Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen
3.24.2010
Douglas has more fans than Obama
The Rasmussen poll also asked Vermont voters how they felt about President Obama and Gov. Douglas. Guess who's more popular?
Keeping in mind the numbers are within the margin for error, Obama won a favorable rating from 60 percent, Douglas from 64 percent. For Obama, 39 percent disapproved, while Douglas had a 36 percent disapproval rating.
Obama's fans and detractors were more feverish - he had 36 percent strongly favoring him and 29 percent strongly disapproving, while Douglas had 30 percent strongly favoring and 15 percent strongly disapproving.
Vermonters also showed support for the just-passed health care plan and were not keen on the state challenging the requirement that all buy health insurance in court. They got their way - 13 states are challenging it and Vermont is not among them.
You can see the poll questions and responses HERE.
Gov. Jim Douglas said Monday he was focused on implementation of the national health care reform package.
“We don’t know exactly what it is yet,” he noted, since the Senate has yet to vote on the reconciliation package that became the compromise between the U.S. House and Senate. Douglas said Republican senators “although they don’t have the numbers, they believe they may have some parliamentary arguments” to make about the pending reconciliation bill.
Still, Douglas has asked his health care cabinet to analyze the pair of health care bills to identify starting dates. He also wants his staff to determine if the Vermont Legislature needs to make any law changes in response to the federal measures and if there are grants or funds offered that the state ought to seek.
As chairman of the National Governors Association, Douglas said he will work on making the implementation as smooth as possible for states — not an easy task.
“A number of governors and legislators are going to be resistant,” Douglas predicted.
“I still regret the lack of partisanship,” Douglas said. As a result of the divisive politics associated with the bill, implementing it, he said, “is going to be a less smooth process.”
Gov. Jim Douglas is headed to Quebec Wednesday for meetings to improve bilateral relations between this state and its neighbor to the North.
The schedule was full, but now it includes a ceremony Thursday at the National Assembly during which Douglas will be given the highest honor awarded by the government of Quebec — the Ordre national du Québec or, in English, the National Order of Quebec.
The award, when given to foreigners, recognizes loyal friendship and efforts that help build respect for the province.
Douglas will receive the "Officer’s Insignia." Do we now call him Sir Jim?
Douglas started building ties with Quebec shortly after he was elected governor.
"Since we both took office in 2003, it has been a great pleasure to work with Premier Charest on issues of mutual importance," Douglas said, listing examples such as border security, a celebration of shared history, trade and environmental proteciton. "Working closely with our neighbors to the north is critical. Not only do Vermonters have friends and family in Quebec, they are our largest trading partner and many Quebec-based businesses employ Vermonters."
Douglas is bringing several Cabinet officials, business leaders and Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie with him for meetings with their Quebec counterparts. Topics for the talks include how to promote local food products in the region, green energy and trade.
Also during the visit, officials will sign two agreements. One updates cooperation on cleaning up Lake Champlain and the other commits the state and province to work on food initiatives.
Gov. Jim Douglas spent a busy weekend on the national political stage in Washington, D.C., running the winter meeting of the National Governors Association.
As NGA chairman, he had the job of delivering the bad news about the states’ fiscal health.
“The worst probably is yet to come,“ Douglas warned at the opening session Saturday.
Sunday morning found Douglas, a Republican, and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, on a talk show — CNN’s “State of the Union” with Candy Crowley for a chat about political gridlock and health care.
Unlike Congress, governors know how to get things done, the pair of governors suggested.
“Ultimately something has to happen. The work has to be done. The streets have to be plowed or the budget has to be balanced,” Douglas said. He noted that regardless of political affiliation, “in the National Governors Association, we have a much more collegial relationship. We talk with each other, we learn from each other, Deval and I hosted a health care forum last spring at the request of the president.”
Back in Vermont, Douglas has been part of a few political power struggles over the years that didn’t end up all that friendly. Think back to last spring, for example, and the budget battle that ended in a gubernatorial veto and a legislative override.
Crowley also quizzed Douglas and Patrick about the kind of health care reform governors wanted.
“We would like to have a better partner in Washington because we have a shared responsibility, but meanwhile governors are going to keep moving forward to try to insure the people of our states,” Douglas replied.
“Other than to fund Medicaid, though, would you rather they stay out of the way?” Crowley pressed.
DOUGLAS: Well, I think we have to work together. But remember what the real problem is, and that’s the cost of health care that keeps rising at rates that are multiples of inflation year after year after year. And I think there has been too much...
PATRICK: Whether you have a universal program or not.
DOUGLAS: Exactly.
PATRICK: That’s happening everywhere.
DOUGLAS: That’s the point, because it doesn’t matter whether it’s a publicly funded program or private health insurance companies, if we don’t get cost under control, we are going to be broke either way. So we need to reform the way we deliver care. We need to reform the payment system to incent quality care and good outcomes and get those costs under control.
Pretty good tag team.
At the end of the show, Crowley noted Douglas would retire at the end of this term.
“Governor Douglas of Vermont, have a happy retirement, but I imagine we’ll see you.”
DOUGLAS: Oh, no, no, no. I’ll find something else to do. .... It won’t be in Washington.”
Douglas’ relationship with President Barack Obama was on display Sunday night when governors and spouses donned tuxedoes and gowns for dinner at the White House.
Before the four-course dinner — which included French onion soup, rib-eye roast of beef and shrimp scampi, and baked Alaska — Obama thanked the governors for helping to “right the ship” of state during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
“This White House wants to continue to partner with you,” Obama said.
He raised his glass — water, rather than the Virginia, California or Michigan wines being served at the dinner. “So, cheers, everybody. Dinner is served. Oh, wait, wait, wait.”
Obama noticed Douglas heading to the front of the room. “This is not the waiter, although he can read the menu. Jim Douglas has been an extraordinary partner with this White House — always constructive, always thoughtful, and we are so pleased to have him here tonight.”
“Mr. President, I thought you might explain that I’m not the entertainment, either.”
So the House is poised to pass the bill changing the date for the primary election.
The Senate can be expected to go along with the changes the House made to the bill.
Then it goes to Gov. Jim Douglas, who has made no secret of his opposition to moving the primary to late August. A veto seems likely. What would be gained by letting the bill become law without his signature?
The veto would call into question the strength of the support for moving the primary date underneath the House vote of 139-6. The 50 votes in the House on an amendment proposing the state go for a waiver and introduce electronic voting, even though the Secretary of State's election office would have to scramble to put that in place, suggests Democratic leaders might struggle to win an override.
So do we mark our calendars in pen for an August primary, or use ink to for September? Oh, right, many of you use electronic calendars, so the inking a date is about as modern as mailing ballots to people so they can mark them with Xs.
Gov. Jim Douglas presides this weekend over the winter meeting of the National Governor’s Association. He’s chairman.
The meeting opens Saturday with a discussion of health care reform. Later in the day premiers from Canadian provinces join the governors for a session entitled “Common Border, Common Ground.”
Sunday night, governors and spouses dress up for dinner at the White House. The governors return for talks with President Obama and his cabinet Monday morning. The event wraps up Monday afternoon.
Gov. Jim Douglas will meet Wednesday with the president and other governors about energy, from 2-3 p.m. at the White House.
Douglas often brings up the fact that President Barack Obama supports construction of new nuclear power plants. Will nuclear power, Vermont Yankee and the lack of a federal solution to nuclear waste come up?
VtBuzz: On money, rain, primaries and the electoral college
There could be gasps
Gov. Jim Douglas unveils his budget Tuesday in a 2 p.m. address to the House and Senate. (Want to see and hear it? Go here and look for a link)
He has already warned lawmakers and the public that “nips and tucks” may have worked before, but won’t be enough to address the $150 million gap between projected revenues and projected spending.
“We are going to have to make some fundamental choices about what the priorities of government are,” Douglas said. “We simply can’t afford to do as much as we have.”
About $70 million of the reductions Douglas will employ to close the funding gap are already known.
He has accepted the recommendation of his staff and a small contingent of legislators, assisted by Public Strategies Group, that $38 million in savings can be found by restructuring the way government provides some services. Precisely how those savings will be achieved in still a work in progress.
The Douglas administration and state workers have agreed in a new two-year contract that reduces employees’ pay by three percent beginning in July. That saves $5.5 million next year.
Douglas has endorsed the recommendations of a retirement commission. It proposes changes to state worker and teacher pensions that could save as much as $29 million.
Even if those changes seem harsh, note they only add up to half the savings needed to address the revenue shortfall. Secretary of Administration Neale Lunderville made clear Monday, “There is no way to close a $150 million gap without making reductions that will have an impact on Vermonters.”
Two big targets in Tuesday’s speech will be education and human services. Lunderville noted that human services have been largely spared from harsh cuts and actually benefited from $149 million increase in the current budget year. The dollars came from state and federal sources.
Douglas warned in his State of the State Address against a reflexive response to necessary cuts.
“The solutions to close the gap will invariably draw objection and complaint,” he said. “Although we will consider constructive alternatives, this is not the time nor the place for the reflexive defense of the status quo.”
--Nancy Remsen
Tap the Rainy Funds
Jack Hoffman of Public Assets Institute says one constructive alternative would be to tap some of the state’s reserve funds. Here’s an excerpt of his latest position paper which you can read in full here .
“Today, the Legislature could spare Vermonters additional painful budget cuts and give the state economy a boost if it stopped hoarding this money and used these reserve funds as intended.
“Vermont has four separate reserve funds. The largest of these, the General Fund Stabilization Reserve, contains $60 million, the statutory maximum.
“Legislative leaders and the Douglas administration have resisted using the reserves. They argue that they don’t know how long the recession will last, and once the funds have been spent, they’re gone.
“It is true the rainy day funds can be spent only once. But their purpose is to prevent harmful cuts to important services—or to provide those services without the need for additional taxes. If the reserves are used first and the following year sees another budget gap, people can decide then how much revenue to raise or what services to cut. What the Legislature and the governor have done is to make cuts first and hold onto the reserves—evidently hoping they will never have to be used. While that may provide comfort to Montpelier, it’s no help to Vermonters.”
--Nancy Remsen
Let’s get together, yeah, yeah yeah
The House Ways and Means Committee voted 11-0 Friday on a bill that would produce $1.6 million in savings through long and short-term changes in the state’s current use program.
It represented the Legislature’s first vote on a budget cut and it won support from the full political spectrum -- Democrats, Republicans, a Progressive and an independent.
Under current use, the state taxes farm and forestland based on how they are used rather than their development value. The result is much lower property taxes. The changes the committee endorsed include a moratorium on adding new properties to the program for a year – which generates the biggest savings -- $1.1 million. Some tax changes will generate future savings.
The Legislature committed last spring to cutting the current use program by $1.6 million and Ways and Means Chairman Michael Obuchowski, D-Rockingham, credited his committee with swallowing hard and finding ways to achieve the target. “I don’t think there is one member who is happy with it.”
The bill goes next to House Appropriations.
--Nancy Remsen
Primary on the move?
The House Government Operations Committee will decide Wednesday morning whether to recommend moving the primary election to the last Tuesday in August. Under current law, it’s held the second Tuesday in September.
It’s not clear if the committee members can find a compromise that could win broad support or whether the bill will divide the panel along party lines – Democrats for the change and Republican opposed.
Gov. Jim Douglas has steadfastly opposed changing the primary date, suggesting it’s a political maneuver to give the Democratic gubernatorial candidate more time to recover from what is expected to be a grueling primary. Right now there are five Democrats seeking to be their party’s gubernatorial nominee and a single Republican candidate who wouldn’t have any primary election distraction.
The Senate already passed the bill to make the change. Stay tuned to see whether this bill becomes the first political power play of the session.
--Nancy Remsen
Jawing about jobs
Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have invited about a dozen business leaders to come to the Statehouse Thursday morning for a forum on jobs. It runs 9:30 a.m. to noon in the House Chamber.
The business leaders will be asked to comment on what works well in Vermont when they want to grow and add jobs and what could be improved. The latter answers could become the basis for a bill on job creation.
Meanwhile Lt. Gov.Brian Dubie(Republican candidate for governor) is also talking jobs in a tour he’s making. So far, he gathered string in Rutland.
Businesses are, no doubt, happy that politicians of all stripes want to talk to them. Their obvious question will be what will come from all these conversations?
--Nancy Remsen
Big picture issue
There’s an effort underway to try to change the way this country elects presidents.
On one side is National Popular Vote, an organization that promotes a change that would “guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in all 50 states (and the District of Columbia).” Former Rep. Chris Pearson, P-Burlington, is involved with this initiative. Check it out here.
On the other side is Save Our States, which wants the country to stick with the Electoral College system.
Trent England, director of Save Our States, will come to Montpelier Wednesday to urge lawmakers here to reject a bill that has already passed the Senate and is awaiting action in the House Government Operations Committee. Check it out here.
The Legislature and Gov. Jim Douglas have already fought a round on this issue.
In 2008, the legislature passed the bill “relating to the agreement among the states to elect the president by national popular vote.” The Senate supported it 22-6 and the House voted 77-35.
Douglas vetoed the bill. He wrote at the time that the will “would fundamentally alter the presidential election method prescribed in the U.S. Constitution by having Vermont join an interstate compact requiring our Electoral College votes be awarded to the candidate who wins the most support nationally, rather than the candidate who wins the most votes in Vermont. I am not willing to cede Vermont’s voice in the election.”
House. Rep. Donna Sweaney, D-Windsor, said she would schedule consideration of proposal in her committee later this winter – so the contest is on again.
--Nancy Remsen
Getting ready for March
Burlington Democrats will gather at ward caucuses this week beginning tonight. The meetings are where local party members “help shape our party and support our candidates,” wrote David Cain, chairman of the city committee, in a notice at the local committee’s Web site.
Here’s the schedule: • Tuesday: Wards 5 & 6 at 7 p.m. at Champlain Elementary School Learning Center. • Thursday: Wards 1, 2, and 3 at 6 p.m. at the Integrated Arts Academy at Wheeler School Cafeteria; also Ward 4 at 6:30 p.m. at 54 Muirfield Road. • Friday: Ward 7 at 7 p.m. at Miller Center Children's Room.
Any other parties in the city caucusing? It wasn’t apparent from the calendars for either the Republican or Progressive parties.
Gov. Jim Douglas has raised political hackles in his choices to fill two House seats left vacant in December by the sudden deaths of Rep. Ira Trombley, D-Grand Isle, and Rep. Rick Hube, R-South Londonderry.
His picks: Robert C. Krebs of South Hero will fill Trombley’s seat. Oliver K. Olsen will replace Hube in the House.
So what is the rub? Krebs wasn’t one of the three candidates recommended by the local Democratic Party. Douglas has filled five vacancies in recent weeks -- all formerly Republican openings but one. He picked appointees from among the candidates recommended by local Republicans.
“The one Democrat he was replacing, he didn’t respect the wishes of the local party,” complained House Democratic Leader Floyd Nease of Johnson.
Nease recalled 2007 when Douglas also bypassed the candidates recommended by Montpelier Democrats and chose Jon Anderson to fill the vacancy created when Francis Brooks became sergeant at arms. In one of Anderson’s first votes, he broke with Democrats and joined Republicans to prevent a successful override of a Douglas veto.
Douglas isn't the only governor to exercise his authority to choose whoever he wants to fill vacancies.
Remember Gov. Howard Dean made two appointments from different parties. He tapped William Sorrell, a Democrat, to replace Jeffrey Amestoy, a Republican, as attorney general. He also replaced a Republican House member from Vergennes/Ferrisburgh with a Democrat.
If you are the governor of a state, there are constant decisions to be made about whether to accept this invitation or that invitation. You, or your staff, ponder what you can fit into your schedule, of course. but you also consider who you want to please and ultimately, how it’s going to make you look.
When Elton John comes to the fairgrounds, you go.
When the Rotary Club asks if you can make it, you go.
What do you do, though, when somebody asks you if you’ll push the buttons to blow up a bridge? Keep in mind that government has allowed this bridge to deteriorate so badly that it had to be closed without warning, creating arduously long drives for commuters, hospital patients and others, some of them in your own hometown. States will have to shuffle budgets, put other projects on hold and shell out extra money to pay for temporary ferry service. Does a politician want a photo opp like that?
Gov. Jim Douglas chose to go for it. Standing hatless in an open field with snow steadily falling, he pushed the two buttons that were said to ignite the implosion of the Lake Champlain Bridge on Monday morning.
More than one person expressed surprise over that Monday, but Douglas declined to characterize the implosion as an indication of how things went awry with a historic bridge once heralded for its cutting-edge design. He called it a step forward, a step toward construction of a new bridge.
“It’s the first step toward a new beginning,” he said.
Even those lives have been disrupted by the bridge’s closure and are angry at government officials who let it agreed Monday that they’re ready to move on.
And just in case not everybody’s ready to see it that way, Douglas is not running for re-election. This photo opp won’t show up in an opponent’s campaign ad. There has to be something freeing about that. Plus, plenty of people probably think it’d be cool to push the buttons that blow of a bridge.
- Terri Hallenbeck
Republican grip
In an article this week, FoxNews.com looks at whether Republicans will lose their hold on all New England governor seats in 2010.
According to the article, “Jennifer Duffy, an editor with The Cook Political Report, said Republicans could face a total wipe-out in New England, though they do have some chances to keep a foothold. ‘If these races had taken place in 2008, they'd all be gone, but it's still possible,’ Duffy said.”
You can read it here: www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/17/republicans-struggle-hold-new-england-governors-races/.
- Terri Hallenbeck
Memorial services
A memorial service for Rep. Ira Trombley, D-Grand Isle, who died Dec. 20, will be held at 11 a.m. Jan. 2 at the South Hero Congregational Church, South Street in South Hero.
A memorial service for Rep. Rick Hube, R-Londonderry, who died a day later, is expected to be held Jan. 31. Details are to be posted at www.rickhube.com.
As Gov. Jim Douglas noted this morning in a statement on Hube's death, Hube traveled to China with the governor and a group of Vermont business owners this year.
House Minority Leader Patti Komline relayed the story yesterday of how Hube joked on that trip that he was having Peking duck with a lame-duck governor.
Another Hube story relayed to me today: Last session, when Sen. Vince Illuzzi managed to snare funding for Sterling College, mysterious invitations went out around the Statehouse to an event honoring Illuzzi at Sterling College. There was, however, no time or date, only a phone number on the invitation. It was, of course, Illuzzi's cell phone. The mysterious hand behind that invitation: Hube.
He loved the quick joke but he also loved sinking his teeth into the policy and he was always had his finger on the politics of the Statehouse. If there was a close controversial vote coming up, he'd always be game to speculate on the vote count. He was usually at least close.
Share your Hube stories. And your Ira Trombley stories.
Here's how Gov. Jim Douglas is filling the vacancy that will be left by Deputy Chief of Staff Dennise Casey's departure at the end of the year:
Elizabeth "Wibs" McLain, his former secretary of Natural Resources, returns as special assistant to the governor. She'll be the legislative liaison.
Heidi Tringe, who has been secretary of Civil and Military Affairs (a title that shouldn't be taken too literally but really pretty much means special assistant to the governor), will become deputy chief of staff.
David Coriell, who was special assistant to the governor, will become secretary of Civil and Military Affairs and communications director.
That all happens Jan. 1, when Casey leaves for a job with the Republican Governors' Association.
It also answers the question (no) of whether Douglas would be bringing in someone new to his inner circle for his last year in office.
Casey says there will be no change in pay for Tringe or Coriell. McLain's salary is not set yet, she said, but should be no more than Casey's, making for an overall break-even or decline in staff salaries.
This just in from Gov. Jim Douglas' office: Deputy Chief of Staff/spokeswoman Dennise Casey is leaving to take a job with the Republican Governors Association.
Casey says the new gig involves helping Republican governors get elected in 2010. Which means it's no more secure than working for a retiring governor.
No surprise that Douglas would be losing staffers, what with his pending retirement from the office. A surprise, though, that Casey is leaving already.
Douglas' inner circle has been growing smaller and smaller, partly because the size of his staff has shrunk. The question now is does he reach outside the circle to replace her? Who does he get to do that job for a year?
Here's the news release:
Montpelier, Vt. – Long-time Douglas staffer, Dennise Casey will leave the Governor’s office at the end of the year to take a senior position at the Republican Governors Association (RGA), the Governor announced today.
“This is a bittersweet announcement,” said Governor Douglas. “Dennise has been an important part of my team since 2002 and she will be missed. However, I am thrilled that Dennise will continue her good work at the RGA as we gear up for an exciting 2010 election. Her intelligence and energy will be a real asset to the organization.”
Casey, 28, has worked for Governor Jim Douglas since her senior year at UVM when she served as State Field Director on the Governor’s first election campaign. Since graduating from UVM in 2003, Casey has worked in the Agency of Administration where she served as Principal Assistant to Secretary Charlie Smith, and in the Governor’s Office serving as Special Assistant to the Governor, Secretary of Civil and Military Affairs and most recently as Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director.
Dennise has worked on all of the Governor’s election campaigns, managing his 2006 and 2008 races.
“I want to thank Governor Douglas for the distinct honor of serving the people of Vermont over the last seven years,” said Casey. “His agenda of hope and opportunity and his voice of reason in Montpelier have made a real difference for the people of this great state. I am going to miss being a part of such a great team.”
Details of Casey’s new position at the Republican Governors Association will be released later this month. For questions regarding the RGA, please contact Communications Director, Mike Schrimpf at 202.662.4147.
A 3 percent pay decrease is coming for state workers in the upcoming two-year contract, if members approve it.
The Douglas administration is suggesting this should be the model for other public employees (i.e. schools) and nonprofits (i.e. all those with big salaries that get state money).
What do you make of it?
Here are the releases from the gov's office and the union:
Gov:
Governor Jim Douglas and Secretary of Administration Neale Lunderville today announced that agreement on a new two-year contract has been reached with the Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA). The contract, which was signed by both parties earlier today, includes a 3% wage reduction as well as no automatic yearly wage adjustments or step increases for the duration of the contract. This settlement is very good news for the taxpayers of Vermont. It recognizes the Governor’s call to share the sacrifice broadly during these very challenging economic times.
“In this economy, as thousands of Vermonters are unemployed and tens of thousands more have seen their pay, hours and benefits cut, and as our state faces massive budget shortfalls in the coming years, it is appropriate that public employees share in the sacrifice,” said Governor Douglas. “This contract is a critical step towards bringing state spending in line with declining revenues.”
This new contract will produce $2 million in General Fund savings for FY2011, which will help offset a budget shortfall of at least $150 million. Importantly, wage costs will not increase over the two year period aggravating the overall deficit – although health care costs are expected to rise. The contract does not contain either changes to employee contributions for health care benefits or any modifications to the employee wellness and tuition reimbursement programs.
While net savings are small as compared to our total budget challenge, the significance of this agreement cannot be understated. “This deal sets the new standard for all public employee salaries in Vermont, as well as for non-profits who get a significant portion of their revenue from the State,” said Secretary Lunderville. “As families struggle to make ends meet, this agreement shows a common sense approach that should be applied to salaries for public sector employees and can serve as a blueprint for teachers, municipal workers and others who receive a paycheck from taxpayers.”
Economists have reported that Vermonters have lost over $1 billion dollars in income in the past year. In the last two years, state employees have received an average 7% increase. During the same two year period, the Governor, his appointees and some other elected officials took a 5% pay cut and have had wages frozen since July 1, 2008.
Union:
Representatives of the Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA) and representatives of the Douglas Administration met this morning to sign a new contract proposal covering VSEA members in three separate bargaining units for 2010-2012. The proposal will now be subject to a vote by all state employees working in the VSEA bargaining units covered by the new agreements
“As many longtime VSEA bargaining team members will attest, this round of bargaining was unlike any other they have ever participated in,” said VSEA Director Jes Kraus. “Our bargaining team members understand the reality of the current economic crisis, and they have been trying to help for nearly a year. Ultimately, it took a decision by an experienced fact finder to get the Administration to accept any help from state employees.”
Kraus explained that the fact finder’s report was accepted by both parties, leading to the formal proposal signed today. The fact finder’s recommendations include a 3 percent pay cut, followed by a two-year pay freeze. The 3 percent cut will be restored at the end of the two-year contract, when the State is likely to be on more solid economic ground.
“Nobody likes a pay cut and pay freeze, but VSEA bargaining team members determined the fact finder’s proposal to be the fairest way to help with the economic crisis, which is why they voted overwhelmingly to take the proposal to the membership,” explained Kraus.
VSEA will be holding a series of statewide “contract explanation” meetings to allow union members to ask questions and get more information about the new proposal before voting.
Two Vermont politicians have flexed their muscles in recent days and won the Vermont State Hospital yet another chance to regain federal certification and funding.
Earlier today, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, hosted a meeting between two top staff at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Vermont's Mental Health commissioner, Michael Hartman.
Vermont officials have felt they couldn't get a fair break from federal regulators when it came to evaluating the state hospital. It seemed the hospital reputation from year's past tainted each recent inspection.
Today, however, Hartman reported "a very positive meeting." He expects the state will reapply for certification a few weeks.
About 10 days ago, Gov. Jim Douglas had called one of the officials at the Sanders' meeting to also press the state's case for another chance. His phone call prompted CMS to say the state could reapply and wouldn't have to start at step one.
Sen. Diane Snelling, R-Chittenden, participated in the Sanders' meeting by telephone. "It is fascinating to me to see how effective a senator can be," she said. A governor too, one could add.
Vtbuzz: on financial disclosure, the latest gubernatorial race news and kicking cans and balls
Vermont ranks last for public disclosure of officials’ financials
While five states recently enhanced their financial disclosure requirements for public officials, a Washington D.C. investigative reporting non-profit identified Vermont and two other states as standing out “somewhat notoriously, for, well, doing nothing.”
Vermont law doesn’t require the governor, other statewide officers or legislators to disclose for public review any personal/professional financial information. The same goes for Michigan and Idaho, but the Center for Public Integrity noted disclosure legislation at least comes up for consideration in Michigan and Idaho. Not so in Vermont.
“I’ve never heard a single Vermonter raise an issue about it,” said Senate Government Operations Chairwoman Jeanette White, D-Windham.
Check out the center’s update and earlier reports on disclosure here.
Paul Burns, executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, said financial disclosure wasn’t a top priority for his organization, but he agreed that transparency about finances and potential conflicts of interest were legitimate public goals.
Burns recalled the controversy in the 2008 gubernatorial election when Democrat Gaye Symington released incomplete data on family finances, while Republican Gov. Jim Douglas and Progressive Anthony Pollina provided complete tax returns. Burns suggested the state takes a first step toward disclosure by enacting a requirement for all statewide offices.
— Nancy Remsen
Still so many unanswered campaign questions
It’s hard to believe that a year from now, General Election ballots will be on their way to town clerks so early voting can begin. At the moment there are so many unanswered questions about whose names will end up on those ballots.
Take for example, the gubernatorial race, where everyone is waiting and waiting and waiting for Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie to announce whether he’s running or not for the state’s top job.
Will it come this week? “You will hear something this week,” said Susie Hudson, a Dubie political insider.
Meanwhile, Democratic candidates abound. Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin has just about jumped into the race. He has been crisscrossing the state to talk with movers and shakers about his candidacy compared to the three Democrats with hats already in the ring — Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, Sen. Doug Racine and Sen. Susan Bartlett.
“All of them would be great governors,” Shumlin said Monday. Still he confirmed, “I’m strongly leaning toward running.”
“Vermont needs a governor who has run a business, met a payroll,” he explained. Shumlin and his brother run a student educational travel business.
During Monday’s phone chat, Shumlin launched into what would likely be his campaign theme – “Vermont has to stop plodding along and get a piece of the extraordinary job opportunities as we move off our addiction to oil.”
Shumlin said he isn’t afraid of a free-for-all primary with his Democratic friends. “We have a real opportunity to have a civil discussion about where Vermont should go,” he said of the run up to next year’s Democratic primary election. I think Democrats will be strengthened.”
— Nancy Remsen
Candidate updates
If you are keeping tabs on the announced Democratic gubernatorial candidates, note that Doug Racine just hired Brendan Bush, 29, of Original Gravity Media, Inc., to provide him with some Internet strategy. “Bush will redesign Racine’s campaign Website, develop online outreach materials, and work with field director Amy Shollenberger to add to the campaign’s grassroots outreach strategy.”
Also last week, Deb Markowitz released a second video and launched a spread-the-word campaign. She wants supporters to share the link in the hopes her video could go viral.
Susan Bartlett noted her competitors’ focus on the Internet. “It seems to me there is a made dash right now to get high tech stuff because Matt Dunne might get in,” she said, referring for former Sen. Matt Dunne, who now works for Google. Dunne has confirmed he is weighing whether to join the Democratic crowd running for governor.
Bartlett noted that many Vermonters don’t have high tech Internet connections. “My sense is Vermonters will want a good old-fashioned type campaign.”
Bartlett said she still hasn’t hired staff, although she has volunteers who accompany her as she travels the state. “I’m not in a yank to spend money.”
The trio — Bartlett, Markowitz and Racine — are scheduled to appear together before Shelburne and South Burlington Democrats at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Shelburne Town Office.
They will meet individually at closed sessions with members of the Vermont Business Roundtable beginning next week. Roundtable President Lisa Ventriss said the sessions give members a chance to get acquainted with the candidates, understand why they are seeking “this very difficult job” and hear what strengths they offer. As more candidates jump into the race, additional sessions will be scheduled, Ventriss said.
— Nancy Remsen
Local election news
Denise Barnard, former Democratic representative from Richmond who narrowly lost her bid for a Chittenden Senate seat in 2008, was mysterious about her political future Monday.
“I’m tanned, I’m rested and I’m running in 2010,” Barnard said, “ but I’m not telling you what I’m running for — yet.”
She did confirm she wasn’t running for governor.
She said she expected to go public with her plans soon. “I’m very excited about the future.
Meanwhile, Democrat Philip Baruth of Burlington kicks up his Chittenden Senate campaign at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Nectar’s in downtown Burlington.
— Nancy Remsen
Kicking the can or whatever
Secretary of Administration Neale Lunderville said several times recently that he didn’t want to “kick the can” any longer when it came to making tough decisions about labor expenses. That’s why he, in the final negotiations with the union last week, refused to agree to a plan to cut $7.4 million from the current budget without some commitment from the Vermont State Employees Association on cuts in the next two fiscal years.
Jes Kraus, VSEA director, argued, the union and the administration should kick that can in separate talks about the next two-year contract, talks that are already underway.
Up the road from the state capital where the abortive talks took place, a pair of Democratic legislators focused on kicking the ball.
Reps. Sue Minter and Tom Stevens organized a “Causeball” kickball tournament that was held in the rain Sunday, but still raised $2,300 for local food shelves.
“Anybody can plan kickball,” Minter said.
That brings this entry back to kicking the can. Legislative leaders — particularly Rep. Michael Obuchowski, D-Rockingham — have worked the phones to try to bring the administration and union back to the table to resume talks. What about bringing them to a field and let kickball settle the aforementioned kick-the-can question?
VtBuzz: on ending the spoiler squabble, tea parties and health reform
Nobody’s a spoiler under this scenario
Amidst all the talk about who is running for what as a result of Gov. Jim Douglas’ decision not to run for re-election, there were some missing voices — Progressives. Rep. David Zuckerman, P-Burlington, took time from the harvest at his farm to give voice to his political aspirations. He’s considering a run for lieutenant governor or state senator from Chittenden County.
Here’s the twist. If he runs for lieutenant governor, he would run in the Democratic primary. Before Douglas dropped his political bombshell, Zuckerman said he was only thinking about a senate run. Now he, like about everyone else with political ambitions, is thinking bigger. Zuckerman said running in the Democratic primary would be a way to eliminate what he considers a chronically unfair accusation that Progressives who run in statewide races are spoilers. He would use the election system — with its primaries — to solve the dilemma. “I feel in order to remove the angst of the three-way race, let the voters decide,” Zuckerman said. “I would hope I could earn, have earned the support of Democrats.”
Zuckerman is currently testing the political interest in this idea. “I haven’t heard anyone say if you do that you are selling out the Progressive Party,” he said.
Under the scenario he’s floating, if he won the Democratic primary next September, he would ask Progressive Party members to nominate him at their candidate — assuming someone else wasn’t already running as the Progressive candidate for lieutenant governor. He said he would want to be listed on the ballot as a P/D.
“If I go this route, it would an attempt to build a bridge,” Zuckerman. He would be trying to bridge some of the bad feelings that have developed as Progressives and Democrats have vied for many of the same voters.
Zuckerman said it will be well into October, if not November, before he would make a decision about running for lieutenant governor in 2010. He’s not worried that putting off his decision for the next month would be a disadvantage, he said.
“I think any number of people could jump in during the next eight to ten weeks and I don’t think anyone would have an advantage raising money or building support,” he said. — Nancy Remsen
Tea anyone
Perhaps you heard reports about the Tea Party March in Washington D.C. Tea was served in Vermont, too. Here are some excerpts from an account of Vermont events by Jon Wallace of Rutland, state Tea Party coordinator.
“The rain held off, and even the sun broke through at times on Saturday, Sept. 12, as hundreds of passionate patriots assembled in Manchester, Burlington, St Albans and Rutland for sign-waves and marches. Following the local events, many Tea Partiers hopped in their Tea Party decorated cars, and formed caravans, which then proceeded to Montpelier for the Tea Party 9/12 March.” Wallace noted the marchers got a surprise when they began assembling on the steps of the Statehouse. A security guard said they couldn’t hold a protest without a permit.
“We are not here protesting, we are here celebrating the United States of America,” Wallace said he replied. Wallace’s account notes that the group stayed put, sang God Bless America, recited the Pledge of Allegiance twice, thanked veterans for their service and got down to talking about the issues that brought many to the rally — health care reform and big government. Organizers identified two bills pending in the Vermont Legislature that would establish government-run health care which drew crowd disapproval, Wallace reported.
The Tea Party organization is trying to awaken citizens to their responsibility to act.
“The day was a success as there were many new faces,” Wallace said. In contrast to some reports about the palpable anger at the Washington march, Wallace wrote, “The attitude of the crowd was ultimately positive and hopeful. ... Many expressed gratitude to the organizers, for they felt that they now had a way to become politically active. Previously, they felt ideologically isolated, therefore politically frustrated, and disenfranchised and unempowered.” — Nancy Remsen
Reading tea leaves
James Haslam, director of the Vermont Workers’ Center, says Tea Parties are misreading the tea leaves on health care reform — at least in Vermont.
“In 2008, the Vermont Workers’ Center conducted personal interview health care surveys with over 1,500 Vermonters,” he said. The results: “Over 95 percent of those asked believed that health care is a basic human right.” — Nancy Remsen
Checking the pulse of health care reform
So the weekend talk shows in Washington have aired, President Barack Obama has delivered another health care pep talk and Tea Party protesters took to the streets to complain about health care reform.
How does Vermont’s trio in Congress see the chances for health reform now?
Rep. Peter Welch, D-VT: “In his address to Congress last week, President Obama made a strong case for the urgency and necessity of reforming the nation’s health care system. He echoed what I heard from Vermonters throughout August: that Congress must focus on providing security and stability to those who have health insurance and extending access to those who don’t. In the coming weeks, I am optimistic we will pass a bill that will protect families and businesses from insurance company rip-offs, extend coverage to 37 million Americans, and provide more choice to Americans by creating a strong public option.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT: “As the president mentioned, it is an international embarrassment that the United States remains the only major country on earth that does not guarantee health care to all of its people, while spending almost twice as much per capita as most other nations. If we do nothing, as many Republicans suggest, the cost of health care in this country will double in the next eight years. I intend to do all that I can to see that a strong and meaningful health care bill is passed.”
Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT: “Uneasiness about reform understandably has grown over the last few months while congressional committees have struggled to draft their various proposals. With no complete bill to debate, the discussion has drifted, and some partisans have also stepped into the void to stir people's worst fears. You wouldn't know from the headlines that many of these reforms have had significant support on both sides of the aisle. It's worth keeping in mind that as popular as Social Security and Medicare are today, there was strenuous opposition to them at the time.
“Soon there will be real legislation on the table. That will not completely reset the framework of this debate, but it will help anchor the debate in real facts. That goes as well for the idea of a public option, which I strongly support.
“Health insurance reform would have been done long ago if it were easy. The President says he expects that Congress will pass health insurance reform by the end of this year. That seems like too ambitious a goal to some, but I believe it's a realistic one.”
Dubie as peacemaker?
Some might have expected an announcement last week, but Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, the Republican to whom other Republicans are deferring before making their own decision on whether to run for governor in 2010, says it will not come until perhaps next week. He’s visiting Alaska this week to see how turbines made by Northern Power Systems of Barre are working. Dubie indicated last week, however, that his prospective campaign strategy will be to cast himself as the peacemaker at a time when peace needs to be made. (Think budget stalemate, vetoes, veto overrides).
“One thing is clear – the status quo of the relationship between the Legislature and the governor is not acceptable,” he said.
— Terri Hallenbeck
Roar of the crowd
From the Free Press online story chat on Auditor Tom Salmon’s switch last week from Democrat to Republican party:
bfpcommenter: “After the past 2-3 sessions I would want to be running as a republican , even in VT. Between Shumlin, Smith, and Symington it will be a wonder if the libs even have a majority in the Statehouse. If they do, we will know for sure that VTer’s vote solely based on party.”
proudvter: “This is all about positioning. Dubie will make a run for Gov. and Tommy will try to jump in Dubie’s LT Gov. seat. Just a guess, but the Dem. side of the house knows there are a number of far left groups that always interfere with the dems trying to get into the Gov’s office. Tommy, being a “conservative dem“ sees his opportunity and I am sure he has talked with Dubie about the future. Just my guess. Any other guesses?”
Gov. Jim Douglas, barely back from France, will head to Maryland next week to announce another initiative as chairman of the National Governor's Association.
The event is set for Wednesday afternoon at the Gaylord National Resort in a place called National Harbor.
Here's the announcement.
"Millions of American children face formidable challenges to their long-term health and academic success because they live in poverty and lack access to high-quality health care and constructive early learning opportunities. With this in mind, the NGA Center for Best Practices will host a first-of-its-kind summit that brings together state teams to develop a coordinated policy agenda among state health, early education and human service systems to ensure better outcomes for our children. As part of the summit, Gov. Douglas will speak at a session titled Creating a Children’s Agenda in the New Economic Reality about the importance of comprehensive initiatives that address high-quality early childhood programs and children’s health and welfare in the context of the current economic climate."
This seems like a big challenge -- at a time when governors have a lot of their plates. Next week in Vermont, for example, is the deadline for the Douglas administration and the Vermont State Employees Association to reach an agreement on $7.4 million in cuts or a bunch of state workers will be laid off.
We came at you with live video, with tweets, with Web page updates today as Gov, Jim Douglas announced he would not seek re-election. Now, we turn to the blog.
Nationally, Democrats seem to think this is a golden opportunity to win control of a governor's seat. In the process, they sound like all that matters is the score-keeping - how many Republicans vs. how many Democrats, but never mind that.
Are they missing the possibility that this also leaves Democrats in a free-for-all with no common enemy? The candidates were all hepped up to tell you what was wrong with the way the state is being run. Mind you, that hasn't been a successful tactic for the last three elections, but now they have to compete with each other.
Will that prove to be even harder?
By the way, here's what Project Swing State says of the Vermont governor's race with today's news:
With this decision, Swing State Project is changing our rating of this race to "Tossup." Given the state's decidedly blue hue, "Lean Democratic" wouldn't be out of the question, but Dubie is no slouch and we are intensely aware of the capacity of the Progressives in Vermont to screw things up for Democrats. If it's clear that Anthony Pollina won't get in the race this time, we will feel more confident about Dems' chances.
