The Vermont Standard asked a series of questions of the candidates for the Governor of Vermont, the following is their responses.
Sue Minter, Democratic Candidate
Where do you stand on solar and wind power in Vermont? Please be specific.
We need to address climate change, and developing a renewable energy portfolio that includes wellsited solar and wind projects are a big part of that equation.
Climate change is real, and it is here. Addressing it is a moral imperative, an environmental issue, and an economic opportunity. Let’s not forget that last winter never really happened, and that lack of winter profoundly affected our economy: snow machines didn’t come to general stores and ski areas couldn’t operate. Climate change costs Vermont jobs. We must take on this challenge.
The clean energy and efficiency industry is one of the fastest growing sectors of our economy with over 17,000 good paying jobs. We need to send a clear message to this burgeoning clean tech sector that Vermont is a supportive partner for this industry.
I understand that energy siting has been contentious. As governor, I’ll work to expand community voice and access to decisions through enhanced planning at the regional and local level. I will work to make the Public Service Board more responsive to community plans and goals and allow our new energy siting bill time to work, enabling town plans to have authority in the regulatory review process.
A couple of school board members in our area are calling it quits, throwing their hands in the air regarding Act 46, the school consolidation law. What should be done to help these school boards? Does Act 46 need to be overhauled, repealed or should our school boards just face the facts?
As a mother of two kids with a husband on the school board, I understand how challenging this process has been for many towns and districts throughout the state and how deeply people care about their local schools. Schools are the center of our communities. I believe we need greater flexibility for districts re-designing their governance structures through Act 46. I’ve called for a one-year extension on the deadline, and as governor, I’ll ensure that towns — especially smaller towns — have the resources they need to plan.
Excluding above, what’s the biggest issue facing voters and how will you deal with that issue if you’re elected?
All over the state, too many Vermonters are struggling to make ends meet, but it doesn’t stop at our borders. Across the country, wages are stagnant. Improving our economy and creating livable wage jobs in the state is the fastest and surest way to address affordability issues Vermont faces.
My InvestVT plan will harness federal, state and local resources, lending from financial institutions, and private support to make strategic investments in our communities. We’ve seen this type of approach work in communities like Barre, St. Albans and my hometown of Waterbury. I want to expand the approach to towns throughout Vermont.
Innovation is a key ingredient to economic growth and success. InnovateVT will focus on further developing four cutting-edge sectors for the economy of the future, including:
• Clean Energy and Efficiency
• Farm and Forest Production
• The Tech Industry
• Next Generation Manufacturing Finally, Vermont Promise is my plan to provide two years tuitionfree at Community College of Vermont (CCV) and Vermont Technical College (VTC). This will help Vermont families afford higher education, and increase the state’s skilled workforce, which many employers identified as a major need.
Make your final pitch. Why should people vote for you?
I’ve been working and delivering for Vermonters in some of our toughest times: As a legislator during the great recession — standing up for our seniors, kids and families; as Irene Recovery Officer helping to rebuild roads, bridges and communities; and as Secretary of Transportation balancing a $600 million budget.
I have a track record of taking on challenges, setting goals, and accomplishing those goals. As your governor, I’ll make sure we address our challenges and make change that helps Vermont families and young people afford to live, work and stay right here in the place they love.
Together, we’ll create livable wage jobs, expand college affordability, pass commonsense gun safety by expanding background checks, and tackle climate change — one of the greatest challenges of our time.
For those who want a stronger middle class, more livable wage jobs and affordable education from birth through college. I’m the candidate you can believe in.
I believe in Vermont. I know that we can build a brighter future together.
Phil Scott, Republican Candidate
Where do you stand on solar and wind power in Vermont? Please be specific.
Regardless of what you may hear in the negative and misleading ads, I believe the science: climate change is real and man-made. I also believe we need to be united in our commitment to increasing efficiency and becoming more energy independent in ways that strengthen the economy and make Vermont more affordable.
As governor, I’ll be committed to clean, renewable energy through a balanced portfolio that includes solar and hydropower, and I will insist that these discussions respect community input. I believe we can reach our energy goals of 90 percent renewable energy by 2050 without relying on industrial wind turbines. Large-scale wind development destroys our ridgelines, has a negative environmental impact and is being forced onto communities that do not want them and who are not being given a voice in the discussion. That will change when I am governor.
A couple of school board members in our area are calling it quits, throwing their hands in the air regarding Act 46, the school consolidation law. What should be done to help these school boards? Does Act 46 need to be overhauled, repealed or should our school boards just face the facts?
I’m the only candidate to acknowledge that we can provide the best education in the country, while reducing the property tax burden. But, we have to be willing to modernize how we’re administering our $1.6 billion education budget for 86,000 children. It will involve an honest discussion about how we’re allocating resources, how we can better serve students and why we need to give families more choices. Act 46 started a much-needed conversation about reducing the property tax burden by addressing inefficiencies in our statewide education system. But it is falling far short of the cost containment and property tax solution Vermonters need. I will ask the legislature to reform the law, by ensuring local control and school choice are preserved and expanded. For example, I’d ask the legislature to clarify that districts with school choice can preserve it in the event of a consolidation. I’d also want to see the law allow for a transition to independent school districts and communities to explore how they might keep what they save from mergers, and other efficiencies, returning the savings to local taxpayers or local schools.
Excluding above, what’s the biggest issue facing voters and how will you deal with that issue if you’re elected?
As I’ve said throughout the campaign, the most important issues facing each and every Vermonter are the state of our economy and our crisis of affordability. Over the last six years, Vermont has seen $700 million in new spending. That’s a spending increase of about 5 percent each year, when the economy and wages have only been growing at about 2 percent each year. That means the legislature has been continuously increasing taxes and fees to pay for this spending. We also have a shrinking workforce, which means more and more of the growing tax burden shifts onto those of us who remain. This is a totally unsustainable economic trend — we must reverse it. I hear from Vermonters every day who are struggling to make ends meet.
I’ve laid out the only real comprehensive plan to drive economic growth and make Vermont more affordable, outlining more than 50 specific ideas and proposals to do so. My approach is centered around some key components, most importantly: I will never approve a budget that allows spending to grow faster than the economy or wages. My administration will be committed to protecting jobs and retaining current employers; expanding our workforce and workforce training opportunities; revitalizing our county economic centers, expanding innovation hubs and designating high-tech zones; putting healthcare reform back on track; increasing the availability of good homes that are affordable for working families; advancing progrowth, pro-jobs tax policy; and modernizing state government. I invite everyone to view my plan at philscott.org.
Make your final pitch. Why should people vote for you?
I am the only candidate that has committed, throughout the entire campaign, to make certain that the economy and affordability are the top priorities in Montpelier. Vermonters cannot afford more of the same, which is why it is essential that our state leadership and legislators focus on economic growth and making Vermont more affordable.
To make real progress, and to truly strengthen our economy to generate revenue organically, rather than increasing the burden on taxpayers, we need a comprehensive approach that comes at the problem from all angles. That’s why my plan for economic growth covers topics from workforce training and taxes to health care, broadband and housing. We will leave no stone unturned, and put every idea on the table, when considering how to drive economic growth. My entire administration will set clear and achievable economic goals and stay focused on the fundamentals. Focusing on the economy and restoring fiscal responsibility will ensure we have the resources to support our most vulnerable and continue to tackle some of our most critical challenges, including our opiate epidemic. Together, we can build towards a brighter future.