Also says Accountability Court should meet in other counties besides Chittenden

By Guy Page

Gov. Phil Scott said Thursday that large data centers are unlikely to locate in Vermont, defended his administration’s approach to homelessness and health care costs, and said he wants to expand a court initiative aimed at repeat offenders during a wide-ranging Sept. 3 press conference.

After he and his administration delivered remarks on tech education and the progress of school funding reform, Scott also took reporters’ questions on the November election, constitutional Proposal 3, public-safety concerns in St. Johnsbury and criticism from Democrats over who deserves credit for recent tax-relief proposals.

On data centers, Scott said Vermont’s existing regulatory and energy constraints make construction of a large facility highly unlikely. His comments came after Morristown and South Burlington adopted local moratoriums and amid criticism of his veto of legislation regulating large data centers.

“The likelihood of a data center in Vermont anywhere in the future is slim to none,” Scott said. He described the vetoed legislation as unnecessary and “anti-business,” noting that major projects already face significant hurdles under Act 250 and other state regulations.

Scott said a large data center would also need Public Utility Commission approval and potentially enormous upgrades to Vermont’s electric infrastructure.

“It’s the regulatory hurdles that we have here in Vermont that would prevent that from happening,” Scott said, adding that necessary power upgrades could take a decade. He said communities are free to impose their own moratoriums.

Asked about President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of communities that resist data-center development, Scott disagreed.

“I do not agree with that at all,” Scott said. “I think that we can have economic development here in Vermont without the data centers.”

On health care, Scott praised the Green Mountain Care Board’s scrutiny of hospital budgets, saying health care costs, like education costs, are “out of control.” He said Vermont needs to transform rural health care while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services.

“We have to be able to deliver to the people of Vermont,” Scott said. “But we can’t duplicate services throughout the state either.”

Scott also defended his administration’s move away from Vermont’s pandemic-era motel housing program. Responding to criticism that new rules could leave more people homeless, Scott called the motel program “a disaster” and said it failed to provide people with the intervention and services they needed.

“I think this approach is better,” Scott said, adding that the administration would make adjustments if necessary. He also said officials would examine concerns about 211 services not operating on weekends.

Public safety was another major topic. Asked about concerns over open drug use and repeat offenders in St. Johnsbury, Scott said his understanding is that local officials are primarily seeking help from the judicial system rather than additional police.

Scott pointed to Burlington’s “accountability court” model and said he would like to make the concept permanent and potentially create a mobile version that could move between communities with a dedicated judge and prosecutor.

“If I’m successful in November, we’ll be bringing this to the legislature,” Scott said.

Asked specifically whether Vermont State Police could be deployed to St. Johnsbury as they have been in Burlington, Scott said his administration had considered the question but was told local officials believed they had adequate law-enforcement resources on the ground and instead needed greater accountability once defendants entered the court system.

Scott also offered a noncommittal position on Proposal 3, the proposed constitutional amendment concerning collective bargaining rights. He said unions have a role in Vermont’s economy alongside an open labor market.

“I don’t think Prop 3 is necessary, but I don’t know as it does any harm either,” Scott said. “So I’m ambivalent.”

On politics, Scott said he intends to remain involved in legislative races as he campaigns for reelection. He credited the loss of the Democratic supermajority two years ago with producing a more balanced Legislature and said he does not want Republicans to “lose any ground” this November.

“Those legislative races are important to me,” Scott said.

Scott also pushed back against Democratic lawmakers who have claimed credit for elements of a tax-relief package. He said the proposals had previously appeared in his State of the State and budget addresses and in his administration’s proposed budget.

“Everything that was passed was something that we had offered,” Scott said. He suggested Democrats were attempting to regain their legislative supermajority and said his campaign would continue “calling balls and strikes” through the election.