Wednesday, November 30, 2016
The 90-year-old Montpelier resident said advisers persuaded him that a recount would not change the outcome of the election. He trailed Democrat Francis Brooks by 191 votes.
Brooks finished third in the race for three Senate seats, behind incumbents Ann Cummings (D-Washington) and Anthony Pollina (P/D-Washington).
“I have decided to stand aside and let the initial results be certified as the final ones,” Doyle said in a statement.
Doyle said that he wanted to give Brooks, who taught his children science at Montpelier High School, time to gear up for the legislative session that starts in January.
Doyle was matter-of-fact about the end of his political career. “It’s a remarkable opportunity to serve even one term in the legislature,” he said. “To serve that many is a real honor.”
Doyle continues to work as a political science professor at Johnson State College. He said he will still be back in the Statehouse in January, leading his students in his annual two-week course.
Tags: Bill Doyle , Francis Brooks , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
The Vermont State Colleges Board of Trustees will vote on that new name Wednesday for the soon-to-be unified state colleges in the two towns.
(Update, 4:30 p.m. November 30: The board voted unanimously to approve the new name.)
Vermont State Colleges chancellor Jeb Spaulding, Johnson State College president Elaine Collins and Lyndon State College interim president Nolan Atkins unanimously recommended the choice to the trustees.
Spaulding, in a memo to the board that was released Tuesday, said the rechristening is meant to be concise, easily marketable and not confused with the University of Vermont.
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In 2010, 8.6 percent of Vermonters lacked health insurance. Last year, the number had dropped to 2.7 percent, the governor said. Vermont has the second lowest rate of uninsured people in the country overall, according to his office.
Vermonters who receive subsidies for their health coverage get a median of $300 per person per month, said Sean Sheehan, director of outreach and education at the Department of Vermont Health Access.
If Trump eliminates the health insurance programs enacted under President Barack Obama, as he has said he will, Vermonters would lose at least $100 million a year in subsidies, Shumlin said.
Tags: Peter Shumlin , Vermont Health Connect , Donald Trump , Obamacare , Image , Web Only
Currently, councilors earn $3,000 a year — a figure that has stayed the same for more than 12 years, according to independent Councilor Dave Hartnett, who sponsored the resolution. Given the time he spends on the job, “I don’t believe it would be even minimum wage,” he said.
“We do it for the love of the city … but I think we need to be realistic,” he told the council on Monday. “In the last 12 to 16 months, I feel like I’ve spent more time with city council than I have with my family. That’s valuable time.”
Tags: Dave Hartnett , city council , Selene Colburn , Image , Web Only
Julia Torti, a Vermont native who worked as a civil rights attorney in New York, is one of 34 new assistant U.S. attorneys that the U.S. Department of Justice is hiring across the country to enforce laws against discrimination.
The Vermont office said it secured one of the positions through a competitive application process.
“Aggressive protection of the civil rights of the residents of Vermont is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” U.S. Attorney Eric Miller said in a prepared statement. “The Department and this U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to a level playing field for all Vermont residents, promoting equal opportunity for Vermonters, and educating the public about their rights and responsibilities under federal civil rights laws.”
Tags: Eric Miller , Julia Torti , Curtiss Reed Jr. , civil rights , U.S. Attorney's Office , Jeff Sessions , Image , Web Only
Monday, November 28, 2016
One supports the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the Queen City, while the second will begin the process of earning Burlington the designation of a sanctuary city. Both motions, which drew a large crowd of civilian supporters, passed easily.
Before the meeting, a group of more than 200 people held a vigil on the Burlington City Hall steps. Attendees cradled candles against the wind and carried signs supporting Syrian refugees.
“I see in this resolution the opportunity to send a message to members of our community to see that the city remains the place we enjoy today, that it is not impacted by these broader national decisions,” said Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger.
Tags: Burlington City Council , refugees , immigration , sanctuary city , Miro Weinberger , Image , Web Only
The airline will officially sever service out of BTV in March 2017, ending the run between Burlington and Orlando Sanford International Airport.
The penny-wise airline likes airports with little infrastructure and lower fees than what Burlington’s airport generally charges, according to Gene Richards, director of aviation.
“They were not happy,” Richards said. “They do not want to pay the fees that the other airlines pay because that is not their model. So I think that’s what it came down to.”
An airline spokeswoman confirmed that Allegiant's service to Burlington will end on March 4. "Increased airport costs and a route that lacked strong demand made it a situation which was no longer financially feasible for us," Hilarie Grey wrote in an email.
News of the departure comes as the airport negotiates five-year agreements with the other airlines that fly in and out of Burlington. American Airlines has already signed an agreement, and Delta, United and JetBlue have agreed to terms and are expected to sign by year’s end, according to Richards.
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Johnson, 46, clinched the role by the end of last week, securing enough pledged votes from House Democrats to nudge House Majority Leader Sarah Copeland Hanzas (D-Bradford) out of the race. Copeland Hanzas sent colleagues an email Saturday withdrawing her candidacy, which she confirmed Monday morning to Seven Days.
The two women were competing to replace House Speaker Shap Smith (D-Morristown), who has held the seat for eight years but did not seek reelection to his House seat for the legislative session that starts January 4.
Johnson has served the last two years as chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and has been a member of that panel since 2007.
Members said Johnson’s vision for the budget process and her ability to reach consensus with all parties won colleagues over. Johnson ran for the speaker’s job saying she wants all committees to use data to evaluate the effectiveness of state programs and prioritize those that work best.
“I really kept all my comments focused on my track record in Appropriations — of building a lot of unanimity and of being able to work across the aisle,” Johnson said Monday.
Tags: Mitzi Johnson , Sarah Copeland Hanzas , Shap Smith , Vermont legislature , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Jason Gibbs, who volunteered as a senior adviser to Scott’s campaign, will be his chief of staff when Scott takes office in January. Gibbs, 40, of Waterbury, served as communications director for former Republican governor Jim Douglas before serving as commissioner of the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Gibbs ran unsuccessfully for secretary of state in 2010 and most recently has been a communications and project management consultant.
Brittney Wilson, who was Scott’s campaign coordinator, will serve as his secretary of civil and military affairs. Wilson, 30, of Groton, formerly worked in the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, the state Auditor’s Office and the state Department of Libraries. Her new position is a constitutionally established post that traditionally serves as a policy adviser to the governor.
Tags: Jason Gibbs , Brittney Wilson , Rachel Feldman , Kendal Smith , Phil Scott , Image , Web Only
The race, in which Republican Phil Scott prevailed over Democrat Sue Minter, cost approximately $13.34 million, according to a Seven Days analysis of this week’s post-election campaign finance reports.
The total is just shy of the $13.7 million spent on the 2006 U.S. Senate race between then-congressman Bernie Sanders and Republican businessman Rich Tarrant.
Regardless, the candidates, political parties and special interest groups spent a heap of money deciding Vermont’s first open race for governor in six years.
Tags: Senator , Phil Scott , Sue Minter , Rich Tarrant , Bernie Sanders , gubernatorial race , Image , Web Only