By Susan Youngwood
Editor’s note: Susan Youngwood is a freelance reporter who lives in Montpelier.
MONTPELIER – Gov. James Douglas today described state Sen. Peter Shumlin’s plan to trim $40 million from the Corrections budget as “irresponsible” and “ridiculous.”
“You can’t do that without laying off staff, releasing prisoners and closing facilities,” he said at a press conference. “Cutting that much from the corrections budget, he said, is “just not possible … in a responsible way.”
The press conference was called to promote the success of a social security disability policy change which helps beneficiaries return to work, but questions from reporters about the gubernatorial campaign prompted comments from Douglas.
Douglas was asked his opinion on the tone of the campaign. Both Shumlin, the Democratic nominee, and Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, the Republican nominee, have run negative ads.
“Seems to me we have this conversation once every other year,” Douglas said, although he was quick to add, “The Democrats put out the first ad that was critical of the opponent.”
Dubie has run ads that call Shumlin’s proposal into question. In a press release, his campaign said the “nutty and dangerous” plan will result in layoffs for 300 corrections officers and the early release of 800 nonviolent criminals – including child pornographers and drug dealers.
“Substantially it’s completely accurate,” Douglas said in his description of Dubie’s advertising and campaign statements.
Shumlin has asked Dubie to take the ads off the air. The Democrat has repeatedly said he would not release anyone early – all the offenders would serve their time – and drug dealers would not be counted among the nonviolent criminals. Shumlin says he wants to break the cycle of recidivism and keep criminals from reoffending. The recidivism rate among nonviolent offenders is 70 percent.
In contrast, Douglas described Shumlin’s plan as a “selective extraction of portions of proposals.”
The plan to cut the corrections budget, said Douglas, was made in writing by Shumlin. “He’s the one who put the topic on the table,” Douglas said. Because the proposal was in writing, not “off the cuff,” he said, “it’s fair game.”
Douglas declined to give an opinion on Sen. Patrick Leahy’s decision to comment on the campaign. “I’m not surprised that Democrat office holders support their candidates,” he said. “I certainly can’t speak for him, as for what motivates him.”
Leahy told VPR that Dubie’s commercials are “one of these out of state kind of smear campaigns that frankly don’t work.”
Douglas also waded into the debate over Vermont Yankee – Dubie supports the continued operation of the power plant while Shumlin vows to close it.
“I don’t understand how the Democratic nominee can talk about creating new jobs when talking about eliminating jobs in southern Vermont. I don’t get it,” he said.
Reporters asked Douglas to confirm whether IBM has threatened to leave Vermont over its high power costs.
“I think it’s pretty clear what IBM has said about that over a period of time,” Douglas answered. IBM has been “outspoken about the cost of electricity,” Douglas said. “IBM made clear their position, their strong interest in maintaining costs.”
In response to another question, Douglas expressed concern about the future of the state if Democrats retain their majority in the statehouse and capture the governorship.
Democrats are “out of the mainstream,” Douglas said, and he warned that the state needs balance, in light of their taxing and spending ways.
“That’s why we need a Republican governor as a backstop to their excesses,” he said.
Shumlin’s press secretary, Alex MacLean, did not return a call asking for comment.
The purpose of the press conference was to showcase Vermont’s participation in a pilot program for recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance that enabled them to continue receiving benefits while they were employed.
Under federal rules, disability payments cease if the recipient earns more than a certain amount. The pilot program reduced benefits if the recipient went over the limit. The program offered a reduction of $1 in benefits for every $2 earned over the limit.
The study showed that participants in the pilot program were on average 5 percent more likely to work at a substantial level.
Jack Pickett and Robert Coathup participated in the program and spoke at the press conference.
Pickett, who was injured seven years ago in a propane accident, took a job as a prep cook at a restaurant despite being on disability. He went on to start his own restaurant, Frida’s Taqueria & Grill in Stowe.
Coathup lost his manufacturing job, obtained a degree in accounting and took a job for a school district. The program also let him keep his medical insurance, he said.
“This helped me get back to work,” Coathup said.
