Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen
5.19.2009
Different views of the same budget
Legislative leadership has a nine-page document that explains the budget that lawmakers passed before leaving Montpelier on May 9.
Gov. Jim Douglas critiques that same budget in a 12-page letter he sent Friday to House Speaker Shap Smith, D-Morristown, and Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin.
Later today, we will see Douglas' new budget plan -- his alternative to the bill the House and Senate passed that he plans to veto.
Reading the two documents below, you might not think they were talking about the same budget bill.
Divided government (one party controlling the executive branch and another party dominating the legislative branch) sure makes for interesting politics. Or is this what turns people off to politics?
The Progdems have been busy "explaining" and defending their plan to bankrupt Vermont through many letters to the editors. Too bad they couldn't have done a better the first time around.
Curious how many "private," contractors are waiting behind the curtains for Douglas's budget to prevail. Someone will have to do the jobs of those state workers that got canned, losing everything. Now the services will be less while the fees will rise, taxes to pay for it will rise too, and a few will get fabulously wealthy, Mr. Douglas among them.
