As Months Become Days 
By Rob Roper

By Rob Roper

In Nancy Remsen’s article on the proposed budget cuts, Steve Klein, chief legislative fiscal officer, is quoted as saying. "How do you respond in three days to cut $24.5 million?" This is a very telling statement. The legislature has been in session since January. That’s over three months. 

At the very outset of the legislative session, Governor Douglas put several proposals on the table to increase revenue or cut spending in anticipation of this downturn – leasing the lottery, lowering the number of state employees through attrition, etc. Tough choices for tough times. Republican House members put forward a plan back in January to end the session one month early and save $1 million. More forward thinking and planning for tough times. 

Democrats pooh-poohed these plans, called them gimmicks, and for three months (not three days, mind you) those same Democrats have been spending their $56,000 days on legislation criminalizing the advertising of puppies for sale without a license, but decriminalizing pot. They’ve looked at taxing plastic grocery and sandwich bags, and schemed about how to eliminate the Electoral College for presidential elections. They took testimony from Bowser of Sha Na Na and made sure no counterfeit aging rockers will ever take the stage in the Green Mountain State. The one big fight Vermont Democrats have been planning for all year long is over a campaign finance bill written by VPIRG and designed to protect their incumbencies. And, yes, on Wednesday, after the harsh reality of the economic downturn had been spelled out in clear numbers, the House was debating HR.33, a resolution "expressing strong opposition" and urging immediate action by other people (of course) to fix the problems between China and Tibet. 

In short, Vermont Democrats have blown another legislative session futzing around with boutique ideological causes, ignoring the fundamental issues facing Vermont, and now they’re scrambling around, pointing fingers, and casting blame over the hash they’ve made of the budget. 
 

Rob Roper is the Chairperson of the Vermont Republican Party