Gov.-elect Peter Shumlin announced five appointments to his administration on Monday. Shumlin has tapped state Treasurer Jeb Spaulding for the position of secretary of administration – the top job in state government.
Spaulding was just elected to his fifth term on Nov. 2.
“There’s no one I can think of who shares my view of a fiscally conservative and carefully managed state budget … that has the skills to do that, like Jeb,” Shumlin said.
Spaulding said when the governor-elect first asked him to serve as secretary, “My first reaction was, no, you’re joking, what’s the next question? But you know, I was persuaded by the fact that my experience does match pretty well with the job.”
Spaulding, the founder of Montpelier radio station WNCS, represented Washington County in the state Senate from 1985 to 2001. He served on the administrative rules, joint fiscal and appropriations committees. In 2002, he was elected treasurer and took office in 2003. Over the course of his tenure, the state’s bond rating has remained the best in New England. In 2009, he mulled a run for governor, then backed out of the race.
“If you’re somebody who loves public service … you have confidence in the governor, and you think you can contribute; it’s hard to say no,” Spaulding said.
Shumlin said he will name Spaulding’s successor in the state treasurer’s office in the coming weeks.
Spaulding’s appointment was something of a surprise because Sen. Susan Bartlett, one of Shumlin’s four rivals in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, was widely expected to be named the secretary of administration.
Instead, Bartlett, who was the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, will serve as a special assistant to the governor.
Shumlin said Bartlett will be the point person for expanding broadband, “making Vermont government more efficient,” reforming the health care system, curbing inmate recidivism rates and launching the pre-kindergarten initiative.
“Her skill is to take big ideas and make them happen,” Shumlin said.
Bartlett and Spaulding each have a reputation for financial conservatism.
When asked if he was trying to send a message, Shumlin said: “I am a very fiscally cautious governor. I do not believe Vermont’s biggest problem is (that) our taxes are not high enough. I do believe we are spending beyond our ability to pay our bills, which is why we’re in the third year of having to dig deep into the cuts. So we have a lot of challenges. One is to bring what I call business skills to state government. I’m going to run state government like a business. You can’t achieve your dreams if you can’t balance your books.”
Shumlin said he would not be increasing taxes, but that he would likely support major changes to the state’s tax policies suggested by Vermont’s Blue Ribbon Tax Commission.
“I do believe Vermont’s current tax structure is discouraging growth, and taxes do matter among many other infrastructure changes that government can make to help grow jobs. I am so bullish on Vermont’s job creation, I think we have an extraordinary future, but it’s going to require making the right infrastructure judgments … tax policy’s a part of this.”
Bill Lofy, a resident of Jericho, Vt., who managed the transition for Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and worked on Gaye Symington’s unsuccessful bid for governor in 2008, will be the governor’s chief of staff. Lofy will be responsible for hiring and firing staff. He told reporters the governor-elect has about 60 positions to fill before January. Douglas administration officials must submit their resignations within 30 days in order to be considered by Shumlin’s transition team. Lofy and two transition team members – Liz Bankowski and former Gov. Howard Dean – will help to vet the large number of resumes that find their way to transition team headquarters, a Victorian house on 128 State St.
“I find you get the best results when you have really bright people helping to make tough decisions,” Shumlin said.
Lofy said they will appoint agency secretaries first. He said he didn’t know if the transition team would attempt, as it looks to fill positions, to consolidate departments or change the structure of state agencies.
“The opportunity,” Shumlin said, “is for all of us to forget about party, forget about partisan politics, and to use the energy that comes with a new administration with new ideas and new vision to help Vermonters get back to work.”
Beth Robinson, an attorney for Langrock, Sperry and Wool, who is renowned for her role in helping to pass the state’s historic gay marriage legislation, will serve as special counsel for the new administration.
In an interview, Robinson said she will help Shumlin develop specific plans to fulfill his promise to operate a “transparent” administration.
Alex MacLean, Shumlin’s campaign manager, will be the administration’s communications specialist and head of civil and military affairs. It’s a post that was previously held by Jason Gibbs under the Douglas admininstration. When asked whether her appointment would appear partisan, Shumlin replied that MacLean earned her chops when she helped him run the Vermont Senate. Shumlin said he hadn’t decided whether he will hire a press secretary as well.
Shumlin, Bartlett and Spaulding said very little about the budget sessions now under way with Jim Reardon, commissioner of the Department of Finance and Management, and Neale Lunderville, secretary of administration for Gov. Jim Douglas. Bartlett predicted they wouldn’t have “anything new or interesting” to report until December.
The lobbyists and others in attendance included: Sen. John Campbell, Mike O’Neil of the Vermont Troopers Association; Heather Shouldice, an associate at William Shouldice, LLC; Lucie Garand, of Downs Rachlin Martin; and Adam Necrason, of Sirotkin and Necrason.
CORRECTION: Spaulding took office in 2002, not 2001 as was previously reported.
