Editor’s note: The video clip is at the end of the story.
Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican, and House GOP members told reporters at press conference on Monday that like the Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin, they don’t support raising taxes next year to resolve the state’s $70 million budget gap.
Scott wasn’t, however, ready to take a no new taxes pledge.
“Obviously, we don’t know what the federal government is going to do and until we see that we certainly don’t want to have (to cut) any catastrophic areas to those in need,” Scott said. “We all want to make sure we take care of those in need.”
When asked how his stance on taxes differs from that of his Democratic counterparts, Scott said, “I’m saying until that time (when the federal government makes a decision about human services cuts this fall) I don’t think we can make that pledge either way until we know what’s going to happen.”
The House GOP met with reporters a week after the Democratic leadership — House Speaker Shap Smith and Senate President Pro Tempore John Campbell — held a media avail to celebrate their legislative victories. Campbell and Smith largely followed Gov. Peter Shumlin’s templates for the budget, the tax bill and health care.
Republicans complained that their voices weren’t heard in the Legislature in the last session.
The Republican House leaders in a press conference questioned the focus of the session and the ability of the political process to function as it should when both legislative bodies and the governor’s office are controlled by the same party.
They also took issue with Democratic policy initiatives in the arenas of health care, economic development, the budget and taxes. Republicans said they were dissatisfied with four major bills that were signature pieces of legislation for the Democrats: the jobs bill, health care reform, the budget and changes to the tax code.
“We keep hearing about cuts over the last few years,” said Rep. Patti Komline, R-Dorset. “We have continued to increase our state spending every year those cuts you hear about are against anticipated growth. It’s not level funding and then you’re taking cuts.”
Increased cigarette and provider taxes were used to help close a $176 million budget gap; the rest of the spending deficit was closed with more than $80 million in cuts; and the use of one-time funding totaled $60 million.
The jobs bill, they complained, didn’t do enough to help companies hire more Vermonters. Nor did it address the cost of living increases for those who are already employed, they said.
“When we were out campaigning, we were talking about jobs,” said Turner, adding that high costs of living and education were also hot campaign topics. “Those seemed to be priority items until we got here in January,” Turner said. The focus shifted instead to health care and budget balancing, he said.
The jobs bill provides $1 million in agricultural funding and allows some municipalities to use money normally passed to the state government for infrastructure development.
“I want to call upon the governor and legislative leaders to look at what they’re going to do to help Vermonters with this increase of cost of living in Vermont,” Turner said, “We need to also call upon them to help create good-paying jobs,” he added, also demanding that Shumlin and democratic leaders outline a plan for the closing of Vermont Yankee.
Komline questioned the effectiveness of some of the legislation, naming the jobs bill as an example of legislation that fell short.
The jobs bill offers $1 million in a hodge podge of economic development activities, including in new agricultural initiatives and financing options for businesses.
Komline pooh-poohed these efforts. “In that jobs bill, there were two positions,” she said. One was a grant for a meat cutter apprenticeship and the other was one job for local food coordinator, and that was all we did with regard to a jobs bill.”
The budget, Komline said, was balanced by raising property tax and health care provider tax, placing a burden on middle class Vermonters.
A $176 million budget gap was closed using $88 million in cuts, $60 million — an amount minority leader Don Turner said was too high — in one-time funding, $9 million in new revenues, and $24 million in taxes, in health and dental insurance claims, hospitals, nursing homes and home health providers.
“We increased spending in this budget, and I don’t think Vermonter’s are feeling they have more in their paychecks this year,” Komline said.
Despite these criticisms, the Republican leadership said they agree with Governor Peter Shumlin on his statements against tax increases in the face of possible cuts in federal funding in the coming fiscal year.
“Taxes are one area that the governor and I are in complete agreement,” said Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott, “There is no more taxing capacity in the state.”
Moving forward, Komline summarized the Republicans’ electoral plan quite simply: “Get more seats.”
Scott said he was disappointed with the 55 percent voter turnout in the 2010 elections, and said he would be touring the state at the end of the summer to encourage more Republicans to vote.
Scott said he was pleased with this year’s early adjournment because it allowed citizen lawmakers to return to their jobs.
