Editor’s note: This opinion piece is by Shap Smith, Vermont’s Speaker of the House of Representatives.
When I first considered a run for the legislature, I did so because of my strong belief that Vermonters have a deeply held commitment to one another and to our communities. I know Vermonters are passionate about our state–about building strong schools, sustaining our working farms and forests and fueling a robust local economy. Even when times are tough, these are the values that drive our legislative priorities.
Our state is in the second year of the greatest recession our country has ever endured. As people earn and spend less, state revenues have dramatically declined. And yet, for the second year in a row, the House has passed a responsible, balance budget, that keeps our commitment to Vermonters.
In spite of dire predictions, and deep cuts proposed by the Governor in his budget, the House passed a budget that sustains our essential services – and our duty – to our neighbors. With the help of state employees (who accepted a 3% reduction in pay) and Vermont’s teachers (who agreed to changes in their retirement system), the House was able to reinvest savings into programs that restored funding to keep our elderly and disabled Vermonters from being forced into institutional care.
This week the House passed a bill that reaffirms our pledge to avoid cuts to services that affect our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. The Challenges for Change legislation continues an innovative process to restructure government to become more efficient and to deliver the outcomes Vermonters expect and deserve.
The House budget maintains our commitment to providing quality health care for all Vermonters, ensures disabled children will get the help they so badly need, and restores funding for affordable housing and farm preservation.
And we have more work to do.
This week the House passed a bill that reaffirms our pledge to avoid cuts to services that affect our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. The Challenges for Change legislation continues an innovative process to restructure government to become more efficient and to deliver the outcomes Vermonters expect and deserve.
Two weeks ago, the Governor presented his ideas for savings and outcomes to the legislature. Ten House Committees have worked diligently with those impacted to review these proposals. They were judged by whether they achieved the defined outcomes and saved money. If the proposal did not meet these criteria, it was not accepted.
The Challenges bill passed by the House protects Vermont values.
The House refused to take local control away from Vermont communities by mandating statewide school consolidation. The House did not compromise Vermont’s environment by allowing for a pre-determined permitting process, nor for conditional exemptions as suggested by the Administration. The House did not agree to the administration’s proposal to undermine our regional planning commissions and economic development corporations which help create Vermont jobs. Further we did not agree to a 5% cut to services for adults with developmental disabilities.
The Administration did present a number of important innovative ideas that the legislature embraced. The House endorsed proposals for performance based contracting; keeping seniors in their homes; setting targets for school boards; reducing health care costs and expanding the Vermont Blueprint for Health.
Rather than cutting programs for people, the House Challenges for Change bill changes the way government works by making it more effective while saving an estimated $20 million.
We listened to the administration when they presented good ideas. We also listened to Vermonters who asked us to continue to hold the administration accountable throughout this collaborative process.
Our focus this legislative session has been to fulfill our commitments to one another, to foster strong communities in which no one is left behind, and to ensure a strong and vibrant Vermont economy. We have moderated the impacts of this difficult economy and continue to pursue the redesign of government while improving outcomes for Vermonters.
Times are not easy for Vermonters, but I am confident that we will soon come out of this recession with a government that remains responsive to Vermonters and an economy that is strong and sustainable.
