Monday, October 5, 2015
"We need to have new leadership — leadership that has the ability to move beyond the traditional structures of state government," Dunne told a small lunchtime crowd gathered in Barre's City Hall Park.
Standing in front of his wife, the writer Sarah Stewart Taylor, and their three young children, Dunne said he was running for governor to preserve the "sense of community" that defined his upbringing in Hartland. Now 45 and sporting a touch of gray, the former wunderkind politician credited the experience of raising children with providing a new "sense of urgency" to his quest for public office.
"I'm running for governor because we can't allow that sense of community to be lost in our state," he said.
Tags: Matt Dunne , Peter Shumlin , Image , Web Only
Friday, September 25, 2015
A recent survey conducted by the Castleton Polling Institute found that just 40 percent of Vermonters believe the third-term Democrat is doing a good job leading the state. Forty-three percent think he's not.
The share of Vermonters who disapprove of Shumlin's job performance is slightly lower than last March, when a Castleton poll sponsored by VTDigger.org found that 41 percent approved while 47 percent disapproved. But the figures show that Shumlin still hasn't made much headway with voters since nearly losing his reelection bid last November.
Notably, the poll found that those most attuned to Vermont politics disapprove of Shumlin's job performance the most. Only 32 percent of those who say they follow state news "very closely" think he's doing a good job, while nearly twice as many of those, or 57 percent, do not. In contrast, a plurality of those who say they don't follow the news closely — or at all — think he's doing just fine.
Tags: Peter Shumlin , poll , Castleton Polling Institute , Image , Web Only
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
The Middlesex Republican has hired Brittney Larrabee Wilson, a Danville native and Groton resident, to serve as a "utility player," focusing on administration and finance.
"I think he's the type of leader we need in the governor's office to kind of restore trust and faith in government," Wilson says. "I think some of that has been lost over the past few years."
Wilson, who most recently served as executive assistant to the state librarian, starts her new gig October 5.
Tags: Phil Scott , Brittney Larrabee Wilson , Image , Web Only
Monday, September 21, 2015
The Vermont Progressive Party and a group of Democratic state legislators are backing Bernie Sanders.
The Progs, at their quarterly state committee meeting Saturday, voted nearly unanimously for a resolution singing Sanders’ praises, said Kelly Mangan, party executive director. The resolution notes that the party's positions on many issues align with Sanders' campaign platform, and urges Progressives to support Sanders.
Tags: Senator , Bernie Sanders , Presidential Campaign , Vermont Progressive Party , Vermont Democrats , Peter Shumlin , Patrick Leahy , Image , Recommended Reading , Video , Web Only
Seventy-seven percent of those polled said they were familiar with the third-term Republican, who announced earlier this month that he'd seek the state's top office next fall. Of those who'd heard of Scott, more than 70 percent said they viewed him somewhat favorable or very favorably. Only 9 percent viewed him somewhat unfavorably or very unfavorably.
"He's in an enviable position," says Rich Clark, who directs the polling institute and conducted the survey.
Just 21 percent said they'd heard of Scott's sole Republican opponent, retired Wall Street banker Bruce Lisman. Of those, roughly a third viewed him positively while about a quarter viewed him negatively.
On the Democratic side, Castleton found that House Speaker Shap Smith (D-Morristown) and Google executive Matt Dunne are far better known than former transportation secretary Sue Minter. Sixty-one percent said they'd heard of Smith, while 57 percent said they'd heard of Dunne and 38 percent Minter.
Tags: Castleton Polling Institute , Rich Clark , Phil Scott , Bruce Lisman , Shap Smith , Matt Dunne , Sue Minter , Image , Web Only
Friday, September 18, 2015
So it's a surprise that, buried in a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report to Congress on state health insurance exchanges, a chart says Vermont had more fully functioning technology than other states operating their own marketplaces.
"What this means is that we have made some major improvements over time," said Steve Costantino, commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access, which oversees the exchange.
The focus of the 109-page GAO report was the effectiveness of federal oversight on the technology projects associated with the health insurance exchanges.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
The 59-year-old Democrat, who is not seeking reelection next year, confirmed in a statement Thursday that he and longtime girlfriend Katie Hunt recently got engaged and plan to marry within the next year.
"I feel so lucky to have Katie in my life, and we are very happy to share this news," Gov. Shumlin said in the statement, which came in response to reporters' questions.
Shumlin and his first wife, Deborah Halway, divorced in April 2013 after a long separation. They have two grown daughters.
Tags: Peter Shumlin , Katie Hunt , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
As Vermont's commissioner of finance and management, Reardon's the one who must ultimately balance the state budget. His is hardly a household name, but after more than a decade in the job, he knows better than most where the money is — and where it's not. Inevitably, as the governor and legislators haggle over the last million dollars' worth of budgetary disagreements, Reardon finds the cash under a couch.
Now, he's leaving.
Gov. Peter Shumlin announced Tuesday that Reardon will retire at the end of the month after nearly 30 years in state government. Replacing him will be Commissioner of Corrections Andy Pallito.
"I'm ready to do something else," the 57-year-old Essex Junction resident says.
Tags: Jim Reardon , Andy Pallito , Peter Shumlin , Image , Web Only
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Sue Minter stepped down from her job as state transportation secretary Thursday and announced she’ll run for governor. She plans an October campaign kickoff.
Minter, 54, a Democrat from Waterbury who spent 13 months overseeing the state’s recovery after Tropical Storm Irene ripped up roads, bridges and homes in 2011, emphasized her managerial experience as she competes against at least two other Democrats for the party’s nomination next year.
“When I see a problem, I look for the potential,” said Minter. “I’m someone who is very focused on solving problems and getting things done.”
She served six years in the Vermont House, four years as deputy transportation secretary and the last eight months as secretary of the state’s second-largest agency.
Minter submitted her resignation Thursday morning, effective Friday. Gov. Peter Shumlin, a Democrat who is not seeking reelection, issued a statement praising Minter’s work. He also appointed deputy secretary Chris Cole to her post.
Tags: Sue Minter , Peter Shumlin , Shap Smith , Matt Dunne , Phil Scott , Bruce Lisman , Image , Web Only
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Scott, in an email announcement, said he will be forming a team and raising money in the coming months for the 2016 campaign, with an official campaign kickoff sometime in the fall. He has about $100,000 left over from last year's lieutenant governor race and this summer sent out fundraising appeals as he was making his decision.
Scott will be in a primary race with at least one other Republican candidate, retired Wall Street executive Bruce Lisman.
Two Democrats — House Speaker Shap Smith (D-Morristown) and former state Sen. Matt Dunne — have also announced their candidacies. Democratic incumbent Gov. Peter Shumlin is not seeking reelection after three terms.
Scott focused most of his announcement on economics. "I will be a steady hand at the helm, provide balanced leadership that values listening, stand up for working families and confront our crisis of affordability in meaningful ways," he said. "Practical leadership that delivers — instead of over-promising — will rebuild faith and trust in government and move Vermont forward in very positive ways."
Tags: Phil Scott , Peter Shumlin , Bruce Lisman , Shap Smith , Matt Dunne , Image , Web Only