Lieutenant governor candidate Randy Brock is declaring himself the $100 million man.
The Republican candidate for the No. 2 post says he has four or five ideas that could boost the Vermont economy by that amount.
Brock, a former state auditor and state senator, won’t say what those ideas are, only that he will roll them out over the course of the campaign.
“What I’m saying essentially is this. I’m looking for business ideas. I’m looking for ways in which we can increase state revenue to the tune of $100 million annually without it coming out of Vermont taxpayers’ pockets, pure and simple,” said Brock, who ran for governor in 2012 and lost to Gov. Peter Shumlin. He also said the economic boost could come through savings.
Brock said Thursday that he was looking to promote ideas that are similar to the push the state made to corner the captive insurance market. The state created a regulatory environment to make Vermont a leader in that industry.
“We’re very well positioned to do things that are different because we’re small, we’re nimble, everybody knows each other, we can do things faster,” he said.
In addition to captive insurance in Vermont, he pointed to examples in other states, such as Delaware, which has laws that are friendly to corporations so many register there. South Dakota, he said, has created a niche for the credit card businesses.
“I’ve got several ideas that I’m working on right now that I’m out pounding the pavement talking to CEOs about. Can we create a unique regulatory environment that we can build in Vermont to do A, B, C and D. In the course of the campaign, I’m going to talk about A, B, C and D individually,” he said.
Flanked at a news conference by almost 30 Republicans from the Vermont House and Senate, Brock also announced his campaign team, including campaign manager Brad Ferland.
Brock, who served Franklin County in the Senate from 2009 to 2013, said he would not want to raise revenue through the legalization of marijuana, which the Senate supported this week.
Brock said he would have opposed the bill. He raised concerns about negative medical effects of marijuana, the cost of the program and any “unintended consequences,” as well as stoned workers.
“I think we need a high-quality workforce, not a workforce that is high,” he said.
Brock is the only Republican seeking the nomination for lieutenant governor.
Sen. David Zuckerman, P/D-Chittenden, and Rep. Kesha Ram, D-Burlington, along with newcomer Brandon Riker, are seeking the Democratic Party nomination. Williston physician Louis Meyers has filed to run as an independent. Boots Wardinski is running as a Progressive.
