Lt. Gov. Brian Dubie, the Republican candidate for governor, appears to have a penchant for highly orchestrated, thematic campaign events based on modes of transportation.
First, he crisscrossed the state by plane (“Taking Off” tour); then it was via train (“On Track”); by car (“26.2-hour campaign marathon”); and most recently by RV (“Pure Leadership”).
Whatever the campaign vehicle, however, Dubie’s speeches are short and punctuated by this oft-repeated phrase: “We need to work to cut taxes, cut red tape to grow opportunities,” followed by a pitch for his 10-point, 26-page jobs plan, “Pure Vermont.”
What made this vehicular tour special was the co-pilot in tow – Gov. Jim Douglas.
The Republican duo drove up and down the state on Saturday and Sunday via an RV entourage with stops in GOP strongholds — Williston, Bethel, Rutland, Barre, Vergennes, St. Johnsbury and Manchester.
About 35 people came to the rally in downtown Barre on Saturday.
As trucks roared past on Route 14, Douglas told the assembled supporters that the state has a lot to be proud of thanks to his administration. He cited several accomplishments of note, namely: Vermont has been rated the healthiest state, according to United Health Foundation for two years running, and the state has a AAA bond rating, even in the midst of the recession.
“I’m very concerned that if we had a liberal Legislature working with the Shumlin administration we would have more spending, more taxes, and we wouldn’t be able to maintain the competitive success that we’ve had in Vermont over the last eight years.” ~ Jim Douglas
“We’re fiscally strong compared to other states because of the great leadership we’ve had in Brian and Tom Salmon, our auditor, and our team at the Finance Department as well,” Douglas said.
After painting this rosy background picture, the governor portrayed the Democratic opponent, Peter Shumlin, in a stark light.
“We have a lot to be proud of, but I’m very concerned about where we go from here,” Douglas said. “I’m very concerned that if we had a liberal Legislature working with the Shumlin administration we would have more spending, more taxes, and we wouldn’t be able to maintain the competitive success that we’ve had in Vermont over the last eight years.”
He told the audience that this is a time “when we have to choose a chief executive who gets it.” Douglas remarked that he knows both candidates “very well, indeed,” and he said the “choice couldn’t be clearer.” The difference between the two gubernatorial contenders, in Douglas’ view, is all about taxation.
“We have a leader of the opposition who will say just about anything to get elected,” Douglas said. “He talks about spending money on just about everything. He wants to put a laptop in every student’s hand. We’re going to have universal pre-K; we’re going to have state-run health care for everybody; we’re going to hire more public workers. That doesn’t happen without reaching into the pockets of the taxpayers of Vermont and paying for it. And we can’t afford to raise taxes on our people.”
The governor warned: “Remember what happened last year? Under Peter Shumlin’s leadership, they raised $20 million worth of taxes on Vermonters, and we got them to roll some of them back this year, because they were hearing from enough people about how devastating it was to our state’s economic future.”
Last week, Douglas complained about the “excesses” of the Democratic Party. See related story.
Shumlin, president pro tem of the Vermont Senate, and House Speaker Shap Smith, D-Morrisville, gained approval in 2009 of an increase in the capital gains and estate taxes on the state’s wealthiest residents, as well as an income tax break for middle-income wage earners. They agreed to revoke the capital gains and estate tax increases in 2010.
“We can’t have a governor whose first instinct is to raise taxes and impair the economic success of the people of Vermont,” Douglas said.
At the end of his brief declamation, Douglas predicted the election was going to be close and hard fought. “We need to make sure Brian’s message gets out there, because the more people get to know Brian Dubie, the more votes he’s going to get.”
Flanked by his wife, Penny; Dorothy Douglas and the governor, Dubie took the podium and launched into a speech that started off with a description of his tenure as chair of the Essex School Board and his eight years in office as lieutenant governor.
Shortly after he introduced his 10-point, 26 page jobs plan, “Pure Vermont,” Dubie said he would use the “$250 million” in federal “ARRA stimulus money to help transform education by bringing AP courses into rural Vermont or Mandarin Chinese into Canaan, Vt., and (sic) how we can bend the curve in education spending at the same time, increasing our educational outcomes.” The state received $202 million in federal stimulus funds in 2009 and $182 million in 2010, but is not expected to receive more in the coming year.
About a third of his speech was dedicated to attacking his “opponent” – Dubie didn’t mention the Democratic senator by name.
“When he ran in the primary, Sen. Doug Racine called my opponent’s plan unrealistic and full of empty promises,” Dubie said. “I’ve compiled those promises. There’s three pages of promises. The fact is, we face a historic budget challenge in our state. We face a $110 million deficit next year. The promise that I will make to you is, we will set priorities that as your next governor that we will protect the most vulnerable in our society. That we protect our young people, that we protect our seniors, that we grow our economy; that’s what it’s all about. That we also make protecting the public, ensuring that the public is protected. My commitment would be that public safety is a priority, making sure the public is protected.”
Dubie then launched into an attack on Shumlin’s plan to cut Corrections costs by $40 million over a four-year period. He said the mayors of St. Albans and Barre both oppose the proposal. Dubie also talked about his opponent’s “running mate” for governor, who he said disagreed with Shumlin’s plan to “release 780 offenders.” Dubie was referring to Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor Steve Howard, who recently told Seven Days he had qualms about Shumlin’s Corrections plan, which would provide substance abuse and mental health programs for former inmates who have been released once they have fulfilled their jail sentences. (In Vermont, candidates for lieutenant governor do not run on joint tickets with candidates for governor; members of different parties can, and often do, hold the two seats.)
Dubie also found fault with Shumlin’s other major cost-savings proposal – a single-payer health care plan.
“My opponent’s plan on government-mandated health care talks about a $1 billion — a legislative committee said it was in excess of $1 billion (sic) — in new funding,” Dubie said. “We need to work to continue the Blueprint for Health, the chronic care initiative, and that’s what my promise would be, and that’s a promise I can keep to make sure we make saving dollars and saving lives a priority for our health care reforms. That would be a promise that I make to you today.”
Dubie said Shumlin showed how he would “fund his (economic development) plan,” when he “led the charge” to override the governor’s veto in 2009 and raised capital gains and estate taxes for the state’s wealthy residents by $20 million.
Dubie said Shumlin showed how he would “fund his (economic development) plan,” when he “led the charge” to override the governor’s veto in 2009 and raised capital gains and estate taxes for the state’s wealthy residents by $20 million. That “sent the wrong message to Vermont to entrepreneurs and small businesses,” Dubie said. “It really said what his plan is all about.”
There were a number of local politicians in attendance: Sen. Bill Doyle, R-Washington County; Rep. Leo Valliere, R-Barre City; Ed Larson, a candidate for the Vermont Senate; and Kristin Sohlstrom, a candidate for state representative from Barre City. Mayor Thom Lauzon, who has campaigned for Dubie at other events, didn’t attend.
The “Pure Leadership” tour is the second official public appearance Dubie has made since the General Election campaign went into full swing in early September and his 26.2-hour marathon a month ago. Though the lieutenant governor has participated in 10 forums with Shumlin over the last four weeks (see related story), he has only held one press conference – to attack Shumlin’s plan to overhaul Vermont’s Corrections system.
Shumlin, by contrast, has held a half-dozen pressers, most of which have been to accept endorsements from union and environmental organizations.
Though Dubie has received his share of endorsements – from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the Vermont Professional Firefighters Association and just this week from the Vermont Sheriffs Association – his campaign typically fires off statements instead of calling press conferences.
