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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


1.23.2009

 

Town Meeting extended break

The Legislature will take two weeks off at town meeting instead of the usual week.

The hiatus - and no, they won't be paid for it - is designed to give them time for the economic stimulus in Washington to take shape so they have a better picture of the state budget needs.

It's also designed to limit the session to 16 weeks. That's what Senate leader Peter Shumlin and House Speaker Shap Smith have pledged to do.

Legislators are traditionally off during the week of Town Meeting Day in March so they can go home and attend town meeting. They will also take the week after that off.

My understanding is this didn't go over well with all legislators who think it will put them on hold just when they should be revving up and that this cost-cutting measure is really just a pr move, but Shumlin and Smith insisted.

These week-long furloughs are all the rage these days.

- Terri Hallenbeck

Comments:
Do doogie and his ministry of propaganda staff take a two-week hit to the wallet over TM Break?

I'm shocked.

Rust never sleeps.
 
The two week break is a good idea.
 
Coop is going without pay already. There would be not ecomomic hit for him, to take two weeks off.

Of course a scientific man like him would take the new metric weeks with ten days each.
 
Last year when Republican House members proposed shortening the session to save taxpayer dollars they were soundly defeated with comments from Big Bird Partridge like "our constituents might want us to do something so we can't go home early" Duh! Their constituents do want them to do something is true so why don't they actually do something about issues that matter to us.
 
Republicans need to reorganize and put a new face on their party in Vermont. They have good ideas; they just need new leadership.
 
Deb Markowitz for Governor.
 
Shumlin and Smith - what a team!!!
 
"These week-long furloughs are all the rage these days," writes Terri.

Good one! Nice little zing at the Gannett brass.
 
We need a full time legislature.
 
While on break, the legislature should work on passing the marriage equality bill.
 
Markowitz for Governor in 2010
 
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