Published attack piece from my opponent, then re-wrote my response and published it without my consent
By Joe Gervais
The gross bias in the national media is apparent for all to see, but it is important to know that it is just as bad in our local news outlets here in Vermont.
The Manchester Journal recently published an attack piece by one of my opponents in the Bennington Senate race, Democrat Seth Bongartz, which was filled with a number of misdirections from the truth and outright falsehoods about the “Unaffordable” Heat Act. I submitted my own op-ed in rebuttal. Without my knowledge or consent the editors at the paper substantially re-wrote my piece and published it under my name, which is, I believe, highly unethical. It is certainly dishonest.
Here is what I wrote in full, with text in bold indicating places where the editor at the paper removed or re-wrote the language I submitted, in a piece headlined: “Gervais: Bongartz is misleading voters about Clean Heat Standard Cost/Status.”
In his recent attack on myself and Spike Whitmire, Seth Bongartz makes multiple, verifiably false claims about the Clean Heat Standard in an attempt to unjustly smear myself and Spike, while deceiving you about his own voting record. I’d like to remind Rep. Bongartz and the voting public of Article 9 of the Vermont Constitution: “and previous to any law being made to raise a tax, the purpose for which it is to be raised ought to appear evident to the Legislature to be of more service to community than the money would be if not collected.” This November who you elect is a referendum on continuing or halting the progressive supermajority’s money grab. Regarding the Bongartz commentary, here are the receipts:
Bongartz asserts that a “carbon surcharge” will not be added on home heating fuels to meet legislated mandates under a Clean Heat Standard program. Untrue. Of course there will be. There has to be a surcharge/fee/tax/ on heating fuel because that’s where revenue to fund the program comes from. Without it, there is no program.
Bongartz says that the Clean Heat Standard will help Vermonters “…by doing things like weatherizing or installing heat pumps.” Okay. Where does the government get the money to pay for weatherizing homes and subsidizing heat pumps? The Carbon Fee on your oil, kerosene, propane, and gas bill. In fact, § 8125 (a) of Act 18 specifically describes the “obligated entities who pay the per credit fee to the default delivery agent…” The cost of that fee, a de facto excise tax on carbon, will be reflected in your heating bill. How much?
Here Bongartz is correct when he states the $3.00 per gallon estimate we referenced in our flyer is irrelevant as a newer more detailed analysis done by the firm NV5 through the Department of Public Service has since been published. The new, relevant estimates indicate a total $10 billion cost for the Clean Heat Standard over 25 years. Table 28 of the NV5 final report obfuscates the estimated price of the carbon credit per fuel type in dollars per million BTUs, rather than dollars per gallon. These figures translates into a $1.79-$4.03 per gallon program cost (fee) on oil and kerosene, and a $0.95-$2.12 per gallon fee on propane, which you the customer will ultimately pay.
Bongartz wants you to think the Clean Heat Standard law he voted to pass was just a study, pleading, “Act 18 of 2023 kicked off a two-year process to explore a ‘clean heat standard’…” This is grossly misleading. Act 18 says, “§ 8122. (a) The Clean Heat Standard is established. Under this program, obligated parties shall reduce greenhouse gas emissions attributable to the Vermont thermal sector by retiring required amounts of clean heat credits to meet the thermal sector portion of the greenhouse gas emission reduction obligations of the Global Warming Solutions Act.” “§ 8122. (d) The Commission shall adopt rules and may issue orders to implement and enforce the Clean Heat Standard program.”
So, in voting for Act 18, Bongartz and his colleagues made it against the law for Vermont to NOT have a Clean Heat Standard. They committed themselves and us to establishing this program, and beyond that, they mandated that it must be on the scale necessary – with whatever price tag comes with that – to meet the thermal sector greenhouse gas reduction mandates of the Global Warming Solutions Act. Now that the word is getting out that the price tag is $10 billion, Bongartz and the Supermajority are scrambling for cover.
The only aspect of the Clean Heat Standard that has not been implemented directly under Act 18 is the rules that will govern the clean heat credit market, which, as Bongartz correctly points out, are currently being developed by the Public Utilities Commission. Those rules have to be approved by the newly elected legislature after it convenes in January for the program to go into effect.
[What follows was completely deleted].
If no rules pass, the Clean Heat Standard and its carbon fee/tax/surcharge will be mothballed until such time as rules do pass. Let’s hope that’s never! But that depends on who you elect this November (or now by early mail in ballot).
You the voters have to decide who you trust to make the decision about whether or not to hit the brakes on a $10 billion program funded by a (using the language in the law) “per credit fee” on heating fuel that could potentially lead to $7-8 per gallon oil. Bongartz, who voted for the Clean Heat Standard and voted to override Governor Scott’s veto. Cynthia Browning, who voted for the Global Warming Solutions Act (the root cause of the CHS) and voted to override Governor Scott’s veto. Steve Berry, who was an outspoken advocate for a carbon tax on fossil fuels when in the House. Or Joe Gervais and Spike Whitmire who have both pledged to vote NO on any bill that will lead to any increased costs on Vermonters trying to stay warm in winter.
Vermonters can’t afford this. Certainly not on top of the property tax increase the supermajority just handed us, the 20% higher DMV fees, higher health insurance premiums, higher electric rates, and the new payroll tax coming out of all of our salaries. We need to get spending and taxing under control. And that’s why I’m asking for your vote.
- Joe Gervais
Here’s the letter I sent to the editor after seeing the Op-Ed I didn’t write appear under my name.
Cherise,
It was incredibly unprofessional of the Manchester Journal editors to rewrite my article and print words and convey ideas that are not mine and do not represent my positions as a candidate under my name without first getting approval from me for those very substantial changes.
Given the thoroughness in “fact checking” my piece, I’m curious if the Bongartz piece was fact checked and if so, how did so many verifiable false statements get missed. Every claim Bongartz disputed in his piece was either true or a matter of interpretation.
In the commentary I wrote, the word “will” be passed along to the customer was changed to “may,” despite the FACT that fuel dealers testified on multiple occasions that 100% of these costs will be and must be passed along to the customer, as they are not able to absorb them. Even drafters of the law such as Sen. Chris Bray admit when pressed that, yes, it is a fact that these costs will be passed along.
Fact – there is no “proposed” clean heat standard as you modified my second paragraph. It is established as you correctly published in the fifth paragraph. The only thing that remains proposed are the rules that will govern the established program.
In the fifth paragraph you published, it was disingenuous to delete the reference to the NV5 study program costs and just state Bongartz was correct, when I was pointing out it could be MORE than the $3 Bongartz refuted, which is a FACT cited directly from the NV5 report.
I’d like to know what is factually incorrect about the last two and a half paragraphs of my original submission and why it was cut. Space does not appear to be a concern as you cut a good 200 words compared the Bongartz attack piece.
Author’s post-script to readers: I’ll let you know when and if I hear back from them and what they do, if anything.
Joe Gervais of Arlington is a GOP nominee for the Bennington County two-seat state senate district.