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March 6, 2009 &nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p;senprespt@leg.state.vt.us &nbs= p; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; <= span class=3DDateIssueNumberHeading>Volume 1, Issue 2

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In This Issue:

· Building a More Efficient Government

· Priorities for Second Half of the Session

· Remarks= on Marriage Equality

· Vermont Yankee Update<= /span>

Welcome to the latest edition of Shumlin’s Briefing!

The goal of this newsletter is to keep yo= u up to date of the work we’re doing in the Vermont Legislature.

It is an honor to serve all of you in the= State Senate. If you
have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me at
senprespt@leg.state.vt.us or at 802-828-3806.

Best,

Peter

Introduction<= o:p>

Welco= me to the town meeting break edition of Shumlin’s Briefing. The 2009 legislative session has= been largely devoted to helping Vermonters through the economic turmoil and ensuring that Vermont emerges from this crisis as a stronger state than before. I am pleased that we crafted a balanced approach to the budget, proposed initiatives to make our governm= ent more efficient and determined the best ways in which to use the federal stimulus funds. The legisla= ture has brought a thoughtful approach to the financial crisis by working to stimulate our economy, creating good paying jobs for Vermonters and taking steps toward a more sustainable system of government.

These= are extraordinarily challenging times for Vermont families, businesses and state government. The state’s budget shortfa= ll for Fiscal Year 2010, after factoring in federal stimulus funds, is projected= to be nearly $100 million. In = Fiscal Year 2011, that shortfall will grow to at least $125 million. To ensure we both weather the st= orm and emerge as a stronger, more vibrant state, we must pursue balanced and creative solutions.

The S= peaker and I outlined a balanced budget framework for Fiscal Year 2010 that reli= es on fewer tax increases than the package Governor Douglas proposed. We asked our committees to build= a budget based on $153 million federal stimulus dollars, $33 million in rev= enue and $28 million in cuts. In contrast, the Governor’s proposal is built on $107 million in feder= al funds, $63 million in property tax increases and $28 million in cuts.

We do= not believe that Vermonters can afford a $63 million property tax increase. While our budget proposal does i= nclude the need to raise $33 million worth of revenue, we will explore different options for doing so and will not only rely on the property tax. Our committees will explore a va= riety of options for raising these funds, including a temporary raise in the income, sales, purchase and use and the property tax.

Our p= roposal includes the use of more federal funds than the Governor’s proposal. The federal stimu= lus funds presents us with an incredible opportunity to make structural chang= es in our government that will allow us to do more with less. The federal stimulus funds give = us the breathing room we need to engage Vermonters and set our state on a more sustainable path. The Speaker and I proposed several structural changes t= hat could be made in order to build a 21^st century government that= is both more efficient and sustainable.&nbs= p; You can read more about these initiatives below.

As we= look toward the second half of the session, we will continue our focus on the economy by encouraging green energy development, targeting money toward venture capital and funding a variety of transportation projects. The Speaker and I have also comm= itted to passing legislation that will improve our election system, require the owners of Vermont Yankee – not Vermont taxpayers - to pay the costs of cleaning up the plant and end the inequal= ity in our civil marriage laws.

= ;

Buildin= g a More efficient Government

This = past week Speaker Smith and I announced a balanced budget framework for buildi= ng a 21^st century government and have asked certain Senate and House committees to evaluate structural changes that will enable the state to do more with less. =

There= are many governmental inefficiencies that have been long ignored. While Vermonters t= axes have steadily increased, the number and quality of our services have not = kept pace. Despite emerging technologies intended to make government more efficient, over the past de= cade our state’s bureaucracy has continued to grow. In the past six years alone, our workforce has increased by 659 employees.

These= are no doubt challenging times for all Vermonters. Families, businesses and state g= overnment are all feeling the effects of the lagging economy. We must come together to weather= the storm and emerge as a stronger, more vibrant state. This means pursing balanced and creative solutions to make our state government more efficient and transp= arent.

The challenges we must confront are indeed large, but this crisis also presen= ts incredible opportunities for Vermont. The American Recovery & Reinvestment Plan gives us the breathing room= we need to engage with Vermonters and, together, set our state on a strategic and smart path to sustainability and prosperity.

The s= peaker and I laid out a five point framework to work towards doing more with les= s in our state government. These points include:

Maximize health care and technology stimulus dollars.

We need to move forward Vermon= t’s leadership in health care information technology and our “blueprint” efforts to address chronic disease. These goals are dependent = on Vermont improv= ing its system of broadband technology.

Our Committees of jurisdiction will work with a small group of Vermont business leaders appointed b= y the Speaker and Pro Tem to evaluate how we can maximize the specific funding streams set aside in the stimulus bill to reach these goals.

Re-examine the Strategic Enterpris= e Initiative (SEI).

The Government Operation and Appropriations Committees will reexamine the SEI= for structural improvements to the programs and services of state government.= The SEI initiative was broadly designed to have a mission driven approach to achieve future cost sustainability.

Review the state’s system of delivering energy efficiency services. <= /span>

Energy efficiency and the development of renewable energy are critical to Vermont’s economic development and environment. Under the American Recover= y and Reinvestment Act, Vermont will be receiving roughly $50 million toward the encouragement of renewab= le energy, weatherization and energy efficiency services. It is critical that we use this = money effectively to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create well paying jobs in the green energy sector. In order to reach these goals we need to increase our trained workforce and better deliver efficiency services. Unfortunately, Vermont is in the practice of dividi= ng up funds and resources for training services between various providers. This practice has led to an uncoordinated system with duplicative and wasteful administrative costs.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> We must have a collaborative pro= cess in place in order to create well paying jobs for Vermonters and provide energy efficiency services in an efficient, effective manner.

Last month we directed interested parties to create the Green Collaborative, a partnership that will coordinate the weatherization services around the s= tate to better deliver workforce training and services. Vermont Energy Investment Corpor= ation (VEIC) and Vermont Technical Center (VTC) have made significant progress toward this goal and have taken the first steps to creating a renewable energy and efficiency center.

Revaluate Vermont’s revenue system and revenue collection.

Our revenues system has grown piecemeal into the system we have today. We will ask the Finance and Ways= and Means Committees to revaluate our revenue system and make recommendations= to modernize the way in which we fund our state. Current initiatives before the legislature to address education finance and tax affordability continue a= nd exacerbate this segmented approach. We will ask the Finance and Ways and Means Committees to revaluate= our revenue system and make recommendations to modernize the way in which we = fund our state.

Evaluate areas for more effective government operation.=

Earlier this session we proposed the reorganization of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. We will ask our Government Operations and Appropriations committees to look at a similar re-organization in other a= reas of government including law enforcement and health care services.

If we= are to emerge successfully from this economic crisis as a stronger and more prosperous state we cannot afford to do business as usual. We no doubt wi= ll have to make some difficult choices, but by keeping our eye on the future= we will build a more effective, efficient and sustainable Vermont.

Priorities for the Second half of the Session

We ha= ve devoted the first half of the session to finding ways for the legislature to help stimulate the economy and create jobs for Vermonters. We will continue our focus on the economy by encouraging green energy development, targeting money toward venture capital and funding a variety of transportation projects. We will also pass legislation to improve our election system and end the inequality in our civil marriage laws.

Speak= er Smith and I have made a commitment to pass at least seven pieces of legislation before we adjourn in May that will create good paying jobs for Vermonters, encourage the development of clean renewable energy, reduce the Governor’s proposed tax burden on businesses and grant equal marria= ge rights to all Vermonters. T= hese bills include:

An economic development and= jobs creation bill that will include targeted money for venture capital.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

The Speaker’s $125 mi= llion bonding proposal that will fund a variety of transportation projects such as increased funding for state and local roads and bridges and capital projects to strengthen our public transit system.

A comprehensive green energ= y bill that will encourage the development of in state renewable energy generation. This bill = will encourage the development of solar, biomass and geothermal technology and will both allow and encourage wind development on state lands.

A decommissioning bill that= will ensure that Vermonters will not have to cover the remaining costs of decommissioning the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant and that the plant’s owners are held accountable for the entire clean up costs.

Balancing the Unemployment Insurance Fund without placing the entire burden on our struggling businesses. The Speake= r and I will bring together a group of business leaders together to discuss what increases are appropriate and tolerable during this time of economic crisis as well as ways in which to improve enforcement. Many states are facing the = same challenges and we will also explore what assistance the federal government can provide.

A variety of bills regardin= g our election laws. These i= nclude campaign finance reform and same day voter registration.
A marriage equality bill th= at will grant all Vermonters the equal right to marry.

Remarks on marriage Equality=

Below= are my remarks stating why it is so important that the legislature focus not only on the economy but on civil rights and pass a marriage equality bill this year:<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

Nine = years ago, in response to a decision by the Vermont Supreme Court, our Legislat= ure considered allowing same-sex couples to legally marry. We ultimately stopped short—opting instead to pass the civil union law, which provided ma= ny of the benefits of civil marriage to same-sex couples. I supported the civil union comp= romise in 2000—not because I didn’t think that gay and lesbian coupl= es should have the same right to marry that I do, but because the votes for marriage weren’t there. Vermont wasn&#= 8217;t ready.

In th= e years since then the world has changed dramatically. Same-sex couples began legally m= arrying to our north in Ca= nada, as well as a handful of other countries.= To our south, they began legally marrying in Massachusetts. Connecticut adopted a Vermont-style civil union law, and then moved on to marriage. Legislatures throughout the Nort= heast—including the two other states that passed civil union laws of their own-- are considering marriage bills this year.&nb= sp; Vermont<= /st1:State> is no longer alone, and we’re no longer leading. Here in <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Vermont, peoples’ fears in connection with the civil union law have proven unfounded. Nobody was harmed, some families= enjoy a little more security, and our State is a better place for having taken = that step.

IR= 17;m proud of the step we took in 2000, but as the years have passed, my pride has given way to uneasiness.&nb= sp; Though we provided some important legal protections in 2000, the f= act is, we also stopped short of full equal rights for our gay and lesbian citizens. Throughout those = years, I’ve frequently seen my friends Bari and Diane. Their children g= o to school with mine, and we’ve frequently crossed paths at school even= ts, or dropping off our kids. It’s clear that Bari and Diane’s family is as worthy as my own, and that their love and commitment to one another is no less than that between my wife and me. But I’m conscious that our= laws still don’t recognize that; they don’t allow Bari and Diane to get the same civil marriage license from their Town Clerk that I and so many other heterosex= ual Vermonters take for granted. As a result, they’re two-steps removed from important federal protections like Social Security survivor benefits.&= nbsp; They face greater uncertainty when they travel outside of Vermont. They’re more likely to be = denied spousal health insurance benefits. And they are shut out of an institution—marriage—that&= #8217;s as relevant and important to them as it is to me. Our laws build a figurative wall between their family and my own—a wall that doesn’t match the reality that I know.

For a= ll of these reasons, I’m proud to announce that our Senate Judiciary Committee will be taking up a bill to end the inequality in our civil marriage when we return from the Town Meeting break. Throughout this legislative sess= ion, we’ve been mindful of this important issue, and hopeful that we wouldn’t have to put it off for yet another year. We know that justice too long de= layed is justice denied.

But we’ve had our hands full with a variety of other important matters—first and foremost the economic crisis and the challenges it poses for our state. Our committees that deal with financial matters have been hard at work develo= ping a responsible and sustainable plan. The federal stimulus has passed, and as we speak legislative staff are carefully studying the details so we can h= it the ground running after the break. In the meantime, our House and Senate Judiciary Committees have completed work on a major piece of legislation to ensure that Vermont has the country’s toughest and most thoughtful laws governing sex offenders. They now have the capacity to turn their attention to other matters, and it’s become clear that we can and should work to pass a bill promo= ting the equal right to marry this year.

The S= enate Judiciary Committee will return on the 16^th to begin hearings = on the bill. We have worked ha= rd to come up with a schedule that moves this bill efficiently and thoughtfully. We hope and e= xpect the committee will complete its work by that Friday the 20^th.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> During that week, the committee = will be taking testimony from advocates on both sides of the issue, legal scholars, representatives of the business comm= unity, clergy, and experts on the well-being of children. The House and Senate Judiciary Committees will be holding a joint public hearing on Wednesday, March 18, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. in the House chamber. My understanding is that the Hou= se stands ready to act once the Senate passes a bill.

This = has been and will continue to be a very difficult session. We’ve had to make a lot of= hard decisions, and a lot of tough choices lie ahead. I, for one, am grateful for this opportunity—the chance to pass a bill that will make a real positive difference in the lives of many Vermonters without diverting a single dollar from another priority. We won’t get many opportun= ities like that this year, and I look forward to supporting, and passing, this bill.

Vermont Yankee Update

The q= uestion of extending Vermont Yankee’s operating license from 2012 to 2032 is one of the most important issues on the legislative agenda this biennium.= Yet, too many questions in = regard to the reliability of the plant as well as its economic viability remain,= for the 180 person citizen legislature to tackle this important issue this year.

There= are several important pieces of information for the legislature to consider before it can make any decisions. The most important of which is a = Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between Entergy and the utilities that would set= the rate Entergy would sell Vermont Yankee’s power. A PPA was supposed to be reached= by December 2008, a deadline that came and went with no agreement. Early last month, Speaker Smith = and I sent a letter to Entergy advising them that in order for action to be tak= en in this legislative session, an agreement would need to be reached by February 18, 2009. Again, t= he deadline has come and gone with no response.

Even = if all of this information were in hand today, it would be a significant challen= ge for the legislature to complete in 2009.= The rate issue alone is a process that often takes up to seven mon= ths or longer for Vermont’s largest investor-owned utilities to get approved. This is significantly more time = than the eight weeks left in the legislative session.

If you know of anyone who would like to receive this newsletter
in the future or if you would no longer like to receive Shumlin’s Briefing please contact Alex MacLean at amac= lean@leg.state.vt.us.

Peter Shumlin
Senate President Pro Tem
Vermont State House
115 State St
Montpelier, VT 05633
Phone: 802-828-3806

senprespt@leg.state.vt.us=

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Welcome to the latest edition of Shumlin’s Briefing!

The goal of this newsletter is to keep yo= u up to date of the work we’re doing in the Vermont Legislature.

It is an honor to serve all of you in the= State Senate. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me at senprespt@leg.state.vt.us or at 802-828-3806.

Priorities for the Second half of the Session

Remarks on marriage Equality=

Vermont Yankee Update

It is an honor to serve all of you in the= State Senate. If you
have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me at
senprespt@leg.state.vt.us or at 802-828-3806.