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Photos of the legislative session
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
The session has finally come to an end. It is Wednesday May 12, 2010 and we have been here since 9:30 AM this morning. The time now is 11:30 PM and we have been busy all day taking up the most important bills of the session. They include the appropriations (budget), transportation, capital, municipal and teacher retirement systems and the miscellaneous tax bill. All of these bills had passed the House and Senate earlier in the session. The bills taken up today are known as the report of the conference committee and we can only vote "yes" or "no". These are the most difficult legislative votes to make because the conference committee has the latitude to add anything that is relative to the subject and they can't be amended or changed. This provision allows for some pretty outrageous items to be passed into law without any chance for modification.... More >>
Saturday, May 8th, 2010
It has been said for several weeks now that this would be the final week of the session. As I sit here and wait for the House to reconvene for the fifth time today, I am starting to doubt that this will come to be a reality. We were on the floor at 9:30 AM for one hour and then told to return at 1PM. Upon our return we were again postponed until 2 PM and then 4 PM. At 4:30 PM a new sign was placed on the podium telling us to return at 8 PM. It is now 8:10 PM and we have finally begun to take action on a bill that deals agriculture issues. This down time is caused by the moving of legislation back and forth from the Senate and House. This is definitely a sign that the end of the session is near but, it is also very boring and frustrating for many legislators. Many of us serving in the Legislature have other jobs to get back too so, sitting around for several hours at a time doing nothing drives us crazy.... More >>
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010
Adjournment is eminent. We have been told that we will be finishing the session late next week. However, things were fast and furious this week at the Statehouse. There were numerous bills considered and passed by the House and Senate. Bills passed that will allow a new form of corporation to be formed in Vermont, recognizing the Abenaki tribes in Vermont, two education bills, credit card company business practices, probation terms and other correction issues as well as crime prevention bill.... More >>
Saturday, April 24th, 2010
The end of the session is looming and everyone here is becoming very anxious to get out of the Statehouse. I find myself in this same mindset. We were disappointed to hear this week that the session might not end until 5/8/10. This is all new information to us since we have been being told for the last several months that we were tentatively scheduled to finish the session on April 30, 2010. At this point, I can only hope that we get out of here sooner rather than later.... More >>
Monday, April 19th, 2010
For the last few weeks I have been updating you on the progress of the "Challenges for Change" law. This week I will provide additional information on the bill now known as H.792 which passed the House on Thursday. If you recall, the initial law known as act 68 passed the House approximately six weeks ago and outlined a process to improve efficiency in state government while establishing a goal to save $38 million dollars in general fund expenditures. I have supported this concept of working together to find efficiencies and better outcomes since the beginning. However, I continue to oppose the premise of working behind closed doors to come up with the plan. In these tough times we have to make sure to keep the process transparent while remaining more accountable than ever to the taxpayer.... More >>
Sunday, April 11th, 2010
Last week I gave you an update on the progress of the "Challenges for Change" law. This week I will again attempt to provide additional information on the progress of this important legislation. The "Challenges for Change" law was the hot topic of the week at the Statehouse. If you recall, this law outlined a process to improve efficiency in state government while establishing a goal to save $38 million dollars in general fund expenditures. I support the concept of working together to find efficiencies but continue to oppose the premise of working behind closed doors to come up with the plan. In these tough times we have to keep the process transparent and be more accountable than ever to the taxpayer. As each week passes, I remain more and more convinced that passing this law was just another example of political maneuvering by people seeking election to higher office.... More >>
Friday, April 2nd, 2010
As another week comes to an end here at the Statehouse, the legislature finds itself dealing with a very interesting issue. One that was created earlier in the session, by legislative leadership and the Governor who agreed to cooperate with a consultant on a new way of doing a portion of the State's business. The report outlined a process based on outcomes and cooperation rather than opposing goals and gridlock. This issue is the "Challenges for Change" process which is now a law. This law outlined a process and established a goal of saving $38 million dollars, while improving efficiency. In implementing this law, the parties agreed to book the savings and allow the Governor to develop a plan at a later date to achieve them. The legislature would then be required to give final approval and make changes to existing law which would allow the plan to be implemented. I support the concept of working together to find efficiencies but was opposed to the idea of working behind closed doors to come up with the plan. I remain convinced that passing this law was just another example of political maneuvering.... More >>
Your Letter in the Milton Independent
The following is an e-mail to Don in response to one of his recent weekly articles in the Milton Independent. It was dated Friday, February 26, 2010.... More >>
Monday, March 29th, 2010
The level of intensity continues to rise as we move toward adjournment. This past week we again spent most of our time on the floor in the chamber of the house. We debated the most important bills of the session this week as the appropriations (budget), transportation and miscellaneous tax bill all came up for action this week. All three bills passed the House and are now on there way to the Senate for action.... More >>
Sunday, March 21st, 2010
The level of intensity has risen substantially and this past week we spent most of our time on the floor in the chamber of the house. Many bills came before the house and passed this week. They covered many very important issues facing Vermonters including: texting and other safety concerns while driving , youth and apprentice hunting issues, electrical installation safety concerns, judicial restructuring, foreclosure safeguards for the homeowner and job creation initiatives. The corresponding bill numbers are H.132, H.243, H.470, H. 555, H.590 and S.280 if you are interested in finding more about these issues on the State of Vermont website.... More >>
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
We were back at this Statehouse this week after the town meeting break. You can tell that we are now on the home stretch of the session. The level of intensity is rising and leadership is much more involved in the process. Friday was crossover day which means that any bill that does not pertain to the states finances had to have been passed by the Senate or the House in order to be considered for any further action. In other words, it means that if a bill hasn't been considered by anyone now it has died in committee. Well over eight hundred bills have met this fate and can no longer be considered for action in this legislative biennium.... More >>
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
The legislature does not meet the week of Town Meeting. This gave me an opportunity to spend some time in town talking to friends and community members about the issues at hand. This break comes about mid way through the session. It is an opportune time to get caught up and re-energized for the remainder of what will be a very difficult session.... More >>
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
I would like to start off this weeks article by thanking everyone that takes the time to read my weekly article. Whether you read them weekly or on occasion, I truly appreciate your time and effort. I especially want to thank those of you who have taken the time to speak to me in person or send an email or letter. It is extremely hard to represent your interests in the legislature without feedback. Therefore, your willingness to express support, opposition, concerns or appreciation is very important to me. Again, thank you for your feedback and continued support.... More >>
Saturday, February 20th, 2010
More bills are starting to make their way out of committee and onto the House floor for debate. This week was filled with much debate and frustration. We were on the floor for many hours each day listening to why we needed to change the date of the Primary Election (S.117), why the state needed to establish a river corridor management program within the Agency of Natural Resources (H.763) and to implement an act relating to challenges for changing the way State Government delivers its services to its citizens (S.286). In my opinion, each of these bills in their current form do very little good for the average Vermont taxpayer. I voted against each of these bills and feel strongly that they are bad for you and Vermont.... More >>
Monday, February 15th, 2010
Friday was a bittersweet day for me as a Dad and Legislator. It was the last day that my daughter Erin was to serve as a Legislative Page. It was also a day in which both bodies of the legislature and the Governor recognized the Pages for their service to the State. The six weeks went by very fast and I will miss the special time that we had together serving the State. Especially, the two and a half hours a day of alone time commuting back and forth to the Statehouse. Erin did a great job representing our community and I received compliments from many people in the Statehouse about her service. I am very proud of her!... More >>
Saturday, February 6th, 2010
My last few articles have been spent highlighting what is happening in committee. The reason for this is that at the beginning of each session very little time is spent on the House floor debating legislation. By far, much more time is spent in committee sifting through proposed legislation that has been directed to us by leadership based on committee jurisdiction. However, as we move deeper into the session, our time commitment swings as a pendulum with it. Therefore, in the middle of the session will be spending approximately half of our time on the floor and the other half in committee and then by the end of the session we will spending all of our time on the floor and no time in committee.... More >>
Saturday, January 30th, 2010
Most of my time this week at the Statehouse was spent in my committee, Commerce and Economic Development. Our committee was summoned to the Speakers office early Tuesday morning for an important announcement. Chair Kitzmiller read aloud his letter to the Speaker resigning from the chairmanship.... More >>
Governor Douglas' 2010 Budget Address
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the General Assembly, distinguished guests, my
fellow Vermonters:
In the late fall of 1927, the skies opened and a great flood devastated our state.
Vermont's transportation, industrial and agricultural infrastructure was washed away over
two long days.
On a visit back home less than a year after the flood, President Coolidge noted "the
splendid recovery." He remarked that "Transportation has been restored. The railroads
are in a better condition than before. The highways are open to traffic for those who wish
to travel by automobile."
The Great Flood of 1927 was a defining moment in our state's history not just for the
magnitude of destruction, but for the effort to rebuild that followed.
Today, the crisis we confront is economic: a Great Recession. For two long years,
Vermonters have been hard hit by this downturn and the foundation of our economy is in
need of rebuilding. That work is slowly beginning on factory floors and in offices, at
home businesses and on construction sites. But progress is fragile and there is much hard
work ahead.... More >>
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
This week began with Governor James Douglas's last budget address. The Governor laid out his plan to get Vermont out of the very serious financial situation we currently face. With a $150 million dollar deficit projected for next year we cannot continue to do business as usual.... More >>
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