Legislative Report 1/15/2015 - Peculiar Beginnings

The 2015 legislative session began with a lot of drama. Since none of the gubernatorial candidates got at least 50% of the total votes cast, the Vermont Constitution required the legislature to elect the governor by Australian ballot from the top three vote recipients, namely Peter Shumlin, Scott Milne and Dan Feliciano. TV ads ran for weeks before the session urging legislators to vote for Scott Milne, and I received about 20 emails and phone calls urging me to do so.

However, since Peter Shumlin received the most votes of the three, as well as a solid majority of the votes in my district, I cast my vote for him. I explained my decision at length here.
 

Governor Shumlin's announcement in December that the financial analysis of the planned “single-payer” health care system determined that it would not be economically feasible at this time caught its supporters both in and outside the legislature by surprise. This disappointment led to a very disruptive demonstration by an advocacy group during the inauguration ceremony on the second day of the session. As a supporter who voted for the universal health care plan, I have always felt that the analysis had to be well-founded and feasible before we could proceed with it. While I am disappointed that the analysis did not support the state's ability to implement the plan as envisioned within the time frame we hoped, I was also disappointed at the lack of respect shown by the demonstrators for the very people they want to support their cause.
 

Health care is like a maze, and if you're familiar with mazes, there can be dead ends sometimes. The trick is not to give up, but to backtrack and see what other paths might be available. I think that although the analysis took longer than expected, the Green Mountain Care Board took the necessary time to make sure they had the best data available. Governor Shumlin has shown courage, in my opinion, to swallow his pride and admit that his premier program is not realistic in today's economic climate with the data available. This does not mean that we are giving up on providing coverage to all Vermonters. We just have to figure out how to do it better. And that means doing better than our experience with Vermont Health Connect.

The new biennium is also a time when committee assignments are made. This year Speaker Shap Smith really shuffled the deck. A large percentage of returning members found themselves on new committees. While I was retained on the Natural Resources & Energy Committee where I've served for the last four years, our 11 member committee has 7 new members including 4 freshman legislators. Since a large part of Governor Shumlin's inaugural speech focused on renewable energy policy, we will be looking forward to some interesting and productive work again, which will be the focus of future articles. Our first couple of weeks will involve bringing new members up to speed on terminology, scope, process, and relevant government agencies and non-government organizations.

Besides his focus on energy, green jobs and climate change in his inaugural speech, Governor Shumlin also announced major goals to improve the water quality of Lake Champlain including assistance for farmers and municipalities to prevent runoff from fields and roadways. What he did not talk about was property taxes and health care. However, I expect him to include these issues when he delivers his budget address on January 15^th.
 

I look forward to providing you with my perspective from the statehouse. I welcome your thoughts and questions and can be reached by phone (802-233-5238) or by email (myantachka.dfa@gmail.com).

Attorney Bill Sorrell Discusses Consumer Advocacy

Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell appeared on the January 5th segment of the Chittenden county Democrats Show to discuss what his office has been doing on behalf of Vermonters.  The show, which features interviews with office holders and others airs on CCTV Channel 17, Burlington's community access television station on the first Monday of the month unless pre-empted by other programs.  Hosted by Chittenden County Democratic Treasurer Bob Hooper and State Representative Mike Yantachka of Charlotte, the show offers an opportunity for callers to question guests on topics of current interest.  This segment can be viewed online here.

My Vote for Governor

Today was the start of the 2015 session of the Vermont Legislature.  Tomorrow, Thursday, the House and Senate together is tasked with electing the governor since no candidate received at least 50% of the vote.  I have received about a dozen emails and phone calls asking me to vote for Scott Milne.  I responded to all in essentially the same way as follows.

I realize that there is a lot of discontent on many fronts among Vermonters.  Property taxes have been increasing at an unsustainable rate.  There has been a lot of concern about the plan for universal health care.  The problems with the VT Health Connect website and support have been frustrating for many folks.  While the economy has been improving, most people have not yet gotten back to where they were in 2008 before the bank failures drove us into the recession. 

 

However, the economy is coming back.  We have grown a strong renewable energy industry in Vermont that has created more than 15,000 good paying jobs. We have expanded opportunities for our high school students to obtain college credit for courses they take in their senior year, thereby reducing college expenses for them.  We have a 95% high school graduation rate.  We have pioneered model legislation to prevent patent trolling that has been adopted by 17 other states since our action.  We are making progress in treating people who are suffering from addiction by timely intervention when they are apprehended for related crimes.  We have built out broadband access to the internet and wireless phone capability across 94% of Vermont.  We raised the minimum wage for hardworking Vermonters. These and many others are not accomplishments to be overlooked.

 

So, I will vote for Gov. Shumlin because, despite the close election, 1) he got the most votes statewide, 2) he got 52% of the votes in Charlotte versus 41% for Milne, and 3) in my opinion he has done a good job overall for Vermont during his tenure. 

 

Democracy means that the top vote getter wins.  Speculation as to what might have happened if a circumstance was different, e.g. Feliciano didn't run or the single payer numbers were released earlier, is just that: speculation.  There have been differences of opinion between Gov. Shumlin and the legislature (including me) on some policy issues, and there still are.  However, I have not heard anything substantial from Scott Milne to persuade me that he would do a better job than Peter Shumlin.

 

I will assure you that I and my colleagues have already committed to revising the education funding mechanism to reduce the burden on property taxes.  We will get this done during this session.  Also, although the plan for a single payer health care system envisioned by Act 48 has been put on hold by Gov. Shumlin, the legislature will continue to look at alternative steps we can take to insure that all Vermonters have access to health insurance.  This includes controlling costs, promoting preventative care, and eliminating the cost-shift that we are already paying for in our insurance premiums.  I'm looking forward to the hard work on these and other issues in the months ahead.

Chittenden Democrats Look Ahead to the 2015 Legislative Session

Chittenden County Democrats Treasurer Bob Hooper and Charlotte State Representative Mike Yantachka hosted Legislative leadership candidates on the monthly Chittenden county Democrats Show on December 1st.  Incumbent Senate Majority Leader Phil Baruth and House Majority Leader candidate Representative Kesha Ram of Burlington chatted with Bob and Mike about the roles they hope to play in the Statehouse as well as the issues the legislature will have to tackle starting January 7th.

Thank You!

I am thankful to the voters of Charlotte and Hinesburg for your support of my re-election as your State Representative.  After knocking on hundreds of doors, I have had many good discussions on a lot of issues.  It was valuable to hear what is on voters' minds, and I welcome your continued input via email and personal contact.  I will be working hard with my colleagues during the coming session to reduce the burden of education financing on local property taxes.  As we receive the plans for the single payer health care system, Green Mountain Care, I and my colleagues will be paying close attention to the financing, provider reimbursement, and cost containment with respect to the impact on Vermont's economy as well as on the health of Vermonters.  The upcoming session will be full of difficult challenges which will not lend themselves to easy solutions.  The legislature will undertake these challenges, and we will, we must, find solutions.  I will continue to keep you informed of what is going on in Montpelier through my newspaper articles and my website, and I look forward to hearing from you as we consider the many issues facing Vermont.  Thank you again for your support.

YOUR VOTE = YOUR VOICE

When the Constitution of the United States was ratified 225 years ago, only white men who owned land were allowed to vote. By the time of the Civil War, the property requirement was largely eliminated. In 1870 discrimination by race was prohibited by the 14th Amendment, and in 1920 women were given the right to vote with the 19th Amendment. Further amendments eliminated poll taxes and extended the right to vote to 18 year olds.

 The right to vote is a sacred right that generations have died to protect, and only in the last four years have some states begun to restrict voting by curtailing access and requiring specific forms of ID not easily available to all citizens. Fortunately, here in Vermont we have not taken steps to restrict access because we strongly believe in this fundamental right of all of our eligible citizens. However, because this is not a presidential election year, turnout is expected to be low for this election.

 So, I want to encourage everyone to exercise your right to vote this Tuesday. Whom you vote for is your choice, but don't throw away this precious privilege.

 Your Vote is Your Voice. Use it!