By Susan Bush
Editor’s note: Susan Bush is a freelance reporter from Pownal.
Bennington — Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie and Democrat Sen. Peter Shumlin challenged each other’s integrity and raised the specter of convicted Massachusetts felon Willie Horton during a feisty gubernatorial debate held Thursday night at the Bennington fire station.
Dubie told the 250 people in attendance that Shumlin’s proposal to save $40 million on Department of Corrections expenditures includes the early release of convicted pornographers and drug dealers.
During the debate, Dubie held up a list of 780 non-violent offenders identified by state Department of Corrections officials. Some had been imprisoned on pornography and drug dealing charges, Dubie said. He told audience members that it was “presumptuous” for any political candidate to second-guess judges who impose sentences on offenders.
Shumlin vehemently denied that his proposal would include early release initiatives. He said his plan calls for providing addiction treatment, housing and education for those convicted of non-violent crimes after they’ve completed their sentences. Offering comprehensive services would stop the “revolving door” of recidivism, he said. The costs associated with repeat offenders would be reduced if the individuals could become productive members of society, he said.
Shumlin described non-violent offenders as Vermonters who go to jail for writing bad checks or shoplifting.
He accused Dubie of running a “Willie Horton campaign” focused on fear-mongering.
The president pro tem of the senate demanded that Dubie remove campaign ads claiming that Shumlin plans to release drug dealers and pornographers from prison.
“If you believe [the ads], don’t vote for me,” Shumlin said.
Horton was a prison inmate who committed crimes while on furlough. The incident became a campaign issue during former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis’ unsuccessful 1988 presidential run.
Dubie did not say whether the ads would be removed.
Education
Dubie supports raising Vermont’s low student-to-teacher ratio. He said he wants to cap school spending increases at 2 percent because the state’s high property tax rate is hurting businesses.
“The statistic is for every staff member – not teacher but staff member – in our state, we have 4.45 students,” Dubie said.
The state’s student population is declining while education costs are increasing, Dubie said. A savings of about $84 million could be realized by increasing the ratio, he emphasized.
“We need to figure out how to put the brakes on ed spending,” Dubie said.
Shumlin countered that Republican Gov. Jim Douglas’ administration has waged “war” on teachers and students. He pledged to offer tax incentives to communities that voluntarily consolidate schools. If elected, he promised he would “never have Montpelier consolidate schools.” Shumlin said he would seek waivers to free the state from the federal No Child Left Behind law.
Energy
The state needs to focus on a renewable energy portfolio that includes wind and hydroelectric projects, Shumlin said.
Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant should be shut down and decommissioned as scheduled in 2012, Shumlin said, because the owner of the facility, Louisiana-based Entergy Corporation, has acted dishonestly.
“Moving to a renewable portfolio will put Vermonters back to work,” he said, although he did not offer specifics about anticipated job creation.
Dubie and Shumlin each took credit for a 26-year deal struck with Hydro-Quebec, which will provide power to Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service.
Dubie has previously voiced support for the relicensure of Vermont Yankee. In Bennington, he repeatedly stated that public safety is a “No. 1 priority” for him.
Dubie said costs associated with developing wind and hydro power would likely mean higher electric rates of 15 to 16 cents per kilowatt hour. Vermont Yankee power costs about 4 cents a kilowatt and that rate is expected to increase if the 38-year-old plant is granted a license to continue operation for an additional 20 years. The starting price for electricity from Hydro-Quebec is 6 cents a kilowatt hour.
Health care
Shumlin is an advocate for a single-payer health care system. Eliminating for-profit private health insurance companies will level the playing field, he said. The existing system, which allows different payers to reimburse at different rates, is unacceptable, he said. Medicaid reimbursements, for example, are lower than rates for Vermonters who have private insurance or pay out of pocket for health care costs.
Dubie said under new federal health care laws, states may not receive waivers for reform efforts until the year 2017. He also contended that a single-payer system would impede access for Vermonters who seek out-of-state care.
“We need to understand that 25 percent of Vermonters go out of state to get health care,” Dubie said.
Shumlin pointed to the state-funded Dr. Dynasaur program, which allows children to receive care at venues located in Albany, N.Y., and the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire.
Dubie said he would press for medical malpractice reforms. He supports expansion of the chronic care initiative started under the Douglas administration. Better management of the 70 percent of health care costs that are generated by chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, would save money, Dubie said.
In a public question-and-answer session, Thomas A. Dee, the CEO of the Southwest Vermont Medical Center, said a provider tax that the nonprofit entity pays to the state, will reach $4.5 million by 2012. He described the hospital as the eighth largest employer in Vermont.
“This is a major killer to jobs,” Dee said.
Shumlin said that a single-payer system would eliminate the need for a provider tax.
“As long as we have the non-system [of health care] that we have, you are going to have crazy things like a provider tax,” Shumlin said. “I will not do what the Douglas-Dubie team has done and balance Montpelier shortfalls on the backs of our hospitals.”
Dubie was quick to point out that the Legislature shares responsibility for instituting the levy on hospitals. “It would be my intention to move in a way that would lower the provider tax,” he said.
Jobs, transportation
In comments sprinkled throughout the debate, Dubie repeatedly encouraged voters to read his 10-point jobs plan, “Pure Vermont.” He stressed his connection to southern Vermont and he said he supports funding for western Vermont rail service. He announced that he has arranged for a rail car to travel from Bennington to Burlington within the next few weeks. He invited the public to ride the car with him.
Shumlin then took a shot at Dubie. When I’m governor, he said, “You won’t have to get on Brian’s private train.” He also pledged to support western Vermont rail service.
“We will continue improvements to Route 7 so that it is not like the Ho Chi Minh Trail,” he said.
Shumlin said he believes Vermont has a “bright future” and needs a governor who is not afraid to “harness opportunity.”
Dubie said he is a “serious campaigner for a serious office at a serious time.” He pledged that if elected, his cabinet will have representation from southern Vermont.
“I’m not running to be a manager, I’m running to be a leader,” he said.
Abortion
The two candidates have opposite views on abortion. Dubie said he is pro-life, and he noted that abortion is “a matter of law.”
Shumlin is a pro-choice. He vowed to uphold the law.
Debate details
The debate was moderated by WCAX Bureau Chief Bianca Slota. The panelists included Manchester Journal Editor Andrew McKeever, newspaper columnist Don Keelan, and Tyler Resch, former editor of the Bennington Banner and former Shaftsbury selectman.
Independent candidates Dennis Steele and Emily Peyton attended the debate; they were not invited to participate.
