Editor’s note: This oped is by Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, a democratic candidate for governor.
Vermonters will have a real choice in this election for governor because my way of doing business is starkly different than Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie’s. I focus on the solution not the problem. I plan for the future instead of complaining about the past. I produce positive results for Vermonters instead of blaming others for failures.
I also help pay the bills for our family, including the energy bills, income taxes, property taxes, a mortgage and college tuition. I know that it has to be a priority to make Vermont more affordable for businesses and for families. In Montpelier precious little time is actually spent working together to make Vermont a better place to do business. We have had enough of that approach. It is time to do the right thing for Vermont.
Brian Dubie has pledged to look Vermonters in the eye and “tell the truth” about the problems we face. He has made good on his word by flooding the internet with campaign advertisements that highlight a Forbes Magazine report that calls Vermont a bad place to do business. Readers of the New York Times, Washington Post and Boston Globe are greeted with an endless stream of flashy campaign ads that complain about Vermont, but do not mention a single solution to make our state more affordable for businesses and families.
Tough talk with no substance is no way to lead. Especially when the problems Brian Dubie “tells the truth about” are the result of a failed strategy of his administration: A strategy of identifying the problem and then blaming others—usually Democrats—for a lack of solutions. We elect our leaders to lead – not to pass the buck.
That is not acceptable.
My record as Secretary of State is defined by fees that were cut and charges that were eliminated for businesses. The office was transformed from a culture of bureaucracy and red tape into a culture of customer service and I eliminated waste to free up taxpayer money for job creation. When this economic downturn hit Vermont communities especially hard I teamed up with the Small Business Administration and the Small Business Development Centers to train local officials to be job ambassadors. This Community Business Connections initiative has reached into communities across Vermont to encourage local economic development and, for the first time in state history, Vermont has a one-stop shop on the web with all the information needed to start or expand a business.
When I am governor Vermont will have an economic development plan and it will put existing businesses first. I will help jump start job growth by eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy, just like I did as Secretary of State. I will take a good look at our tax code to ensure that we are creating incentives for success and I will leverage our assets as a state – our highly educated work force, our beautiful natural environment and our great quality of life. I will develop Vermont’s clean energy manufacturing base, including in community wind, solar, and biofuels. I’ll promote Vermont’s tourist industry, the export of Vermont specialty products, and a Vermont “brand” to boost businesses and jobs. As Governor, I will send a positive message about the state I want to lead.
It is time to stop using our economy as a way to score political points. That’s really all Brian Dubie’s anti-Vermont ads are about—winning a campaign. It isn’t about the right thing for Vermont and that’s why prominent members of the business community joined me last week imploring Dubie to stop these damaging tactics.
Brian Dubie should join us on the campaign trail to talk about his vision instead of advertising from a comfortable distance. While my Democratic friends in this primary have already met dozens of times to present our vision for job creation he sends his staff to film everything we say hoping to catch us in a gaffe. That’s about scoring political points and not doing the right thing for Vermont. If Brian is concerned about Vermont’s future, he should start following through on his promise to look Vermonters in the eye.
