3/9/10 – News Clips

Lawmakers face busy 2nd half of session

Vermont tax revenue falls below projections in February

General Fund shortfalls continue

Douglas makes goodwill trip to Quebec

Pot dispensary bill faces action

3/8/10 – News Clips

Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas to lead delegation to Quebec

Lawmakers consider banning hospital advertising

Redistricting gives students more options

Middlebury & Bristol Are Next for Lt. Gov. Dubie’s Jobs Tour

(Montpelier, VT, March 5, 2010) – The next leg of Lt. Governor Brian Dubie’s Jobs Tour will take him to Middlebury and Bristol on Monday. He launched the Jobs Tour on January 13 and has so far has travelled to Rutland, Windham, Bennington, Chittenden, Franklin, Caledonia and  Lamoille counties, asking local area employers how the state can best help them retain existing jobs and grow new jobs.

Since taking office in 2003, Dubie has travelled all over the country and the world to promote Vermont businesses. He says that keeping existing jobs in Vermont and attracting new jobs requires Vermont to compete not just with 49 other states, but the world as well.

Forbes Magazine recently ranked Vermont as the 47th best state in the nation to do business. The ranking is down eleven spots from the previous year. Dubie attributes it in part to the state legislature’s failure to reduce state spending and “right-size” state government. “Actions have consequences,” he said, “and raising taxes in a recession, as the legislature did last year, is not leadership. It sends the message that Vermont is closed for business. When our small businesses grow, we create the revenue that funds all the great things that we value in our state.”

Lt. Governor Dubie says he is bullish on Vermont. “There is no bigger cheerleader for Vermont than me,” Dubie said. “But we simply must do better than 47^th. Making Vermont the best state in New England to earn a living and run a small business must be priority number one,” he stated.

The itinerary for Monday is as follows:

MIDDLEBURY JOBS TOUR

8 March, 2010

SPONSORS:

Robin Scheu – Addison County Economic Development
Andy Mayer – Addison County Chamber of Commerce
Adam Lougee – Addison County Regional Planning Commission

7:05                             WVTK 92.1 – The Wake Up Crew with Bruce Zeman

8:15 – 9:15                  Coffee Round Table with area employers

Ilsley Library Community Meeting Room, 75 Main Street, Middlebury

9:15 – 9:45                  Downtown Walkaround

Walk from library. Includes seeing the Cross Street Bridge.

9:50 – 12:15                Briefings & Tours – Middlebury Manufacturers

Maple Landmark, 1297 Exchange Street, Mike Rainville

Green Mountain Beverage,153 Pond Lane, Dan Rowell

Danforth Pewter, 52 Seymour St, Lawrence Miller

Vermont Organic Fiber, 52 Seymour St, Matt Mole

12:15 – 1:15                Round Table Lunch with area employers

Addison County Regional Planning, 14 Seminary Street, MIddlebury

1:15 – 1:30                  TRAVEL TO BRISTOL

1:30 – 2:15                  Briefing & Tour – Senix Corporation

52 Maple St., Bristol

3/5/10 – News Clips

My Turn: What I learned on the jobs tour

Tax-free holiday has a green twist

Lawmakers considering anonymity for college donors

A Visit From Another Planet

BRITTON STATES HEALTHCARE PASSAGE BY RECONCILIATION WILL FURTHER UNDERMINE AMERICA’S CONFIDENCE IN WASHINGTON

Democrats in Washington are poised to use a legislative process called ‘budget reconciliation’ to pass healthcare.  Budget reconciliation does not permit floor debate – which is why former Senator Obama opposed it’s usage to pass policy initiatives in Congress.  Even Speaker Pelosi has acknowledged that neither abortion nor immigration can be dealt with in the budget reconciliation process.  The most recent poll by Rasmussen Reports indicates that 52% of Americans oppose the current healthcare reform plans.

“The majority of Americans oppose the current healthcare legislation – which will cost over $2.5 trillion, gut Medicare funding by almost $500 billion, raise taxes by roughly $400 million, and put government in control of our health decisions.  If this healthcare legislation is passed it will empower the government to set prices in the private market and shift an enormous financial burden onto individual states like Vermont” said Britton.

“Forcing passage of a major policy, such as healthcare through the use of parliamentary tricks is another reason why Americans continue to lose confidence in Washington.  Healthcare should be reformed by reducing the cost of healthcare to make it more accessible – not by increasing taxes on business.  Raising taxes is a job killer and there are already too many Vermonters on the unemployment line right now” Britton continued.

Len Britton is the independent Republican candidate for the United States Senate focused on changing “business as usual” politics in Washington D.C.  Britton is campaigning on a platform of jobs, national security, and economic reform.  He has also pledged term limits and not to accept special interest contributions.  Further press information and updates can be found at the campaign website www.lenbritton.com.

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4/17/10 – Rutland City GOP Meet the Candidates Breakfast

Date: Saturday, April 17, 2010
Time: 8:00am
Location: South Station Restaurant, Rutland
Contact: Mike Lannon at (802) 558-2328 or mikeylannon@aol.com for more information.

3/1/10 – News Clips

The state’s property tax riddle

Sen. Doyle again polls Vermonters

What Price Economic Suicide?

House Speaker: Vermont Yankee vote possible this year

Merchants prepare for March 6 tax holiday

House rules bill passes 137 to 0

US Senate Candidate Len Britton Announces Start of “Common Sense Town Meeting Tour”

Len Britton will begin another series of town hall meetings across the state.  Britton’s new tour – dubbed the “Common Sense Town Meeting Tour” will start on March 9th in Brattleboro. Britton concluded the well attended “Citizen Legislator Listening Tour” at the end of January

“I am looking forward to more town hall meetings and continuing to meet with Vermonters.  These meetings have been a wonderful way for communities to come together, converse, share ideas, and most importantly focus on the issues affecting people’s lives” said Britton.

“This year’s US Senate race will be about choice.  The people of Vermont will have a choice this November to stop the same tired rhetoric and have the power to effect change.  We need a new, fresh start – a return to common sense through an independent voice” continued Britton.

Help Len spread his message! Click Here to download a copy of the flyer for the “Common Sense Town Meeting Tour,” and post it around your community!

“Common Sense Town Hall Meeting” Schedule

March 9th -   7:30pm     Brooks Library, Brattleboro
March 11th – 7:00pm     St. Johnsbury Elks Lodge, St. Johnsbury
March 12th – 7:00pm     My T Fine Restaurant, Swanton
March 15th – 7:00pm     Tunbridge Town Hall, Tunbridge
March 16th – 7:00pm     Hyde Park VFW, Hyde Park
March 19th – 7:00pm     Bennington Town Library, Bennington
March 23rd – 7:00pm     Waterbury Senior Center, Waterbury
March 24th – 7:00pm     College of St. Joseph, Room 105, Rutland
March 25th – 7:00pm     Williston Central School Cafeteria, Williston
March 29th – 7:00pm     The Gateway, Newport
March 30th – 7:00pm     Middlebury College, McCullough Social Space, Middlebury
March 31st – 7:00pm     Damon Hall, Hartland

Len Britton is the independent Republican candidate for the United States Senate focused on changing “business as usual” politics in Washington D.C. Britton is campaigning on a platform of jobs, national security, and economic reform.  He has also pledged term limits and not to accept special interest contributions.  Further press information and updates can be found at the campaign website www.lenbritton.com.

2/26/10 – News Clips

Pilot in command

Vermont Senate passes economic development package

Senate Considers Estate Tax Exemption Rollback

Vermont panel pushes more than a texting ban

Post-Yankee, a busy day for lawmakers

Senator Phil Scott Votes In Favor of Relicensing Vermont Yankee

Montpelier, VT  -  Senator Phil Scott voted yesterday in favor of relicensing the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.  One of only four members of the Senate to vote “yes,” Scott took a bold and courageous stance against a staged political maneuver.  Senator Scott explained his rationale with the following statement:

“There is no debate… Vermont Yankee has made bad decisions and has been a less than perfect partner with the State. Their breach of trust with people of Vermont leaves a terrible scar on their relationship with all of us. In my mind there are still many, many unanswered questions about whether we should relicense the plant for another 20 years.

Today, I and others have tried many avenues in order to be responsible and compromising before the final outcome… to no avail.

I cannot stand by and vote to support a blatant political power play. My “yes” vote is to remind my colleagues that there is more at stake today than scoring political points. The future of 600 jobs, affordable power and the Vermont economy should not be decided in a rush to judgment. Unfortunately for the people of Vermont, politics came before a responsible process. This is not the way we should serve Vermonters. Vermonters deserve better.”

For further questions, please contact Senator Scott at 802-223-5135 or phil@philscott.org

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