Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, left, stands with Ernie Pomerleau
Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, the Republican candidate for governor, released his long-awaited economic plan this week. It was the first time the public and press got a glimpse of Dubie’s stands on major policy issues.
Until now, Dubie’s campaign has kept the lieutenant governor’s policies under wraps, limited his participation in public forums to a single appearance and insulated the candidate from reporters’ questions.
Unlike the Democratic candidates, who return calls personally or give out their cell phone numbers to journalists, Dubie typically speaks to reporters through handlers.
So, on Monday, it was no surprise the press corps was anxious to ask the lieutenant governor about his economic plan. They were issued copies of the 26-page report, “Pure Vermont: Blueprint for Job Growth and Economic Expansion,” before he spoke to more than 100 business leaders gathered on the factory floor of Northern Power Systems in Barre.
Afterward, reporters were given 12 1/2 minutes to ask Dubie questions. His responses stuck to the script: repeating bullet points from his speech without explanation of how his proposal to limit “growth” of government by 2 percent per year, for a four-year period, would affect state programs, particularly education and health care. Nor would he explain how his tax cut plan, to begin in 2013, would affect low-income and middle-class Vermonters. When asked for more information, he continued to paint his proposal with broad strokes, repeatedly saying further details would be part of a “conversation” with the General Assembly.
Here’s a sampling from his exchange with reporters:
Terri Hallenbeck of The Burlington Free Press: We have a good sense of where the Legislature’s priorities are. You’ve hinted that we’re being too generous (with state benefits). Could you just give us a sense of where your priorities might be?
Dubie: I’ve said we can’t spend more than the underlying economy. Families can’t spend more than they take in. That’s what I’m saying here today. Gov. Howard Dean level-funded budgets. I’m proposing that we grow government at a rate less than we have grown in the last decade. It’s reasonable, it’s responsible. We’re going to have to have a conversation about what our priorities are as a state. I’ve provided a comprehensive plan today, and it will be a basis of that conversation. I’m suggesting what families have to do. Families can’t spend more than they make. That should be the basis of government over time. When I was a school board chair, I remember listening to Gov. Howard Dean talk about that all the time. Government can’t grow faster than the underlying economy; that’s what I’m proposing here today.
The “conversation” with reporters was cut short, even after reporters repeatedly asked for five more minutes of his time.
At first the excuse was that workers needed to get back on the factory floor. Reporters said they’d be happy to take the interview outside. At that point, Dubie didn’t exactly refuse – he looked to Kate Duffy, his communications director, and Corry Bliss, his campaign manager for a sign. Permission was denied.
Reporters asked for a second press conference and were told the candidate would be available for followup interviews on Tuesday. Dubie, however, didn’t take this reporter’s calls despite three Voice mail messages were left with Duffy and Bliss. Word arrived late in the day via e-mail from Duffy that Dubie would also not be accessible after his appearance on Wednesday at the Hardwick funeral of National Guard member Tristan Southworth, who died in combat in Afghanistan. (Duffy partially answered a tax policy question on Dubie’s behalf, via e-mail.)
If you’d like to see what questions reporters asked and how Dubie responded, check it out. It’s all on the following video clips, including the request for more time.
After watching the clips,I can’t see how 5 more minutes, even 1 more minute, would have yielded any more information from the man.
What we did see was how he makes decisions.
Who did he keep referring too, saying, “it’s up to you…”
Is this person, we want as our next governor or should the question be, those that pull the strings?
Great question, Anne, about his proposed cuts. You really pegged him there and he was nervous, sweating, trying to duck the question about his budget cuts and how our grandchildren will be paying the chinese, yet hoping to save face like he appeared to be on top of it. No wonder his handlers are scared that he might speak too much.
After viewing and reading,I really don’t see any difference in how Dubie replied and how other candidates reply to press or public questions. They all speak in generalities and bullet points. So condemning him for doing what politicans (both sides) do-is a bit unfair. Just once I would like a politican, any politican to give a clear, detailed, concise answer to a question (Aw but I am dreaming). As to time, well come on the press never takes “just 5 more minutes”,
He said the government budget must not grow faster than the economy. Which makes sense.
If it did grow faster, then the state’s role in the economy would get larger and the private economy would get smaller.
That is what happened during the past 10-15 years and that is why our taxes have risen much faster than our incomes.
There is much that could be said about the Lt Governor’s economic development plan and the press event but I want to comment briefly about one of Mr. Dubie’s statements. He said that Vermont’s state income tax was higher than Maine, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island.
This statement is terribly misleading and should be corrected.
1. It is disingenuous to talk about Vermont’s “income tax” for the simple reason that Vermont does not have one income tax. It has a progressive tax system so residents pay at very different rates depending on their income. I am certain Mr. Dubie knows this so it makes me wonder why he would use such language.
2. I suspect that Mr. Dubie was referring to the top marginal rate (which only applies to less than 1% of all tax filers). But even this can easily be misunderstood because of the differences between states as to where the top bracket kicks in. For example, Maine’s top rate is a bit lower than Vermont’s but it kicks in for the first dollar over $19,750. In Vermont, the top rate does not apply until the first dollar over $372,951. This has very significant implications for actual tax liabilities. Mr. Dubie’s inference is no less false for being commonplace.
3. Because of the differences between state tax systems, the actual taxes paid by residents of different states is not at all what Mr. Dubie would have us believe. This was illustrated nicely by the Legislature’s Joint Fiscal Office in Vol. 2 of the 2007 Tax Study. The Table below shows clearly that Mr. Dubie’s assertion is simply not true. Figures are for state income tax and reflect rates in effect in 2006.
Single renter $24,500
ME $833
MA $852
VT $589
Married homeowner (2 kids) $80,743
ME $3,004
MA $3,073
VT $1,406
Married homeowner (3 kids) $357,934
ME $23,417
MA $18,030
VT $20,872
Married homeowner (2 kids) $1,066,309
ME $79,591
MA $56,023
VT $72,760
As is clear, Vermont filers do rather well compared to the these two other states (Rhode Island was not part of the JFO sample).
The discourse on economic development and tax policy are too important to be based on misinformation. Sadly, that has been the case for much of the last eight years. It’s unfortunate that Mr. Dubie is picking up where Jim Douglas left off. We deserve better.
Note: Like his mentor Jim Douglas, Mr. Dubie looks only at the so-called tax burden rather than both sides of the equation. As I pointed out on the most recent Job Gap Study, Vermont’s quality of life indicators (all heavily influenced by public expenditures) are much better than many states with lower tax rates and smaller governments. Mr. Dubie, be careful what you wish for.
“Just once I would like a politican, any politican to give a clear, detailed, concise answer to a question.”
Candidate for State Auditor Doug Hoffer gave a clear, detailed, concise answer to the question of whether Candidate Dubie correctly compared the Vermont income tax burden to other states. See above for Hoffer’s analysis.
“I am certain Mr. Dubie knows this so it makes me wonder why he would use such language.”
Thanks, Doug, for this. The language sounds good and serves to confuse people to make them think that democrats simply raise taxes, when Shumlin actually lowered them back in 09. But it is great propaganda; your facts handily disprove what Dubie tries to gloss over.