Spearhead: reflections on the special session 
By Rep. Patti Komline

I returned from Montpelier after Wednesday's veto session and ran into a few people who congratulated me for our success in sustaining the governor's veto. I actually felt a greater sense of frustration and disappointment.

The House minority leader, Rep. Adams, contacted the speaker a number of times before Wednesday requesting that, should she fail to override the veto on the energy bill, we bring up the House version of the bill (H.520) that had originally passed on a 138-8 vote. If the speaker had agreed, we would have been happy to support the energy efficiency and renewable energy proposals the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee worked so hard on. I'm frustrated and disappointed the speaker refused to consider our request.

Global warming is a global issue and it is noble that Vermonters want to do their part to help mitigate its effects. A substantial bipartisan majority of House did just that when it originally passed H520 earlier in the session. It frustrates me that Sen. Shumlin singled out a single business to pay for an undefined government bureaucracy.

Sen. Shumlin's political machine was cranking out the propaganda — demonizing our state's business leaders and promising a new government program to evangelize the importance of weatherizing our homes.

It is important to note that the state already has a weatherization program, a Clean Energy Fund and LIHEAP (low income energy program) which, together with Efficiency Vermont totals over $70 million. The current Efficiency Vermont program has a budget that is growing from $17 million to $32 million within the next two years. Electricity generation contributes 1 percent of Vermont's carbon output, while fuels contribute between 30 to 40 percent of our carbon emissions. Can you imagine how quickly the budget would grow for this new utility?

Weatherization amounts to insulation, caulking, window and door upgrades — hardly groundbreaking innovations. Those of us who supported the veto believe that Vermonters are savvy enough to figure out how to weatherize their homes without a $25M per year entity to advise them. I'm frustrated and disappointed that the House and Senate leaders felt it was more important to make a point, knowing they didn't have the votes, than to allow the other aspects of the bill to pass.

The frenzy that VPIRG whipped up in the statehouse on July 11th was irresponsible and disingenuous at best; at worst it was deceitful propaganda. Those of us who opposed the Senate's changes were told we didn't care about children, about the Earth's future, or about humanity. Even the survival of polar bears was supposedly hinging on our vote. I admire the passion these people have, but I am disappointed that their enthusiasm is being manipulated by special interests with a political agenda, rather than focused on doing the things that would actually alleviate global warming.

Wednesday was pure politics, and I am disgusted at the counterproductive partisan grandstanding that has entered the state house since Sen. Shumlin returned to Montpelier. We could have accomplished so much more for Vermonters this year. I am frustrated and disappointed that the speaker of the House, a person I had respected as a fair and balanced leader, now seems to be operating under the direction of Sen. Shumlin.

I hope we return in January prepared to pass a consensus energy bill quickly, so we can work on other important issues that affect Vermonters. I am extremely proud to work with my Republican colleagues in the House, who are very clear as to what these important issues are.

Let us make it easier for Vermonters to pay their bills, pay their taxes, afford to send their children to college — and let us get out of their way so they can run their businesses unencumbered. Let us work to improve Vermont 's business environment so new businesses can thrive encouraging young families to move to our state. And please, let us attend to our serious education funding and property tax crisis.

I know you are all busy trying to deal with the challenges of living in Vermont, but you can help by taking time to contact your representatives and senators to let them know that these issues are important to you. If you don't, I'm afraid we'll see more of the same next session. Vermonters can't afford another year of all bluster and no substance.

Vermont State Representative Patti Komline , R-Dorset, is assistant minority leader in the Vermont House.