FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 17
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Matt Dunne Challenges Brian Dubie on Economy
BURLINGTON – Today, on the steps of Burlington City Hall, Matt Dunne challenged Lt. Governor Brian Dubie over both his record and statements regarding the Vermont economy. He was accompanied by Ellen Montgomery, a teacher in the Burlington School District, Mark Renkert of SMARTvt.org, and prominent Vermont environmentalist and author Bill McKibben.
Dunne took Dubie to task over his recent assertion that Vermont is a bad place to do business, contrasting it with his failure to provide an economic development plan.
“Brian Dubie, where have you been?” Dunne asked. “You ask Vermonters to vote for you, but you complain that Vermont is a bad place to do business, while failing to even offer a plan to improve the economy?”
Dunne also took issue with the fact that Dubie has refused to attend a single public forum to which he was invited and then made jokes in a press release about a Democratic forum in which a stand-in was used for Dubie.
“Brian, this is not a joke,” said Dunne. “While you mocked the economic plans put forward by the Democrats, you refuse to release your own plan, would opt not to use $19 million in Federal funds to help offset teacher lay-offs, and would extend the license to a nuclear facility that is leaking tritium into Vermont’s groundwater.”
Prominent Vermont author and environmentalist Bill McKibben joined Dunne to provide his own perspective on Brian Dubie’s policies.
“I like a good joke as much as the next guy, but blocking people’s desire for a real democratic dialog is no joke,” McKibben said. “And what’s going on with this state is no joke. It’s no joke that in the year when the earth’s temperature is hotter than it’s ever been, this administration’s policies have been as reactive, slow and unprogressive as ever.”
“It may be Brian Dubie thinks we’re still in the era where you get the job because you’re standing next to the guy who left,” McKibben concluded. “If that’s the case, I think he has another thing coming.”
Ellen Montgomery, an Art teacher in the Burlington School District, also joined Dunne to share her own experiences about why Vermont’s economy is not working for her. She pointed out that education budget cuts have already led to lay-offs for many school support staff, including those working with at-risk students. Without accepting the Federal money for education, hundreds of teachers around the state will be laid off; and as an art teacher, Montgomery says that means her.
Dunne ended the press conference explaining why we need a change in Montpelier leadership today: “Vermont needs someone who can be trusted to stand up and do what it takes to solve Vermont’s problems, instead of refusing Federal aid and ignoring the economy as Dubie has done.”
Highlighting his own business experience and his willingness to stand up to Dubie and tell him that Vermont’s future is not a joking matter, Dunne made the case that he is the right candidate to defeat Brian Dubie in November, and to deliver an economy that works for all Vermonters.
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I have to question why the Democrats, i.e. Matt Dune, are not looking within their own house/party for the problems that face this state. The Governor and Lt. Governor make proposals, submit budgets etc. But, it is the Assembly/Legislature that can at anytime stall and/or overturn what the Governor and Lt. Governor put forth.
Since the Democrats currently hold a 2:1 ratio over the Republicans, Progressives, and Independents and have for approx. 8+ years, one can only conclude that the Democrats are at the heart of the state’s problems i.e shirnking energy instate sources, growing deficit, lack of jobs, loss of our youth etc. However, in reality the real blame lies with the people, we control the Assmebly/Legislature-they work for us-time to hold their feet to the fire. When you go to the polls,stop, think, remember, we, the people of Vermont, empoly our Representatives and vote accordingly.