data.
Two weeks earlier, Mayor Miro Weinberger and several city councilors publicly called on the board to bid Collins adieu. Board members gave no indication whether they would heed the suggestion, but according to the statement they released Tuesday, first began formally discussing the possibility of removing Collins on April 18 — 10 days before that city council meeting.
Collins, who took the district's top job in 2005, came under fire last month, when an independent report commissioned by the school board revealed that her office had been making serious budgeting errors. Those missteps contributed to a string of deficits, including one that had been "built into" the Fiscal Year 2015 budget that voters struck down in March. Board members have also complained that Collins was not providing them with adequate financial data.
Two weeks earlier, Mayor Miro Weinberger and several city councilors publicly called on the board to bid Collins adieu. Board members gave no indication whether they would heed the suggestion, but according to the statement they released Tuesday, first began formally discussing the possibility of removing Collins on April 18 — 10 days before that city council meeting.
Tags: Jeanne Collins , Burlington School Board , Mayor Miro Weinberger , Image , Web Only
Rep. Heidi Scheuermann (R-Stowe) announced Tuesday she plans to sit out this fall's gubernatorial race and run for reelection instead.
"After a great deal of thought and consideration over the last two months, I have decided that I will not run for Vermont Governor this year," she said in a written statement. "Given the incredible support and encouragement I have received from Vermonters all over the state, this decision was a very difficult one, but it is simply not the right time for me."
The four-term state rep emerged as a leading potential candidate to challenge the two-term Democratic incumbent, Peter Shumlin. A former aide to retired U.S. senator Jim Jeffords, Scheuermann was viewed as a political moderate who, while lacking widespread name recognition and a deep donor base, could have run a strong campaign.
"After a great deal of thought and consideration over the last two months, I have decided that I will not run for Vermont Governor this year," she said in a written statement. "Given the incredible support and encouragement I have received from Vermonters all over the state, this decision was a very difficult one, but it is simply not the right time for me."
The four-term state rep emerged as a leading potential candidate to challenge the two-term Democratic incumbent, Peter Shumlin. A former aide to retired U.S. senator Jim Jeffords, Scheuermann was viewed as a political moderate who, while lacking widespread name recognition and a deep donor base, could have run a strong campaign.
Tags: Heidi Scheuermann , Image , Web Only
Monday, May 12, 2014
The president of Barre-based Milne Travel says he's considering challenging Gov. Peter Shumlin this fall.
"I am thinking seriously of a run but will not decide until filing deadline," Scott Milne told Seven Days in an emailed statement.
Milne said he wasn't available for an interview because he's traveling in North Africa, "and cell [service] isn't great — kind of like Vermont, but worse."
"I am thinking seriously of a run but will not decide until filing deadline," Scott Milne told Seven Days in an emailed statement.
Milne said he wasn't available for an interview because he's traveling in North Africa, "and cell [service] isn't great — kind of like Vermont, but worse."
Tags: Scott Milne , governor's race , Image , Web Only