By Paul Bean
Senate Republicans will accept zero added consumer costs associated with the Clean Heat Standard, Sen. Minority Leader Scott Beck (R-Caledonia) said at a Senate Republican Caucus press conference Friday.
(12:29) “We think climate change is important,” said Senator Beck. “Climate resiliency is important and carbon reduction is very important. But we have to be realistic about what we can do without putting an undue burden on Vermonters…”Where the conversation ends and we’re not willing to go there, is, are we willing to entertain additional tax revenues, fees, or penalties to accelerate what has already happened which is carbon reduction carbon reduction is has happened in Vermont over the last 30 years and has actually been quite significant.”
(1:45) “We need housing that people can afford. We need energy that’s clean and people can afford. We need an education fund that is transparent and more closely connects a district to its spending decisions. And all communities want to feel much safer than they have the past two years,” said Caledonia County Senator Scott Beck to open the press conference.
The Republican Caucus spent most of the press conference taking questions. They addressed:
- Education finance reform (3:22)
- Public Safety Bill and Reform (7:36)
- GOP Stance on Climate Change/ Clean Heat Standard (11:50)
- The new Presidential Administration and Executive Orders (16:46)
5. (18:45) VDC Editor Guy Page: “What do you think about the Trump administration’s antipathy is the word towards Sanctuary States?”
Senator Beck: “Somehow in the lingo the last day or so people have assumed that Vermont is a sanctuary state, which we’re not. So we put that out there, as far as immigration is concerned. I think I think Republicans support a legal system that is organized and accountable where people can come into this country and leave this country, and in legal way and documented way. Vermont relies heavily on our immigrant workforce…. especially in our dairy industry.
“I think we need to acknowledge as a country that we need a legal framework and that these immigrants are very very important to our country. I fact they’ve been the lifeblood of our country for 250 years if not more. I think we need to keep those two things in mind and when they’re here we need to be very respectful of them just like we would any other non-citizen.”
In a conversation with VDC yesterday, Beck clarified that Vermont law prohibiting police cooperation with ICE isn’t the same as offering sanctuary. The former is not cooperating with the feds, the latter is actively resisting their efforts by shielding illegal immigrants.
Guy Page: “Well we do have a 2017 law I think that says no police participation with Federal with with ice uh I think that kind of makes this a sanctuary State
Senator Beck: “I don’t I think it’s more passive.”
Click the link above to watch the full press conference, video courtesy John Brabant, Vermonters for a Clean Environment, Regulatory Affairs Director.