“I just don’t know, I haven’t contemplated that,” Gov. Phil Scott replied.
Asked ‘What is a woman,’ Gov. Scott takes the 5th
Scott to sign Ukraine assistance bill Tuesday at Freedom & Unity Vigil
Russian gasoline and liquor are driving Vermonters and other Americans less and less these days. All liquor store proceeds from the sale of Russian-made products for one week have been set aside for humanitarian assistance in Ukraine.
Scott would return $45 million in Ed Fund surplus to taxpayers, spend rest on tech centers
Scott’s plan for unexpected $90 million surplus in the state Education Fund: give half back to taxpayers in $250 checks this summer, and spend the rest teaching trades to young Vermonters enrolled in technical education.
$1 to Ukraine for every Vermonter. Russian-state business banned. Goodbye, Karelia
Vermont’s support for Ukraine has gone way beyond removing Russian-made products from Vermont liquor stores.
Governor noncommittal about anti-hunting bills
Like a patient hunter, Gov. Phil Scott is taking his time before deciding whether to take aim at three controversial hunting bills.
Scott doesn’t back legal prostitution
The legalization of prostitution, now being pushed mostly by Progressives, is not “what Vermont needs at this point,” Gov. Phil Scott says.
Governor Scott vetoes 16 and 17-year old voting
The Legislature shouldn’t lower the age of voting while raising the age of criminal accountability, Gov. Scott said in his veto of teenage voting in Brattleboro.
Moore: Scott hits bullseye with S.30 veto focus on mental health crisis
Vermont Traditions Coalition applauds Governor Phil Scott for highlighting the need for better mental health crisis management in his veto of S30.
Governor won’t back EUA mandatory school vaccines
Phil Scott is no fan of requiring students to accept vaccines under Emergency Use Authorization.
Bow-hunting beauty queen, former clean water lawmaker named to VT Fish & Wildlife Board
A lawmaker known for preserving water quality and a bow-hunting former Miss Vermont have been named to represent their counties on the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Board.
Scott leans toward gun bill veto
Gov. Phil Scott today signaled he would likely veto S30, which restricts gun rights.
House, Senate GOP leaders agree with Scott: grow workforce and housing, cut taxes
GOP leaders in the House and Senate said ‘amen’ to Gov. Phil Scott’s plans announced Tuesday to increase housing and the number of workers, and cut taxes. The Democrat leaders in both houses liked Scott’s plans, too.
Larry Labor (R) appointed to fill Orleans House seat; Essex Rep resigns
Hospital pharmacy director Larry Labor has been appointed to fill the House seat vacated by Rep. Lynn Batchelor, who resigned in October.
How far would VT Legislature go to stop Covid-19?
With other democracies imposing lockdowns, compulsory vaccination, and/or forced relocation, we ask the two leaders of the Vermont Legislature how far they will go. They answered.
Scott signs municipal mask mandate bill, predicts it won’t work
The municipal mask mandate is now law, after Gov. Phil Scott signed it this morning. But, he predicted hours later, it won’t work.
It’s official: Special Session Monday
The Vermont Legislature will gather Monday, Nov. 22 to consider municipal mask mandate legislation.
10 ICU beds unstaffed; small schools may close; VT should emulate Texas, Florida, Scott says
10 Vermont ICU hospital beds are unstaffed due to a statewide nursing shortage. Staffing pressures also may force small schools to close.
High VT youth infection numbers follow high testing
Were Vermont’s high Covid-19-positive cases among ages 5-11 last week a result of a genuine spread – or just more testing than usual?
Rally to continue motel program
A rally at the Statehouse to continue funding for homeless people in motels and hotels had support from legislators and about 50 people.
Scott only GOP guv to not sign immigration crisis letter
After eight months of unprecedented illegal immigration, every Republican governor but one signed a letter asking President Biden for a meeting to discuss resolving the crisis.
Page: the Return of the Covid Creemee
Sure, a creemee – especially the maple creemee, that sexy marriage of our two hometown sweethearts, milk and maple syrup – is yummy. But is it “sure, I’ll let them inject an emergency-approved anti-viral into my body if they’ll give me a creemee” yummy?
Guv pledges $200 mil for carbon reduction
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) April 6 proposed more than $200 million in state-federal climate change mitigation spending.
Scott explains BIPOC vaccination policy
“In addition to the greater risk of hospitalization among BIPOC community members, the pace of vaccination for these individuals is too far behind the white population. With a rate of 20.2% of the BIPOC population having received at least one dose of vaccine as compared with non-Hispanic Whites (33.4%), we need to do more to close this gap – both as a matter of equity and to help decrease the risk of hospitalizations.”
Scott official urges peer pressure on vax undecided
The Scott administration yesterday strongly urged Vermonters to encourage family and friends to “step up when it’s their turn” to choose vaccination. It also spoke about BIPOC vaccination, vaccines developed with stem cells. And there’s info about the pandemic and Pickleball.
2019 meeting with PRC Consul General a “meet and greet” courtesy, Scott says
Vermont Daily readers have been asking about the State of Vermont’s relationship with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In particular, they have asked about meetings between state officials, including Gov. Phil Scott, and PRC officials.
Racist or entertainer? Either way, Steve Merrill’s still banned from press conferences
Northeast Kingdom TV news producer Steve Merrill was banned last week from asking questions at Gov. Phil Scott’s twice-weekly press conference.
Scott, Dems smear conservatives in push for ‘unity’
Ron Lawrence: This calls into question our Governor’s support for the Party to which he claims to belong. It certainly calls into question his leadership and devotion to uniting the Party. And, it calls into question his personal character. What kind of person engages in this sort of smear tactic—except only silence his opposition?
Voices on left, right want Phil Scott to leave the GOP
Would Phil Scott – lifelong Republican – pull a Jim Jeffords and leave the GOP? Ericka Redic discusses why voices from the left, right and media are talking about the Vermont governor leaving his party.
Scott might agree to taxing more services and products, if overall burden reduced
Gov. Phil Scott would consider expanding sales tax on services, products, but only to reduce the overall burden. Asked about a plan to reduce the percentage of the sales tax but expand the scope of taxable products and services, Scott said: “This isn’t the time to increase taxes on anyone….if the Legislature is talking about reducing the burden, I’m all ears.”
Guv, Levine quarantine after press conference Covid contact
This afternoon (January 19), Governor Phil Scott, Department of Health Commissioner Mark Levine, M.D. and other administration officials were informed that a contractor who provided services at the Governor’s coronavirus briefings on Friday, January 15 and Tuesday, January 19 has tested positive for COVID-19.
Scott centralizes police organization, Act 250 decision-making
Vermont’s policing and Act 250 decision-making will fall under more state control than ever, as a result of two executive orders issued by Gov. Phil Scott.
Guv ducks martial law enforcement question
Gov. Scott answered: “I don’t believe President Trump will be declaring martial law.” Vermont Daily said, “Okay, say he does?” Scott replied: “I don’t want to play that game, because I don’t believe it will happen.”
Scott announces new press secretary, makes other appointments
Governor Phil Scott today announced a handful of new appointments and promotions in the Agency of Administration, Agency of Human Services and on his senior staff.
As Stamford defies State of Emergency, Guv claims “solid ground”
Gov. Phil Scott said today at a press conference he and his legal team “feel we are on very solid ground constitutionally” after the Town of Stamford voted Tuesday night to defy the governor’s emergency pandemic orders.
No pardons from guv – yet
Under Vermont law, governors may issue pardons. Gov. Phil Scott has a page on his website dedicated to applying for pardons. But as yet, Scott has yet to pardon anyone during his four years in office. But, he said at a press conference this Tuesday, he’s thinking about it.
Guv re-opens social gathering spigot (a little)
Between December 23 and January 2, households may gather with one other trusted household.
Outed on police ‘ratline,’ Stamford gathers to light Christmas tree, anyway
“Laura, you took an oath to uphold the Constitution, I would imagine, and you guys are running over it along with the governor.” – Stamford selectman Dan Potvin
Covid-19 update: No Vermonters on ventilators. School sports postponed. Truancy up. Survivor immunity uncertain. Statewide recovery could take a year
Vermont’s recovery from the pandemic won’t be over when the vaccine arrives next month, Scott cautioned. “This is going to take many many months….it could be up to a year,” Scott said. Levine said the optimists put the recovery date at spring 2021, the pessimists say late summer. “We’ll all have to practice masking and social distancing for a long period of time….into the spring, for sure,” he said.
Guv’s plan would centralize police hiring, training, use of force under State control
The Vermont Department of Public Safety wants public feedback on its plan to “modernize policing across Vermont” by increasing the state role in diversity hiring, policies for use of force and body cameras, banning invasive surveillance, and more.
State followed guidelines removing vaccine protest banner
A banner raised Sunday morning to protest liability exemption for the Covid-19 vaccine was removed by state workers this afternoon in accordance with state guidelines.
Covid-19 vaccine protest banner removed from I-89 overpass
A banner raised Sunday morning to protest liability exemption for the Covid-19 vaccine was removed by state workers this afternoon, Jennifer Stella of Health Choice Vermont said. The removal of the banner raised by Health Choice Vermont may be in conflict with a Scott administration policy allowing messaging on state highway property, enacted in June in response to complaints from Black Lives Matter protesters.
Franklin County school district won’t comply with Thanksgiving order
“The Governor’s order, and the subsequent guidance from the Agency of Education, potentially thrust our young children into adult conversations and decisions, which is not appropriate,” Georgia Elementary School principals Julie Conrad and Steve Emery wrote in a Nov. 25 letter to parents. “It also potentially sets up situations where being dishonest could take precedence over our working together to meet every student and family’s individual needs, and that is not a practice that is in keeping with the character we encourage in our students and each other.”
Some retailers upset with guv for Black Friday comment
On Nov. 24, Scott asked Vermonters not to shop on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday retailing season) if they didn’t have a need to. The normally pro-business Scott may be hoping to stop the new surge of COVID cases, but his comments seem to have rattled small business owners.
Schools to quiz students, parents about Thanksgiving travel
The Monday after Thanksgiving, Vermont school staff under direction from the Agency of Education will be asking students and parents if they traveled to other households for Thanksgiving dinner. If they answer yes, they will be required to go to remote learning for 14 days.
