House Speaker Gaye Symington just finished delivering her mini-State-of-the-State to an audience of legislators and lobbyists crammed into a downstairs hearing room at the Statehouse. Like Gov. Douglas, she began on a high, bipartisan note. Democrats and the Republican governor agree on the year's first priorities, she said -- helping Vermonters cope with the rising cost of health care, home heating fuel, housing and property taxes. "Vermonters want us to work together and I believe we will," she said.
But her first focus -- and first applause line -- was a reiterated promise to quickly pass a campaign finance reform bill to "reduce the influence of money" in elections.
part of her 10-minute speech focused on the need to avoid "short-term band-aid solutions" to Vermont government's money woes. This was a clear reference to Douglas' proposal -- repeated in his state of the state speech, to lease the Vermont lottery for a one-time payment of $50 million. That's a one-year solution, she said. "What asset will we sell next year?"
Like Douglas, she called for more economic development effort that will create 21st century jobs in Vermont. But returning to the "band-aid" criticism, she said employers tell her they need employees with a strong work ethic. Leasing the lottery to a private company that will step up advertising to sell more tickets, she said, teaches the wrong message: That the way to get ahead is gambling, not hard work.
Symington said she had not seen Douglas' proposal to raise taxes on unearned income, but said she was open to considering it.
-- Candace Page
