By Guy Page
The House today approved H.883, the $8.8 billion 2024-25 state budget. But first, it declined to include in that budget $25.75 million already approved in three House bills.
The bills provide more state’s attorney and court staff, expand Medicaid services, and fund long-term housing solutions.
In offering her ‘transparency’ amendment to H.883 on the House floor this morning, Donahue did not specifically object to the $25.75 million in spending – just its lack of inclusion in the proposed budget.
“It’s the transparency to the public that is most important here,” Donahue said.
“I don’t think we should be voting on a budget that pretends a certain amount of spending,” Donahue said. “Transparency to our constituents is one of our most important obligations.”
“I do not disagree that transparency is the utmost,” Appropriations Chair Diane Lanpher (D-Vergennes) said. The budget now being sent to the Senate is “just setting out the first steps and ideas,” she said. When the budget comes back from the Senate in May, “it will look very different.” Approps voted on a straw vote of 11-1-0 to not approve the amendment.
Donahue responded that the process isn’t transparent for the public. “The public is being told we are voting on an $8.8 billion budget….We have not done this before and I don’t think we should start doing it now.”
Rep. Scott Beck (R-St. Johnsbury) agreed. He added that 24 hours ago Approps refused to add an appropriation for ‘process’ reasons. “The inconsistencies continue,” Beck said.
The rejection of the amendment generally followed party-lines. With a few exceptions on both sides, Republicans voted yes, and Democrats and Progressives voted no. The vote was 41-93. The budget then passed on a voice vote.
“I vote yes for our constituents and for transparency in our House budget,” Rep. Lynn Dickinson (R-St. Albans Town) said following the roll call vote.
Mulvaney-Stanak resigns from Legislature – saying she is proud to be the first woman and “out LGBTQ plus person to serve in this role,” Burlington Mayor-Elect Emma Mulvaney-Stanak announced today she has retired from the Vermont State House.
Legislature seeking new User Support Specialist – The Office of Legislative IT seeks to hire a User Support Specialist for the rest of the 2024 legislative session. The role is responsible for providing support to our clients over the phone, via email and chat, and/or in-person.
The previous support specialist, Shadi Battah, is the husband of 2022 Barre House candidate Melissa Battah. According to his LinkedIn account, he began work at the State House in 2019. He earned $44,675.93 according to public records. This is 31.9 percent lower than the average pay for state employees and 35.6 percent lower than the national average for government employees.
Sgt. at Arms Agatha Kessler and Director of Legislative IT Kevin Moore both refused to provide details about Battah’s departure, saying it is a private personnel matter.
Last Vietnam veteran in Vermont House remembers – Rep. Chip Troiano, D-Stannard, is the only remaining Vietnam combat veteran now serving in the House. He took a moment this Friday morning to speak on the floor of the House about the intense training and far more intense “it was kill or be killed” combat experience he experienced as a U.S. Army infantryman. He recalled that he suffered 12 years of post-traumatic stress – no love, no hate, no feeling at all. In closing, he asked for and received a moment of silence for his 58,000 “brothers and sisters who didn’t return.”