vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

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

8.19.2009

Vermont rates high on putting money to work

I did a story last week on how some of the stimulus money is being used in Vermont. You can read it HERE.

This week, Vermont earned some kudos from a report by ProPublica, which is monitoring use of the stimulus money. The state ranked third when it comes to getting going on road and bridge projects. New Mexico was first and Maine second. You can read it HERE.

Vermont Agency of Transportation spokesman John Zicconi attributes the state's eager-beaver status to the weather. “Unlike Texas, we can’t work through the winter,” he told ProPublica.

One of the many tricky things I found with following the stimulus money is any rankings among states can change by the minute because the money is coming in and the projects are going out to bid all the time.

- Terri Hallenbeck

Labels: stimulus, transportation, Vermont

posted by vt.Buzz | 11:38 AM |

Comments:

Agency of Transportation spokesman John Zicconi, is this name and job on the Governor's hit list of state employees to termninate? If not why not?

# Posted by:

Older is Better | 3:42 PM, August 19, 2009

Do you want some cheese with that whine?

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 4:46 PM, August 19, 2009

No, would just like to ensure that we cut frivilous positions before we delete services for Vermonters who need them. I don't need a "spokesman" or spokeswoman" to try to sugarcoat the incompetence of the current state administration.

# Posted by:

Older is Better | 10:55 PM, August 19, 2009

All Deputy Secretaries and Commissioners should be eliminated first!

Then since exempt employees under the Jim Douglas administration have grown at a faster rate than classified - the exempts should be next!

Both of these groups happen to be among the highest paid in state government.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 9:55 AM, August 20, 2009

"No, would just like to ensure that we cut frivilous positions before we delete services for Vermonters who need them."

Why do you make the assumption that all state workers are: a) serving Vermonters, and b) that Vermonters "need" those services.

Guess what: there's plenty o' fat in state employment, and we don't "need" all the services that the state provides.

Cut state government.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:40 AM, August 22, 2009