By Guy Page
The Vermont This Week panel of moderator Stewart Ledbetter, WCAX’s Calvin Cutler and Katharine Huntley, and I covered plenty of post-adjournment ground in their half-hour discussion Friday on Vermont Public’s weekly current events program.
Homeless Hotels and the Governor’s Budget Veto: A coalition of 17 Progressives and liberal Democrats demand continued emergency housing for homeless Vermonters. Will they and House Republicans sustain Gov. Phil Scott’s threatened veto of the $8.5 billion 2023-24 budget? The scheduled veto session is June 20-22 – and Senate Pro Tem Phil Baruth says that may not be long enough. Also, municipalities are nervously surveying their options – including allowing tenting on public property.
In addition to the budget, bills that (Cutler said) could be vetoed include underage voting in Brattleboro. ranked choice voting, the legislative pay hike, universal school meals, and a gun control bill.
Lawmakers vote to increase their own pay – Will Gov. Scott veto S.39, raising the total pay/benefits package for lawmakers to about $50K in 2025? Learn how and why S.39 split the “Hooper caucus” of the Vermont House.
Attorney General Charity Clark plan to file criminal charges against state troopers – Two state troopers fired a non-lethal bean bag round at a disturbed man on a roof – who then seconds later plunged more than 12 feet and badly hurt his neck. The AG says their actions were criminal, but the troopers’ union says she’s second-guessing an in-the-moment judgement call.
The Champlain Parkway – a/k/a the Southern Connector, with construction beginning in the Reagan Administration – cleared yet another court hurdle. With Burlington’s South End Road to Nowhere finally go somewhere?
Fungus kills spongy caterpillar – Sometimes fungus really is good for something – or at least it’s bad for something that really needs killing.
And more…..including the unexpected departure of the Capitol police chief.
Categories: Legislation, Media
Calvin Cutler – “It is worth noting that if part of it is challenged in court the other provisions in the bill, red flag laws and others those can still be enacted whereas the 72 hour waiting period may not go into effect.” – Wonder what side he is on…
I think that the rules surrounding “safe storage” are very much being downplayed. Nothing in that bill stops someone from being prosecuted for using their firearms to defend themselves in their own home even if the firearm was used properly and accordance to law just because it wasn’t locked up. It’s complete Tyranny and everyone should carry openly if this bill goes through.
Instead of blaming guns for mass shootings, lawmakers need to initiate a study of the real contributor; the use of psychotropic drugs to treat children and the effects of the drugs on their behavior. Big Pharma recognizes the risk of suicide but what about intent to kill? https://www.wisnerbaum.com/our-successes/advocacy-campaigns/baum-hedlund-and-clients-testified-at-fda-antide/
I heard that Baruth spotted a assault rifle in a car at the capital. Turns out it was a DAISY BB GUN.