House gave Scott his answer with veto hours earlier
By Guy Page
In his annual State of the State speech Thursday afternoon. Gov. Scott urged the Legislature to act strongly and swiftly on the state’s growing public safety, affordability, and housing problems. Earnest and forceful, he asked lawmakers to remember James Carville’s ‘It’s the Economy, Stupid’ slogan.
It was a true Bully Pulpit speech. Unfortunately for the nation’s most popular governor, the House of Representatives had already given its answer hours earlier, when it 1) “resolved to provide for a Joint Assembly to receive the State-of-the-State message from the Governor” – and moments later 2) overwhelmingly overrode the governor’s 2023 veto of H158, the beverage container recycling bill.
With the 112-32 caning no doubt fresh in his mind, Scott gave lawmakers three numbers that “tell you everything you need to know: 14,000, 28,000 and 48,000.”
“As of 2022, we have 14,000 fewer kids under the age of 18 than we did in 2010. During that same period, we have 28,000 fewer adults ages 40 to 54, which is the core of our workforce. And we have 48,000 more over the age of 65.”
Scott said those stats mean: “higher per pupil costs, declines in income and sales tax revenue, and increased demand for services like healthcare….To have any chance of reversing our demographic trends, there are three issues we can’t ignore: public safety, affordability, and housing.”
Public Safety
Workers won’t want to come to Vermont if their families aren’t safe, Scott said (VDC paraphrase).
(It’s unclear how much crime is keeping people away from Vermont. National Van Lines reported January 2 that for the third year in a row, Vermont had the highest percentage of immigrants - those using moving vans, anyway – from other states compared to those departing the Green Mountain State. Most of the new Vermont residents came from large urban areas.)
Scott added:
“A growing number of headlines share news of the latest murder, drug-related shooting, and small businesses struggling with increasing vandalism and theft.”
“Here’s the thing, it’s not just the headlines. According to reports from the Council of State Governments, in 2017 Vermont had the second lowest property crime and second lowest violent crime rates in the nation. By 2022, we had dropped to 18th and eighth.
“And in the last 10 years, violent crime reported to police increased 56%, aggravated assault by 65%, sexual assault by 76%, and homicide by 166%.”
Scott conceded some progress has been made on criminal justice reform and treating addiction. Nevertheless:
“When those who victimize others are put back on the streets, hours after being apprehended only to reoffend again and again, Vermonters question law enforcement, prosecutors, our courts, and they question the wisdom of the work done here in this building.”
Budget
Scott warned legislators he will propose a ‘sobering’ budget with a mere three percent increase.
“With historic one-time federal aid ending, another large increase in our pension obligation, and last year’s spending decisions catching up to us, we are back to where we were several years ago with difficult decisions to be made.”
Scott’s statistics, arguments from logic, and application of historical context aside, the Legislature’s bottle bill override (and the fast-tracked ‘safe injection site’ bill) perhaps sent Scott a message that can be summarized in this VDC-original Haiku:
You can’t override
Now it’s about what WE want
Thanks for the advice
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Categories: News Analysis
the federal well fare kill shot money is all gone/// the damage from this operation will be felt for years///crime of the century
I wonder if the “WE” in the haiku will soon be the only income or property taxpayers in the state. I wonder how they’ll feel about funding the aging population, or what happens when they can’t find an electrician or plumber.
Gov. Scott… Bully Pulpit ? In a state where there was something like parity in the numbers between the two camps, then the “bully pulpit” may come into play, but in Vermont where the wackos have a supermajority it’s probably more accurately described as the “dead end letter office.”
Or how about a bump in the road ?
Feckless Gov. Scott urged the Legislature to act strongly and swiftly on the state’s growing public safety, affordability, and housing problems, does he really think these progressive clowns listen to him or care about Vermont citizens, they only care what’s on their agenda………………………..
Wake up people, you have the power to speak up and vote these clowns out, then the Governor may get a spine !!!
you do not need a plumber or electrician/// do the work your self and save 150.00 per hour///
If only the VT GOP voters would come back to earth and stop giving us people like Peterson, Klar and the same band of loveable losers will we stop the liberal spending on magic beans. Instead of being “principled” lets try winning.
I am sure we can drudge up a socialist or communist to your liking. There are plenty of those to go around.
Let’s see …. So far the supermajority has enabled a 18.5 percent property tax increase ….. a new payroll tax …… raised all dmv fees by 20%…. Pretty much mandated swamp coolers (heat pumps). Yeah they’ve been around for 50 years but are useless below freezing ….. oh yeah …. And are raising state taxes by another 10% ….. all this before they even start the second year …… lol …..I’m sure I missed a pile …… please save your rhetoric for the sheep …..
Public Safety…Really?? When you can steal up to $1,000.00 from a store without any consequences. When you can drive around in a car with No Registration and the local, state and DMV refuse to take action… Vermont is not only going down the drain but it’s almost impossible to buy a home, pay rent on a safe apartment complex or buy groceries. All because of the progressive socialist’s running our state into the ground.
In June of 2009 the Vermont legislature overrode Jim Douglas’ veto of the state budget. In August, Douglas elected not to run again. Vermont got peter shumlin and a six year run of liberal tax and spend policies. History repeating itself?
Perhaps.
Then as now, Vermont’s liberal legislature ran on hubris, ignorant of the requirements of our legislators set forth in our Constitution.
Perhaps it is time to rip the band-aid off, let the liberal/elite bury Vermont in debt and regulation then let these amateur socialists figure it out. With Vermont’s tax burden quickly rising to California, Connecticut and New Jersey levels, it won’t take long-
you voted for them///stop crying///who would run for office and want to be in the same room with these losers///you would have to have a fifty percent turnover///dream on/// they do not care what you think///
Phil Scott has in large part brought it on himself. he had the opportunity to educate people from his position but chose not to. he could have endorsed more candidates but he chose not to do that as well. and he is the most popular governor because he goes along to get along. the left knows he is weak so they pretty much do whatever they want with no backlash at all. but since he is the last republican to hold statewide office here it won’t matter. he is but a temporary speed bump to a progressive onslaught.
Too little, too late. Good cop, bad cop. This governor has endorsed & encouraged these lunatics for years. You are ALL good for NOTHINGS!
Scott made his position quite clear when he supported the Biden/Harris ticket. The legislators know, when it comes right down to it, which side of the fence Scott’s ideologies land.
Is there a plan B? Hearing rumblings of nuclear tactical weapons and high level strategizing by the United States to goad or frame anyone in the vicinity of the Middle East into full on multi-national war. Some opine a carrier ship will get popped or something will blast off in a major US city. Considering other major wars were started by staged provocations or all out lies and why, I wonder how our elected officials, State and local, will manage such calamity unfolding on top of everything else? How do they reconcile nuclear fallout with climate change? It is selection season afterall, so expect anything including missiles, communication blackouts, and The Biden stepping down as a DNC short-straw puller enters. I predict the Golden Dome will be locked down or evacuated to envoke the plan, as it is happening in other Capitols now. All done to upend the selection process and maintain current chaos, confusion, and mayhem. The border is still wide open and illegals pouring in for free housing, free phones, free meals, pre-filled ballots, and coordinates where pounce on the populace. Good times!
war crimes///..find these people guilty/// the only way to remove these crooks /// which agency will take on this job/// exposer of black mail, bribes , kickbacks, violation of rights,///