by Rep. Jim Harrison (R-Mendon, Chittenden, Killington, Pittsfield)
Back before Apple Play and phone navigation apps, we had a Garmin (we referred to it as Gladys) to help us with directions to unfamiliar destinations. If we made a wrong turn, Gladys would start saying “recalculating.” And to make it more annoying, Gladys would keep repeating it until you got back on track. The message was clear. You made a mistake. Own up to it and move on.
During Governor Scott’s inaugural speech last Thursday, he essentially shared the same message, “You somehow got off the trail, took a wrong turn, it starts to get dark, and it hits you: I went the wrong way. When that happens to me, I stop, get my bearings and get back on course. But when it comes to politics, I know it can be hard to admit when you’ve gone down the wrong path and need to turn around. But we’re not here to worry about egos. We’re here to do what Vermonters need.”
The Governor’s point was that perhaps we made some mistakes along the way and there is a need to recalculate. He laid out a challenge to lawmakers to work with his administration to make bold changes to our education system and reduce the costs to Vermonters. Making such changes will not be easy or in many cases popular, but in his view, they are very necessary.
Housing was another of Scott’s priorities, as is his call to make Vermont more affordable. This may mean recalculating some of the recently passed legislative initiatives like the Clean Heat law.
The Governor also talked about the continued Demographic challenges Vermont faces and what it means in terms of education costs, health care expenses and our workforce. He referred to the numbers 14, 28 and 48 and said, “According to the Joint Fiscal Office, from 2010 to 2022 alone, we saw 14,000 fewer Vermonters under the age of 18; 28,000 fewer age 40-54 (which is prime working age) and 48,000 more over the age 65.”
Scott closed his speech with, “This year, we’ve once again been asked to step up, solve big problems and help people. And there’s no doubt our challenges are great. But if we meet them head on – accept reality but refuse to settle for it – I know, when this session comes to a close, we will be able to go back to our communities with our heads held high, proud of the work we did here. We will go home with a renewed sense of duty, and hope for the brighter future that all Vermonters deserve. That’s what they asked us to do. And we cannot – and must not – let them down.”
While there were times the Republican members stood and applauded and Democratics stayed seated and quiet, for the most part his message of working together was well received by leaders of both parties. The exception was a few Progressive members who didn’t stand and rarely applauded in the Chamber. Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky (P-Chittenden Central), even boycotted the Governor’s speech for not doing more for the homeless and limiting access to the hotel voucher program.
The first week of the new session closed out on Saturday with the Governor’s Inaugural Gala, which saw a large bi-partisan group of attendees. Vermont food and beverage producers from all 14 counties offered samples of their products. And the Governor’s #14 race car was on display for all to see (but not test drive!). This marked the first return to the Gala since the Pandemic.
Other items of note:
- The election of John Rodgers as Vermont’s new Lt Governor, was confirmed by a Joint Assembly of the House and Senate. Rogers, a former Democratic legislator and now Republican, beat David Zuckerman, a Progressive/Democrat, but did not reach the 50% threshold. Under our constitution, statewide elections must be voted on by the legislature if no candidate receives a majority of the total votes cast.
- House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, was re-elected House Speaker over Laura Sibilia, I-Dover. Senator Phil Baruth of Burlington, D-Chittenden Central, was re-elected Senate leader.
- In recognition of Republican gains in the House, Speaker Krowinski named a second Republican committee chair and five more Republican vice chairs (now 9). There are 14 committees in the House.
- In the Senate, Republicans gained two chair positions for a total of three out of the 11 committees. Senator Brian Collamore, R-Rutland, a hard-working local legislator, is now Chair of Senate Government Operations,
- Yours truly got a bit of a promotion and was appointed Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee. I expect to enjoy a good working relationship with the new Chair, Robin Scheu, D-Middlebury. The committee is tasked with developing the House version of the state budget. In addition, all bills advanced by policy committees that require new spending must make a stop in Appropriations before going to the full House for a vote.
- The Republican effort to repeal the Clean Heat law, of which I am in the lead sponsor, has been introduced as H.16 and was referred to the House Energy and Digital Infrastructure Committee. According to a study done for the Public Service Department this past fall, the law will dramatically increase heating fuel prices if the proposed rules are adopted by the legislature.
- The administration presented their mid-year budget adjustment proposal to the House Appropriations Committee Friday afternoon. It includes $85 million in additional spending from the General Fund to address cost pressures in a variety of areas, including state employee’s health care, a deficit in the state’s liquor fund, the Vermont Veterans Home, Medicaid and more. The money for the adjustments will come from an increase in the state’s revenue forecast from state economists last summer.