"Affordability" certainly was the word of the day around here in Montpelier. Both Gov. Jm Douglas' State of the State speech and Democrats' response evoked the image of hard-working Vermonters struggling to make ends meet. Douglas proposed half a dozen steps he said would help folks -- some more health care cost-reduction steps, an affordable housing package, the promise of a one-time $25 million property tax cut, help with reducing home heating costs. Democratic House Speaker Gaye Symington agreed that compromise is within reach on affordable housing and said health care would be Democrats' priority, too.
Douglas called for raising taxes -- he called it "closing a loophole" -- on unearned income. He told the audience it is "grossly unfair" that people who earn a paycheck pay taxes at a higher rate than those who simply collect income from their investments.
Much of the governor's speech listed a series of small initiatives or investments in new technology, training and business development.
Today was a day for kind words and exhortations and promises of cooperation. But if history is any guide, those kind words and promises are headed for the archive vault along with the speeches. Then the real work will begin.
That's it from the Statehouse. Thanks for checking in with this experiment in live blogging.
-- Candace Page