Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Gov. Phil Scott and Democratic leaders in the Vermont legislature have struck a deal that forces all school districts to collectively save $13 million during the next two fiscal years. They shared details of their plan for the first time at a press conference Wednesday morning, and the full legislature is expected to pass the proposal later on Wednesday.
The compromise plan closely resembles legislation that the Senate passed in an earlier attempt to appease the governor. Scott dismissed it at the time, advocating instead for a statewide teachers’ health insurance contract to capture savings.
But the specter of a government shutdown on July 1 — which arose because Scott vetoed the budget when lawmakers failed to adopt his proposal — made the idea more appealing.
The governor had previously insisted that savings come specifically from school employees’ health insurance plans. He’s now agreed to a plan that recommends that approach, but also allows school boards to make cuts elsewhere in their budgets. The state will use the $13 million to lower property taxes.
“In negotiations, everyone has to give something and that’s what we gave,” said Scott, when asked why he’d relented. He also acknowledged that he’d weakened his bargaining position by publicly declaring he wouldn’t let the dispute end in a government shutdown.
Tags: Phil Scott , Vermont legislature , Tim Ashe , Mitzi Johnson , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
What exactly it is remains unclear.
Lawmakers will return to the Statehouse Wednesday morning to vote a second time on the budget and property tax bills that Scott vetoed June 6. After previously praising the budget proposal, Scott withdrew his support late in the session when lawmakers rejected his plan to save money by negotiating a statewide teachers' health insurance contract. Ashe and Johnson tried to craft counterproposals that would save money without the statewide contract but failed to get Scott's support during last-minute discussions at the end of the session.
Scott administration officials and key lawmakers took a break from negotiations after the legislature adjourned May 19, resuming conversations Thursday. The two sides met repeatedly during the past week, but it wasn't until hours before the entire legislature was slated to return that they reached a deal.
Tags: cannabis related , Mitzi Johnson , Phil Scott , Tim Ashe , Vermont legislature , veto session , Image , Web Only
Monday, June 19, 2017
Soucy, the general manager and a golf pro at Killington's Green Mountain National Golf Course, replaces fellow Republican Kevin Mullin, who vacated his senate seat last month to chair the Green Mountain Care Board. He'll represent the district along with Sens. Peg Flory (R-Rutland) and Brian Collamore (R-Rutland).
Scott chose from three candidates submitted to him by Rutland County Republicans. He passed over Tom DePoy, a Rutland City alderman and former state representative; and Joshua Terenzini, a Rutland Town Selectboard member.
Soucy could not immediately be reached for comment. But in a statement released by the Scott administration, he said, "I'm honored to have been selected to serve the residents of Rutland County, and look forward to working with my fellow legislators and Governor Scott to promote economic development and address the crucial issues facing Vermonters."
Tags: David Soucy , Rutland County , Phil Scott , Vermont legislature , Image , Web Only
Friday, June 9, 2017
The appointee will replace Kevin Mullin, a Rutland Republican who spent 15 years as one of the county's three state senators. He resigned last month after Scott named him chair of the Green Mountain Care Board, which regulates Vermont's health-care industry.
According to Sen. Peg Flory (R-Rutland), who attended the meeting, the county committee voted to nominate three people: Tom DePoy, a Rutland City alderman and former state representative; Dave Soucy, general manager of Killington's Green Mountain National Golf Course; and Joshua Terenzini, a Rutland Town selectboard member and son of Rep. Tom Terenzini (R-Rutland).
Flory said she put Soucy's name into consideration for the post. She hailed his background in financial management and understanding of state issues.
Scott is expected to appoint Mullin's replacement before lawmakers return for a June 21 veto session. By tradition, the governor seeks nominees from the party of a departing lawmaker, but he is not bound by its recommendations.
Tags: Kevin Mullin , Peg Flory , Dave Soucy , Josh Terenzini , Tom DePoy , Phil Scott , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Gov. Phil Scott sent a message Tuesday morning to the Vermont legislature formally vetoing two bills: H.518, the budget bill, and H.509, a property tax bill that was at the center of the executive-legislative impasse over teacher health care benefits.
Some bizarre drama surrounded the delivery of his vetoes. The clerk of the House of Representatives, William MaGill, said he first received a single letter containing the veto of both bills. He said he returned the letter because he thought it was improperly framed.
“The Constitution requires that each bill has its own explanation,” MaGill said. “You can’t sign two bills with a single signature, and you can’t veto two bills with one letter.”
The Scott administration disputed MaGill’s characterization. “There is no constitutional or statutory authority for a House clerk to impose restrictions on how, or in what way, a Governor communicates his ‘objections in writing,’” wrote Rebecca Kelley, Scott’s spokesperson, in an email.
Tags: Phil Scott , Jason Gibbs , Vermont budget , veto , Image , Web Only
Monday, June 5, 2017
In a previously unreported memo he sent to cabinet members May 30, Pallito attributed the request to two factors: a directive from the legislature to cut $5 million in managerial expenses and a potential shortfall in anticipated state revenues.
Pallito asked state agencies to plan for cuts that would exceed the $5 million requested by lawmakers. He noted that state general fund revenues were $3.6 million below expectations in April — and that the state's May and June receipts would determine whether to put the proposals into place.
"Agencies and departments should develop cost savings plans for an amount up to a 4% reduction in General Funds," he wrote in the memo. "We are asking that your draft plan include scenarios for 2%, 3% and 4% reductions."
Tags: Phil Scott , Andy Pallito , Vermont state budget , Image , Web Only
Friday, June 2, 2017
The governors of three states — New York, California and Washington — announced Thursday plans to form the U.S. Climate Alliance, an effort meant to achieve the Paris agreement’s goals of reducing carbon emissions.
Late Friday afternoon, after lawmakers and environmental activists called for Vermont to play a part, Scott announced the state will also join the coalition.
“I am proud to join this bipartisan group of governors and reaffirm Vermont’s commitment to fighting climate change through the U.S. Climate Alliance,” Scott said in a written statement.
Tags: climate change , Donald Trump , Paris agreement , Chris Pearson , Phil Scott , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
“I don’t know how you [ensure maximum] savings by ignoring the fact that everyone’s getting something different,” he said. “I just think that having all of the uniformity, of having the health care plans the same … that’s essential.”
Scott formally proposed centralizing negotiations for teacher health insurance in late April. The majority-Democrat legislature objected to removing health care from local bargaining between school boards and teachers, and proposed a number of mechanisms designed to save money without changing the collective bargaining process. The Vermont-National Education Association has lobbied strongly against any restrictions on bargaining.
Tags: Phil Scott , Mitzi Johnson , teacher health insurance , Image , Web Only
Friday, May 26, 2017
Key legislators and marijuana legalization advocates met Thursday and Friday with Scott's staff to discuss changes he asked for when he vetoed the measure on Wednesday.
As now written, the bill would legalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and older. It would also allow adults to grow at home two mature plants. The legislation, which would go into effect July 2018, would not legalize marijuana sales.
In announcing the veto, Scott said he's seeking a few revisions, like beefing up penalties for using marijuana around children and extending the deadline for a commission to study full pot legalization in Vermont. Those changes could be made in time for the legislature's planned June 21 veto session.
Tags: Cannabeat , Dick Sears , marijuana legalization , Marijuana Policy Project , Phil Scott , Vermont legislature , Image , Web Only
Thursday, May 25, 2017
As reported by Seven Days this week, the program, which was launched in 2012, may run afoul of a 2004 law that forbids the DMV from implementing "processes for identifying applicants for licenses ... that involve the use of biometric identifiers."
Additionally, documents obtained by the Vermont chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union suggest that the database of 2.7 million images has been widely shared with federal and local law enforcement — despite prior assurances from the DMV that it would not be.
"The ACLU raises good concerns," Donovan said in a brief interview Thursday. "The privacy concerns are, in addition to the legal question, the most pressing matter."
Tags: T.J. Donovan , Vermont DMV , facial recognition database , Tom McCormick , Jay Diaz , Image , Web Only