By Holly Ramer And Lisa Rathke
Associated Press
The governors of four New England states are offering a Christmas greeting and plea to avoid spreading the coronavirus.
Maine’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, joined Republican Govs. Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Chris Sununu of New Hampshire and Phil Scott of Vermont in recording a message posted on social media Wednesday night.
“We know this about the virus, it doesn’t care who you are, where you’re from, whether you’re young or old, rich or poor, Democrat or Republican,” Baker said.
“It’s a threat to all of us,” Scott continued. “That’s why until everyone can get vaccinated, it’s so important to take precautions to protect us all especially right now.”
That means mask wearing, hand washing and “If you’re thinking of having a holiday gathering as usual this year, it also means reconsidering that,” said Mills.
Sununu led the group off with a message all four repeated: “Mask up, and Happy Holidays.”
Here are the latest developments regarding the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic throughout New England:
New Hampshire
A state senator from Warren has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Republican Sen. Bob Giuda began exhibiting symptoms Saturday and is at home recovering, according to a news release late Tuesday. There is no concern for possible staff exposure because he hasn’t been at the Statehouse since Dec. 7, and all family members and friends he had close contact with have been notified.
“We take this situation very seriously,” said Senate President Chuck Morse. “Bob has my support and I am wishing him a very speedy recovery.”
Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, D-Portsmouth, recovered from COVID-19 in April. House Speaker Dick Hinch, R-Merrimack, died of COVID-19 this month, and at least several other House members recently tested positive.
Tax spat: A legal fight continues over the collection of income taxes from New Hampshire residents who are employed by Massachusetts companies but have been working from home during the pandemic.
New Hampshire asked the U.S. Supreme Court in October to block Massachusetts from collecting such taxes from roughly 80,000 people. On Wednesday, New Hampshire filed a brief responding to an earlier filing in which Massachusetts argued the court should not hear the case.
“Massachusetts’ current position is a far cry from our country’s rallying call of ‘no taxation without representation,’ – which they seem to have forgotten originated in their state,” said New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. “We remain confident that the Supreme Court of the United States will take up this case of national importance and that the State of New Hampshire will prevail.”
Under a temporary rule enacted by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, residents of other states who were working in Massachusetts before the pandemic remain subject to Massachusetts’ 5.05% income tax while they work from home.
While the regulation will expire Dec. 31 or 90 days after the coronavirus state of emergency in Massachusetts is lifted, New Hampshire officials argue it represents a permanent shift in underlying policy and amounts to an “aggressive attempt to impose Massachusetts income tax” beyond its borders.
The numbers: Nearly 39,000 people have tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, with 417 cases announced Thursday that included results from several previous days. The state announced 13 additional deaths, bringing the total to 690.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire decreased over the past two weeks from 751 on Dec. 9 to 725 on Dec. 23.
Vermont
State Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine says officials are working out the logistics of how Vermonters will be vaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19.
Levine, speaking Thursday during a Christmas Eve virus briefing along with Gov. Phil Scott, says by the end of next week, Vermont is on track to receive 34,000 doses of the two vaccines that have been approved for emergency use.
So far, the state has received about 21,000 doses of the vaccines and about 30% of those doses have been administered to people in the top priority group, which includes health care providers and residents of long-term care facilities.
“It’s a huge and logistically complex undertaking, perhaps the most complicated nationwide, never mind statewide, immunization effort since the early 20th century,” Levine said. “Nonetheless, we will vaccinate Vermont as fast as possible.”
Utility regulators: Vermont utility regulators have reinstated a pandemic-inspired moratorium on the disconnection of electricity, natural gas and landline phone services because customers have not paid their bills.
In an order dated Tuesday, the Public Utilities Commission said the moratorium will last through March 31.
On Wednesday, Gov. Phil Scott thanked the Public Service Department for its efforts to get the moratorium reinstated.
“As we head into winter while still facing a global pandemic and its economic impacts, we all need to look out for our neighbors and ensure we protect the most vulnerable,” Scott said in a statement.
The commission first prohibited disconnections in March of this year, but that moratorium was lifted on Oct. 15.
Since the original moratorium was lifted, utilities were able to work with their customers so they could seek funds through a program designed to help pay the overdue bills of people in danger of having service cut off. But that program ended Dec. 15.
The coronavirus worsening pandemic and winter conditions prompted the commission to reconsider the moratorium.
“Vermonters need to be able to keep the lights on, their homes warm, and their phone lines open as they survive the winter months of the pandemic,” said commission chair Anthony Roisman.
The numbers: The Vermont Health Department reported 92 new cases of the virus Thursday, bringing the statewide total since the pandemic began to more than 6,780. Three new deaths were reported, for a total of 120.
The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Vermont decreased over the past two weeks, going from 117 on Dec. 9 to 95.86 on Dec. 23.
As your daily newspaper, we are committed to providing you with important local news coverage for Sullivan County and the surrounding areas.