Eagle Times Staff
Montpelier, VT — Gov. Phil Scott delivered his annual State of the State address to Vermont’s General Assembly on Thursday.
Opening his address, Scott echoed the words of Gov. John Eliakim Weeks spoken nearly a century ago, “noting the true spirit of Vermont is its ‘indomitable courage in a time of adversity.’ And that ‘the faith and valor of Vermonters has turned catastrophe into opportunity.’
“Progress and rehabilitation. Catastrophe into opportunity” was Scott’s tone for the address.”
His address sought to address not just the challenges brought by July’s flooding, but also generational shifts as Vermont ages and fewer children fill its classrooms and fewer adults are available to take part in its workforce.
“If nothing changes, and I quote, ‘Vermont’s ratio of older residents to working-aged people will continue to rise, placing a greater burden on workers to support both young and old,’ ” he said, referencing a Joint Fiscal Office report.
“And to have any chance of reversing our demographic trends, there are three issues we can’t ignore: public safety, affordability, and housing,” he said.
“With crime rising in too many places, I fear many see the Vermont they know slipping away,” he warned.
“In the last ten years, violent crime reported to police increased 56%, aggravated assault by 65%, sexual assault by 76%, and homicide by 166%. We cannot deny these trends.”
The State of the State Address serves to open the legislative session, and Scott used the speech to extol the bodies to act.
“We must make a real effort this session to solidify our place as the safest state in the country and reverse the increases we’re seeing — both for the people we serve and the victims of these crimes.”
Finding those solutions will be hampered by the end of a flood of federal dollars that made making decisions easier.
“With historic one-time federal aid ending, another large increase in our pension obligation, and last year’s spending decisions catching up to us, we are back to where we were several years ago with difficult decisions to be made,” Scott said.
“For many of you, this will be the first time you’ll work on a budget without hundreds of millions of dollars in surplus. For others, it’s déjà vu.”
Scott, however, acknowledged that the real power in the state to change the course might not be in his hands and the legislature could ignore his budget which calls for an “austerity” increase of 3 percent.
“Now, I’m a realist, and I know you have a super majority,” he said. “You’ve proven the final budget, and the growing burden of taxes, fees, and other policy-driven costs is in your hands.
“So all I can do is make my case.”
Doing nothing, he said, will be expensive.
“If nothing changes, we’ll see an estimated 18.5% increase in statewide property tax bills.”
“The cost of our Pre-K through 12 education system has already grown beyond the means of many.”
“Keep in mind, the Education Fund is now more than $2.1 billion dollars. With fewer than 83,000 Pre-K through 12 students, we’re spending about $25,000 a year per student, among the very highest in the country. And that might be okay with me if we were leading in student performance. But in several areas, we’re in the middle of the pack, according to the U.S. Department of Education.”
“Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix to this,” Scott said as he called for consolidation, larger classes, a statewide teacher contract and going farther afield to call for changing policies to encourage the rehabilitation and building of more houses to “address the affordability issues we can control and restore the size of the working class so there are more people to pay taxes, and more kids in our schools.”
Even if the state commits more funds to housing, it won’t solve the problem if Act 250 stands as is, he said.
Despite the challenges, Scott said “there’s also a lot of good things happening.”
“Most importantly,” he said, he is “optimistic about our future because of the people of Vermont.
“On the morning of July 11, a flood-damaged grocery store in Windsor County was filled with neighbors mucking out. And they didn’t stop there. With rows of undamaged produce and perishables, locals acted quickly to distribute it to those in need,” Scott said as he listed several events that give him hope.
For Scott, events that speak to the spirit of Vermont show the path to moving forward.
“Across the state from Alburgh to Vernon, Island Pond to Bennington, and everywhere in-between, there are things, large and small, that build community and give these places character and identity.
So, I want to talk directly to Vermonters, what is it for you? Is it the flowers or lights during the holidays? The senior center or playground? Youth sports or the local theater? Food pantries or Meals on Wheels? The good work done by the Rotary, Elks, Moose or Lions club, VFW and American Legion?
Whatever it is, if it matters to you, it’s time to step up, get involved, and make sure it remains for years to come.”
“And together,” he said in closing, “all of us in this room and across the state will meet this moment, and all that comes next.”
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