MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A group of climate activists disrupted Thursday’s state-of-the-state speech of Vermont’s Republican Gov. Phil Scott.
The Republican governor was several minutes into his speech when the activists began to chant.
Scott waited several minutes before asking the activists to let him finish his speech. Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman then adjourned the assembly and police escorted the protesters out of the chamber while lawmakers milled about and the protesters were removed by police.
In his prepared remarks, Scott said lawmakers need to focus on Vermont’s ongoing demographic challenge. He says that compared with 2000, today there are 55,000 fewer people in Vermont under the age of 45 and 44,000 more over the age of 65.
The impact is not the same in every community.
“My friends, this is what a demographic crisis looks like,” Scott said. “In too many places, and in the lives of too many Vermonters, I see and feel the emotional and financial toll of policies built for a few areas in the state that can afford them when the rest of the state cannot.”
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.