Innkeepers are a busy bunch. To save you time, VLA attends Governor Scott’s press conferences and takes notes for you. Below is the summary from 9/13/22.
Governor Scott returned to the Pavilion in Montpelier for his press conference today, taking a break from holding his press conferences at locations around the state. The governor and his administration detailed their recent trip to Quebec to discuss trade and economic development opportunities. During question time, the governor also commented on the Green Mountain Care Board’s hospital budget approvals and Vermont’s path towards vehicle electrification.
- Governor Scott: (Please see Governor’s Press Conference 9.13.22 for transcript of Gov. Scott, Comm. Goldstein, and Secretary Kurrle’s remarks).
- Questions:
- Also competing with NY and their cheaper electricity and tax breaks:
- Scott – It’s difficult. I talked to one company and they’re looking at Oklahoma due to tax advantages, but they love Vermont. But the Chamber has done a great job the last couple of years – and there’s a number in the aerospace industry here and they like to align themselves with one another. That’s why we fought so hard to keep Beta in Vermont – they could have gone anywhere they wanted.
- Goldstein – It is difficult but can’t take anything for granted. We had a large presence for a small state. Want these Canadian companies to know that we do have incentive programs and we need to continue to support that and to support the training programs that we have – and to support introductions that we can make to other countries. Having the governor there is really important too.
- Scott – Everyone I spoke to had interest in Highgate, Newport… opportunities there. In Highgate, lengthening and widening. They want to have things happen quickly. They’d like to have the warehouse space this year if they’re going to move… we’re going to have to look at different strategies – whether it’s Newport or Highgate with the expanded runways, there’s an opportunity there.
- There was a perception that Vermont is not the easiest place to bring a business into, that it takes to long to develop permits… have we overcome that, are we working to overcome that?
- Scott – We’ve been working on that the past six years – to expedite the permitting process. Unfortunately we haven’t gained much ground with the legislature. Maybe next session we’ll go back at it. Doing what we can with developers to see what space they have available. I think that the perception that has changed in some way. I don’t think that there were any other governors who were there that spoke directly to CEOs – relationship matters.
- Housing is obviously a major issue – where would workers live?
- Scott – We are building as we speak. $37 million housing investment – we thought that was the biggest thing. Now we’ve been able to convince the legislature that $250 million will go to housing, as well as water and sewer infrastructure. Will be bringing in workforce, but also hiring local people. We’re getting there, but it’s going to take time. It all has to work together – but we can’t give up on economic expansion. Need to focus on housing, but can’t give up on expansion.
- Re: hiring local workers. Vermont has a very low unemployment rate – so people already have jobs.
- Scott – Not in all areas. It depends where you are. In Northeast Kingdom, Caledonia area, the unemployment rate is higher. Opportunities there.
- Gathering in Montpelier yesterday to articulate concern over 8,000 or so households that will be losing VRAP assistance – what reassurances can you offer people that they won’t lose housing due to the transition? (VRAP = Vermont Emergency Rental Assistance Program)
- Scott – Let’s level set this – pre-pandemic, we didn’t have this program. This was part of emergency congressional action – money for emergency housing and housing in general. When they first initiated this – had 90,000 people unemployed. This money kept them afloat. But the emergency is over, and the money is drying up. It wasn’t the intention of Congress for this to go on in perpetuity. So this day is coming quicker than we had hoped, but everyone saw this coming. Do still have pre-pandemic programs in place. Want to make sure that we’re taking care of the most vulnerable.
- Hanford – This funding was temporary – Have been able to run this program longer than many states. Wind-down designed to help most vulnerable to get through the winter. People in program at higher income level will see benefits wind down over the next few months. Real solution is more housing. Work is underway. We have a few years to spend that $250 million of ARPA. To date 2,000 affordable housing units created – another 2,000 in the pipeline. One sign that housing is being worked on – have seen uptick in residential building permits. Are building more. System is trying to address the situation.
- Scott – The Treasury changed the rules to ramp it down more quickly than we thought. They changed the rules. Why it’s ending more quickly than we had anticipated. Don’t have state resources or authority for the state to fund it.
- Scott – Let’s level set this – pre-pandemic, we didn’t have this program. This was part of emergency congressional action – money for emergency housing and housing in general. When they first initiated this – had 90,000 people unemployed. This money kept them afloat. But the emergency is over, and the money is drying up. It wasn’t the intention of Congress for this to go on in perpetuity. So this day is coming quicker than we had hoped, but everyone saw this coming. Do still have pre-pandemic programs in place. Want to make sure that we’re taking care of the most vulnerable.
- You received endorsement from Let’s Grow Kids because you committed that no family will spend more than 10% of their income on childcare. Can you articulate what your commitment is?
- Scott – I wasn’t aware that I received their endorsement, so thanks for breaking that news for me. The 10% – I’m not sure that I made that commitment. I think that it’s a goal. Something that we’ve been working on with that group since I’ve become elected. Childcare is integral to economic development and creating a stronger Vermont. Something that we’ve been struggling with. We have to work with the legislature on this and need to find a funding source. Something needs to give – not interested in raising another broad based tax to do this.
- You signed into law that no parent shall spend more than 10% on childcare – but you’re talking about that as a goal now? Will Vermont honor that commitment that was made in Act 171?
- Scott – Again, it’s something that we have to work out all the details on. Don’t have a program that describes that right now, but it’s our goal. When you only have a certain amount of money to use for this, you have to prioritize, may have to live with something else to accomplish this.
- Will your budget include the funding to honor the statutory commitment?
- Scott – We are building our budget as we speak so we’ll see.
- You signed into law that no parent shall spend more than 10% on childcare – but you’re talking about that as a goal now? Will Vermont honor that commitment that was made in Act 171?
- Scott – I wasn’t aware that I received their endorsement, so thanks for breaking that news for me. The 10% – I’m not sure that I made that commitment. I think that it’s a goal. Something that we’ve been working on with that group since I’ve become elected. Childcare is integral to economic development and creating a stronger Vermont. Something that we’ve been struggling with. We have to work with the legislature on this and need to find a funding source. Something needs to give – not interested in raising another broad based tax to do this.
- Can you discuss what happened with the Chief of Abenaki First Nation of Adanak in Quebec at the summit?
- Scott – I was at a luncheon and was met by the Abenaki Chief in the hallway and was given a letter registering dissatisfaction with what Vermont had done, and he wanted to meet right then. Had his own press team with him, and I was headed to a press briefing. I said that I’m willing to listen, but it was legislative action that was taken when I was in the Senate, I believe, and more action recently. We have committed to Vermont Abenakis but we should at least hear them out and legislators should listen as well. I made a commitment to set something up to meet and listen. (Odanak Abenakis oppose recognition of four tribes in Vermont as Abenaki)
- Can you make that letter public?
- Scott – I don’t see why not.
- Can you make that letter public?
- Scott – I was at a luncheon and was met by the Abenaki Chief in the hallway and was given a letter registering dissatisfaction with what Vermont had done, and he wanted to meet right then. Had his own press team with him, and I was headed to a press briefing. I said that I’m willing to listen, but it was legislative action that was taken when I was in the Senate, I believe, and more action recently. We have committed to Vermont Abenakis but we should at least hear them out and legislators should listen as well. I made a commitment to set something up to meet and listen. (Odanak Abenakis oppose recognition of four tribes in Vermont as Abenaki)
- Health Care – GMCB approved 14% rate hike for UVMMC – hospital said it’d have big impact on access to care – consumer advocates said that some might get priced out of the market. What do you make of the health care snafu that we’re in right now?
- Scott – Due to pandemic, inflation, cost of workforce – understand the position that they’re in. I think they were asking for between 15-20%. I wouldn’t say that GMCB slashed their ask. I do know that we have forwarded DSH payments to the hospitals. And know that there was $19 million set aside for CVMC mental health facility and GMCB said it could be used to reduce rates. There’s other money and things in play, and I don’t know all of the information, but I’m sure that the GMCB did their due diligence and thought that this was the right approach.
- Under Act 167, AHS in conjunction with GMCB and legislature is to engage with communities and look at global budgets – sort of hitting the reset button. Any of that work underway?
- Daloz – Meetings have begun – coordination between GMCB and AHS underway
- State Police have done a few saturation patrols on 89 between Berlin and Brookfield – numbers are pretty alarming. Last patrol on Sept 10th – 60% of people violating speed limit were going over 90 mph. Any appetite to consider speed limiting cameras that ticket automatically? Used in 16 other states?
- Scott – It has come up, but I don’t think that there’s an appetite with the legislature to do this at this point. One of our initiatives was to try this out in some of the safety zones – send warnings – but that was turned down as well. Traffic speed has increased dramatically as have deaths.
- How’s your truck?
- Scott – Love it. It’s amazing in a lot of respects. Has incredible torque, pick-up. No complaints so far.
- Scott – Curious how you envision your relationship going forward with Odanak First Nation. How should government relationship be with sovereign nation that never ceded land?
- Scott – Have had a great relationship with Chief Stevens here in Vermont and throughout past 20 years have made steps in the right direction, and think that we need to keep listening and keeping line of communication open.
- Odanak representatives at an event at UVM this spring made claims that folks who are leaders of Vermont state recognized tribes are “Pretendians,” “race shifters” – white people taking on indigenous identity.
- Scott – Again, we’ve had this relationship with the Vermont Abenakis and I wouldn’t say that they’re opportunists and committed to their beliefs and no reason to believe that they’re imposters or frauds in any way.
- Who should get to decide? Odanak feel that they should or other Abenaki First Nations.
- Scott – I again, I don’t have the answer to that. Probably more a legal question. We’ll work our way through this. Have had a great relationship with the Abenaki for decades.
- Odanak representatives at an event at UVM this spring made claims that folks who are leaders of Vermont state recognized tribes are “Pretendians,” “race shifters” – white people taking on indigenous identity.
- Scott – Have had a great relationship with Chief Stevens here in Vermont and throughout past 20 years have made steps in the right direction, and think that we need to keep listening and keeping line of communication open.
- By law, Vermont’s committed to follow California’s emission standards, and a rule to follow California’s recent decision to ban the sale of new internal combustion engines in cars by 2035 is now working its way through the interagency and legislative rules process. Do you support Vermont doing the same?
- Scott – I’m a big proponent of electric vehicles. I don’t believe it’s all going to be EVs in the future. I think hydrogen has some process. I do believe that we have to wean ourselves off of the engines as soon as possible. The manufacturers need to be guided some too. I know that there’ll be public comment and look forward to hearing what people have to say. If you think about how far we’ve come, even in the past few years, I don’t believe that manufacturers will be building internal combustion engines – at least for passenger cars and light-duty vehicles. I think Ford has already decided on their own, GM not far behind. Manufacturers have set their course. I think it’ll be much more affordable in the future for people, and everyday Vermonters.
- If we are all electric and there was a blackout, our society would be in ever deeper trouble, than if we had more energy diversity.
- Scott – Yes – much like if the wells and gas supplies are shut off – we’d be in trouble. I get your point, and I am concerned about our grid, and the capacity of our grid, and the ability to produce enough renewable electricity to store it efficiently and to distribute it from there. We have a lot of work to do in terms of electrification. Not giving up on other sources – think hydrogen has a lot of promise and could be alternative fuel source.
- If we are all electric and there was a blackout, our society would be in ever deeper trouble, than if we had more energy diversity.
- Scott – I’m a big proponent of electric vehicles. I don’t believe it’s all going to be EVs in the future. I think hydrogen has some process. I do believe that we have to wean ourselves off of the engines as soon as possible. The manufacturers need to be guided some too. I know that there’ll be public comment and look forward to hearing what people have to say. If you think about how far we’ve come, even in the past few years, I don’t believe that manufacturers will be building internal combustion engines – at least for passenger cars and light-duty vehicles. I think Ford has already decided on their own, GM not far behind. Manufacturers have set their course. I think it’ll be much more affordable in the future for people, and everyday Vermonters.
- Is only issue with airport in Newport that they don’t have enough warehouse space, or are there other issues that they’d have to address?
- Scott – A lot of it is in terms of having space available, and the companies that we talked to are enthusiastic and want to do something sooner rather than later. I’m not sure about the water and stormwater infrastructure in Newport either. Would take a while, but they’re eager to make a move in the foreseeable future.
- Any recent discussion on transmission line development – specifically thinking about the Northeast Kingdom – had been floated as a possible alternative to the failed Northern Pass project.
- Scott – I’m looking forward to meeting with VELCO in the not too distant future to talk about this, because we all need to understand what the opportunities and challenges that we have with electrification. And the technology in terms of storage – smaller batteries (micro-grid). Have to start planning this now. We also have the line that is fully permitted through Lake Champlain, they can go to the lower part of the state and beyond and I know the Northern Pass failed – had some challenges in Maine, still some issues – some opportunity still there.
- Also competing with NY and their cheaper electricity and tax breaks: