Editor’s note: Earphones work best for listening to the videos on a laptop.
Vermonters had a chance to say their piece about the Challenges for Change government restructuring law on Tuesday night. About 100 people turned out, including lawmakers, to the House Chamber of the Statehouse. Most represented nonprofit organizations that would be affected in the latest round of $38 million budget reductions under the Challenges for Change effort that will go into effect on July 1. There were also parents, business owners and Vermonters with disabilities in the mix too, who are concerned about the impact of the restructuring plan on their families.
For more information, read vtdigger.org’s overview, “Up to the Challenge?”
Here is a sampling of testimony, organized by topic.
Prisons: The Douglas administration and the Vermont Legislature propose to release several hundred nonviolent criminals from the state’s prisons in order to save the bulk of the $10 million in budget reductions in the Department of Corrections under Challenges for Change. Paul Monette, the mayor of Newport, explains why that’s a problem for his city.
Education: The Douglas administration has proposed re-evaluating the efficacy of Vermont’s small schools. For more information read “Vilaseca proposes sweeping changes to education.”
The Vermont State Employees Association has agreed to pay cuts; Bob Hooper VSEA president says state workers have already made sacrifices and the administration and lawmakers should look to the rainy day funds to fill holes.
The human services restructuring plan includes “estate recovery” of property for Vermonters who used the long-term care system (the state would place a lien on property owned by the deceased); elimination of the microbusiness program, which helps low-income Vermonters start companies; and care for disabled Vermonters would be cut 5 percent.
The Douglas administration has proposed merging the regional planning commissions and regional development corporations. For more information, read “Proposal to consolidate RPCs and RDCs raises hackles.”
