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 1/24/23.
Today, Governor Scott resumed his slate of weekly press conferences. Gov. Scott advocated for the $3 million Rural Infrastructure Assistance Program in the Budget Adjustment Act. The Scott administration is undertaking an “ARPA tour.” He then took questions from the press.
- Questions:
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- Would statewide planning better assist small towns than the BAA program?
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- Gov. Scott — would rather regional planning commissions (RPCs) serve this role.
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- How far can the $3 million be stretched and what would its total impact be?
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- Gov. Scott — consider the money just a “jump-start.”
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- How do you feel about the ~30,000 Vermonters who will lose Medicaid coverage that they received during the pandemic?
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- Gov. Scott — it is simply a fact of the federal money flow coming to an end and the need to “off-ramp.” The administration will be defaulting to its pre-pandemic status. This is as good a time as any with the “booming economy.”
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- Is there funding in your budget for universal school meals for another year?
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- Gov Scott — I will continue providing for those who cannot afford it but do not support a universal program.
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- Will your office at the Statehouse be repurposed for legislative hearings because of a lack of space?
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- Gov. Scott — no.
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- What would you say to the retired Vermont state employees who feel they are being forced into a Medicare Advantage program?
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- Gov. Scott — I do not see it that way [instead calling it “a win for everyone”]. I think my administration can make this switch without legislative action.
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- If the retired employees don’t come around to your side, will you drop the change?
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- Gov. Scott — we’ll see.
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- Do you have concerns regarding shield laws around abortion centers?
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- Gov. Scott — I don’t know enough to comment but we want to protect anyone who is providing that service.
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- What do you make of S.4, specifically the gun provisions?
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- Gov Scott — we’ve done a lot around gun violence. I’m “not feeling as though we need to do anything with our gun laws at this point in time.”
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- “What are your thoughts on the paid family leave legislation that includes a payroll tax?”
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- Gov. Scott — my proposal is a middle ground but I’m not in favor of a payroll tax or any tax increases at all. The volunteer program is preferable to a medical leave fund.
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- What are your thoughts on Auditor Hoffer’s report about the [Tax Increment Financing] TIF district in Burlington/does it give you pause?
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- Gov. Scott — the Auditor is not a fan of TIFs whereas I am. We have cleaned up a lot of the problems with the Burlington TIF district but this is a Burlington problem.
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- What is your reaction to the fire hazard caused by energy storage in the basement of the Statehouse?
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- Gov. Scott — energy storage remains the future but this setback is, of course, unfortunate.
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- Would you support lawmakers legalizing sports gambling in Vermont?
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- Gov. Scott — yes. I have concerns with the safety of gambling (just as I do with cannabis) but we need to find a protected path forward.
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- [somewhat unintelligible question on child care]
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- Gov. Scott — I believe in child care investments but challenges will remain due to a lack of workers no matter the investments.
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- What is your general reaction to the RAND child care report?
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- Gov. Scott — I’m a believer in early child care and learning but the administration’s [smaller] proposal makes the most sense.
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- Your child care plan didn’t include a way to increase wages for child care workers. What are your thoughts on increasing wages?
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- Gov. Scott — inflation is pushing wages up but they need to increase more. But artificially increasing child care wages isn’t going to get us where we want to go because we don’t have enough housing.
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- Any thoughts on the federal debt ceiling debate?
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- Gov. Scott — it’s unfortunate. If we were so worried about our debt we shouldn’t have spent the money we did.
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- Are Republicans in Washington raising a false issue?
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- Gov. Scott — no, but they should’ve thought about this when they spent the money. We should raise the debt ceiling now but not overspend in the future.
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- What are your thoughts on your administration requiring homeless people who receive state services to work on the issues that led them to being homeless?
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- Gov. Scott — we’re trying to gather information on what caused folks to be homeless and provide those wraparound services. There are no specific requirements that folks obtain employment.
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- Why would we spend millions of dollars bringing businesses to Vermont when we can’t find workers for the businesses we already have?
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- Gov. Scott — we can’t stand still and always have to be one step ahead in securing the future businesses of the Vermont economy.
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