Legislative candidates from Washington County generally endorsed a slate of progressive topics at a forum hosted by the Vermont Workers Center on Tuesday night.
Eighteen candidates were joined by close to 40 members of the public and activists in the Montpelier High School cafeteria for the first in a series of “People’s Forums,” that will take place across the state through Oct. 16.
The forum was presented in moralistic terms, with moderator, Joseph Gainza, asking candidates if they would “join us in taking the just path,” before asking them to weigh in on universal health care, workers’ rights, climate justice and state budgeting that doesn’t pit the interests of the least able against one another.
Candidates voiced unanimous support for those principles, but for more conservative candidates it became a dance of couching their support in concerns about how the progressive agenda is being pursued in Montpelier.
Republican senatorial candidate Dexter Lefavour said he supports universal access to health care, but added that people should have a choice of whether to participate in a government run program or purchase health insurance on their own.
Republican Pat McDonald, a former state representative running for senate, went further, voicing qualified support for single-payer, but added that she was concerned about its costs.
“I’m just curious how we’re going to be able to do (single-payer) in such a small state and afford it,” McDonald said.
For liberal candidates, it was like swatting slow-pitch softballs into the grandstand; their affirmations of the Workers Center’s priorities drawing occasional applause.
Rep. Janet Ancel, D-Calais, told the audience that Vermont has a “unique opportunity” with Democratic majorities in both houses and the governor’s office to achieve universal coverage through single-payer, and said she would continue to work toward its completion.
Sen. Anthony Pollina, D/P/W-Washington, went further, saying a single-payer program must not erode the health benefits offered through the Vermont State Employees Health Plan, and should instead bring the rest of Vermonters coverage up to that level.
There were calls for a carbon tax as well, and Rep. Tony Klein, D-East Montpelier, pledged to take one up as a bill in his committee if he’s re-elected and reappointed chair of the House Natural Resources Committee.
Incumbents did, however, stress the difficulty of paying for these initiatives with current state revenue, and cited Statehouse politics as an obstacle to moving them forward more quickly.
Rep. Mary Hooper, D-Montpelier, said last year lawmakers were told by leadership that they would have to choose between paid sick days or increasing the minimum wage, both initiatives were supported by the Workers Center.
Virtually every candidate said they supported publicly funded home weatherization as a priority to advance environmental justice; Ancel pointed out that previous efforts have flagged without a dedicated revenue source.
Several candidates called for progressive income tax reforms to address income inequality and bring in more revenue. Raising income taxes on the wealthy would move the state away from budgets that force advocates for the poor or disabled to compete over public money, they said.
“There is a limit to how long you can do more with less,” said Sen. Ann Cummings, D-Washington. “There are 101 different places that need more revenue. I voted more than once to increase the income tax to provide extra revenue … and I would be willing to vote to raise those rates again.”
McDonald, also a former labor commissioner, said she’s disturbed to see Shumlin calling for cuts across state government, but she didn’t endorse raising revenue, instead saying lawmakers need to do a better job of prioritizing in the budget.
“Being a former administrator in state government, I can tell you that’s one of the worst approaches to do a 5 percent cut, because you’re asking everyone to do the same with less money,” she said.
The “People’s Forum” questions are below:
Health care: Do you commit to passing a public financing plan for universal healthcare that meets our health needs and is equitably funded through progressive taxes rather than out of-pocket costs? Will you help overcome any obstacles on the path to our human right to health care?
Work with Dignity: Do you support the right of all workers to live and work with dignity? To that end, will you support policies that guarantee all workers a livable wage, paid sick leave, and the right to organize and collectively bargain to improve their working conditions?
People’s Budget: Vermont law says the state budget must address people’s needs and advance equity. Will you prevent budget cuts that put people’s needs against another and instead champion a budget that prioritizes the needs of those most affected by poverty and injustice?
Healthy Environment and Livable Planet: What specific programs and incentives will you support to meet the state’s weatherization goal of 80,000 homes by 2020, and make energy efficiency and reduced energy costs available to low-income and working Vermonters? How will you ensure these programs are funded?
