Vermonters for Economic Health

Lisa Ventriss at the Vermont Business Roundtable plays off some national recommendations from the Concord Coalition in 2008 as she encourages Vermont's Legislature to action in the upcoming session.

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Recently, Tom Licata, founder of Vermonters for Economic Health, discussed with a group in Bennington the fiscal state of affairs of our nation and Vermont.

Here is a summary of that meeting published in the Bennington Banner with some important points Tom made in his presentation.

Montpelier lawmakers have a tough row to hoe this session. Hopefully, they all recognize the dire financial condition Vermont is in. There will be no time for frivolous legislation. Vermonters deserve full attention to the situation that they have created by their past profligate, unsustainable policies and spending.

Any political grandstanding will be unacceptable. Those who engage in it should be called out. We intend to do so here at VEH.

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Study Groups Established by 2009 Legislative Session

Nearly all these groups will issue their final reports in December and
January (the Judicial Operations Commission has already issued theirs).
The Tax Structure Commission will issue an interim report after the new
year and another the following year.

Expect the output of these efforts to shape some of the agenda in the
upcoming session. Policy wonks will have a field day reading the
results of this work.

We look forward particularly to the results from the education group, the tax structure commission and the pensions and retiree health care group. These recommendations should say a lot about Vermont's fiscal future.

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Mark Steyn, writer and sometime radio talk show host, recently crossed the border into our state and had these observations. This piece has been widely circulated in Vermont, but in case you missed it, click on this link to read a craftily worded description of Vermont's state of affairs.

This excerpt is from an editorial by Emerson Lynn, publisher of the St. Albans Messenger, which has appeared in his newspaper and at Vermont Tiger. We at VEH endorse his view.

Candidates whose rhetoric panders to 'green' constituencies should be pressed to explain why higher energy costs are good for Vermont's economy. The stark reality is that Vermont Yankee is a very good deal for the state, particularly the beneficial revenue sharing agreement that would run until 2022, if VY is relicensed.

This question to the Vermont Recovery Office revealed the answer below.

Question:

To Vermont Recovery Office: From the first report on the use of ARRA (Stimulus) monies in Vermont, The information I'm seeking is this:

# jobs created/saved in the private sector.
# jobs created/saved that are government payroll jobs at all levels of government.

Answer: