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Chamber of Commerce names Nat’l Guard general Citizen of the Year
By Guy Page
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce has named Vermont National Guard Adjutant General Gregory Knight as its Citizen of the Year. He will be honored at a May 21 dinner at Trapp Family Lodge.
Little known fact: Gen. Knight is 1) a lifelong resident of the Chittenden County mountain town of Huntington, and 2) served in the U.S. Coast Guard.
“Through his proactive leadership, workforce development initiatives, and dedication, he has truly exemplified the spirit of service and self-sacrifice that this award honors,” the Chamber said today.
A lifelong Huntington resident, Major General Gregory Knight has over 40 years of uniformed service. From the U.S. Coast Guard to leading the Vermont National Guard, his distinguished career includes a Bronze Star, deployments abroad, and pivotal leadership as Adjutant General. He has guided Vermont through historic floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and championed a culture of inclusion and connection within the Guard, the Vermont Chamber said.
Knight was in the news last week for his very public ask to legislators to support a 100% state income tax exemption on all military pensions. He delivered the request at his ‘State of the Guard’ speech last Wednesday.
The perennial effort to exempt military pensions has been the subject of a recent back-and-forth between advocates and House leadership.
In late March, Rep. Jed Lipsky moved to add a military pension exemption to H.483, a list of other income tax reform and exemption bils enjoying bi-partisan support. The bill was immediately yanked back from floor discussion by Rep. Charlie Kimbell (D-Woodstock), the ranking member of Ways and Means, the House tax committee.
Massachusetts, New York and New Hampshire, and more than two dozen other states, all provide income tax exemptions for veterans. In part it’s to tangibly thank and honor veterans for their service, but it’s also about attracting skilled workers (many with two decades of work ahead of them) to participate in the Vermont economy. Accordingly, some legislators and veterans’ advocates demanded an explanation – including Retired United States Army Sgt. Kenneth Sekuterski of the Governor’s Veterans Advisory Council, in a letter to House Speaker Jill Krowinski April 3:
“The veterans of our state deserve to hear a response from you about why this critical bill was sent back to committee.
“How is it possible that one of the most popular bills before the legislature, supported by representatives from both sides of the aisle, could be sidelined in this manner? While other priorities are being discussed, it is disheartening to see that a measure with the potential to significantly benefit those who have served our country receives no follow-up or public announcement from your office.
“This issue is too important to be overlooked. Our veterans deserve concrete action and a clear explanation of the steps being taken to support them. I urge you to provide transparency on this matter and to allow a fair vote on military pension tax relief,” Sekuterski said.
On Tuesday, April 8, Krowinski Chief of Staff Conor Kennedy’s emailed response suggested the money would be better spent on helping the homeless, including the veterans among them:
“The Speaker is always looking to identify ways to honor and support our fellow Vermonters that are active duty or are veterans. Just last week we had the first “State of the Guard” which she organized with MG Knight and the VTANG as a way to recognize the work of our Vermont Guard and their work and service to our state and nation. When looking at this issue it is important to note that there are currently over 34,000 veterans in our state and this legislation would impact those that have a military retirement or receive survivor benefits, which is a little over 4,000 Vermonters.
“The question that some are asking is, at a cost of more than $4 million dollars annually, could the money be used on a program or for resources that would be more accessible and/or have a greater impact for more Vermont veterans? I don’t believe there are many that do not support legislation to exempt military retirement, but we also have over 150 homeless vets, vets that cannot access health care, and those that workforce training and placement support. The troubling reality is that there is a great need for basic health and welfare resources that are not adequately available to Vermont vets.”
Kennedy also cited other demands on the committee’s time, and the request by cops and firefighters to receive a similar exemption:
“The bill was moved back to committee after we had several other entities (fire fighters, law enforcement, etc.) ask to be included in the retirement exemption which would significantly drive up the cost of the bill and to Vermont taxpayers. The committee has been focused on working on education finance reform but will return to the bill next week – no one is “thwarting” a vote on this bill.”
One legislator who is also a military veteran called the public safety exemption explanation ‘baloney.’ [Editor’s note: he actually used a scatalogical word beginning with ‘b.’ Please pardon the editorial license.] Besides the apparent convenience of having a reason to not consider an amendment, there is an important difference between public safety and military service, he said: the cop and firefighter can quit at any time. But military service members who try to quit are subject to arrest for dereliction of duty, one of the most serious crimes in the criminal justice system.
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Categories: Military, State House Spotlight
If Krowinski and her colleagues were more concerned specifically about veterans who are in need of housing, they would have more credibility in the matter. “Need” should be combined with the merit-based acknowledgement of the immeasurable contributions to society made by our military veterans when providing expensive social benefits like housing. Non-veteran junkies, who selfishly spend the bulk of their financial assets feeding their self-destructive habits should go to the back of the line. In case the demoprogs in the legislature didn’t get the memo from the November elections, the rest of the country is returning to the concept of a merit-based society and moving away from leftist victim-worship.
Congratulations to Adjutant General Knight.
I find it interesting that firefighters & LE personnel want to be included. As a retired Navy Surface Warfare Officer who served in four ships and on two overseas tours, I would be amenable to their inclusion, if they could provide proof they spent more than five years away from the comfort of their home.
Absolutely correct Rich! Krowinski’s action speak louder than words. Reward those who do nothing no and penalize those who have given of themselves. It is tragic that a state with such a proud military heritage would treat its veterans in this manner.
Hopefully, every single veteran, out of the 34,000, that is eligible to vote against Krowinski in the next election will do so. Those remaining vets should all fill Krowinski’s email with letters along with physically mailing copies to her address.
Perhaps the majority in Vermont’s General Assembly has decided the state already has enough patriots and does not wish to erode further its voter base by attracting vets.
It is a real shame that Democrats in the Vermont legislature would rather throw money down a continuing hole of homelessness. Throwing more money at a problem like homelessness isn’t going to solve the problem. Democrats need to get real.
The assumption that solving a problem is the goal may be wrong. To perpetuate a problem as a means to retain power and money seems to be a goal of a majority of Vermont politicians. To exempt Vet’s from income tax on retirement is to relinquish power and control.
There will be more veterans being sacrificed in the future if they were forced to take the COVID KILL SHOT. One must be careful with the hero worshiping when the truth is in plain site.
Great article, Guy, and the dramatic photograph of General Knight and Ken Goslant fronting that wonderful Civil War painting in the background is classic.
The standard Vermont Liberal track of denying productive people the rewards of hard work and success while focusing on the nonproductive takers of this state! Bringing retired military personnel will increase the skilled workforce, bring in families and young people, people entering their peak earning years, individuals with a documented history of service over self into our communities!
I ask why these veterans who “can’t ” access healthcare are not using the free care offered by the various VA operated clinics across the state. The VA currently in concert with many housing agencies offers funding and or housing for homeless veterans. Also, why aren’t the people not taking advantage of the educational or skills based training offered by the VA? How does denying retirement tax exemptions address the underutilization of the services available by the subject veterans?
Being a Vet (AF-1958-1962) the WRJ Medical Facility does have many Vets but should care for more. There are clinics however at times the WRJ hosp needs to approve. There shouldn’t be any homeless Vets. The state government is juggling the taxes for firefighters, etc and Vets are last on the list. Not much support for Vets regarding the homeless issue.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a tax break for veterans, elderly, or anyone else. The tax and fee all breathing humans within the Vermont border into systemic poverty is the platform Dem/Progs will never change. They have to fund their pet projects, their non-profiteers and NGO’s – it’s all for votes and lucrative compensation – above or below the table. All their hands wash the others’ laundry. In Vermont, their washing machine is overflowing with their sudsy lawfare warfare and thievery.
I suspect the Veterans in Vermont will be real clear who they will NOT be voting for the next time around. Leadership at the highest levels in Vermont appear to have departed.
So be it! I can just retire to Tennessee or even over to New Hampshire and Vermont gets nothing out of me. Problem solved for me, problem compounded for Vermont. Ah well…
Problem solved for progressives by chasing away anyone who’d vote them out of office. It’s literally working out in their favor. Just saying. Not disagreeing with your choice bc I truly get it. I might do it too tho I hate packing and moving. Indeed I have been doing that for all my adult life, looking for a safer place to live within my means. But that is their strategy. And it is working. How sad is that?
Veterans & Retired Veterans are not the same. Yes there are likely homeless veterans, but I’d submit that the Retired homeless veteran population is quite small.
A Service member that served a few years and happens to be homeless is not the same as a service member who served 20 years or the Medical retirement equivalent.
We’re talking about career service folks. You cheapen their many years of service by conflating the equivalence.
Exactly! This should be for Career Retired Veterans and they deserve it