VPIRG, Allies tell Douglas: Lead or Get out of the Way

By Emily Landry: VPIRG InternVPIRG Energy advocate James Moore speaks at yesterday's press conference

This afternoon in the Cedar Creek Room of the State House VPIRG, VNRC, and VACV held a press conference urging Governor Douglas to lead or get out of the way of aggressive legislation around global warming- namely H.520 the comprehensive energy bill. This hard-fought legislation will secure local renewable energy for Vermonters while saving them over $400 million on their heating bills.
More than 3000 Vermonters signed petitions (click here to sign if you haven't already!), wrote letters and emailed asking their elected leaders to step up to the challenge and support this type of legislation this year and these signatures and comments were delivered directly to the Governor’s desk. Unfortunately Douglas has chosen to attack the bill as an unnecessary tax on Vermonters instead of supporting it. Nor has the Governor offered an alternative suggestion for funding the heating efficiency program. Click here to take action!
That’s too bad, because the so called “tax” would pose no financial burden on Vermonters at all, but rather save them money while removing our reliance on dirty, dangerous sources of power.
This inaction puts Vermont at risk of falling behind other states that are making this issue a top priority. The message today was clear-If Vermont wishes to take the lead in preventing the catastrophic damage that climate change poses on our environment and local economies then we need to act now!

Fed up with inaction on global warming at the statehouse? Ready to tell the Governor to lead or get out of the way? Click here to take action!

IRV passes Senate!

A Democracy Program Update from Executive Director Paul Burns

VPIRG members and activists helped to push the Instant Runoff Voting bill over the top in the state Senate today by a vote of 16-13 with one absent. Thanks a lot for the phone calls, emails and letters you sent to senators on this one. Every vote mattered! Other groups pushing IRV include Common Cause, the VT League of Women Voters, Older Women's League and the Grange.

The vote breakdown is below. It played out exactly as we figured it would in the hours leading up to the vote. No surprises as the votes were cast. Senators White, Campbell, Ayer, Flanagan and Shumlin deserve special credit for helping to make this happen.

Click here to email your Senators and tell them what you think of thier IRV vote

Senators who argued on the floor against IRV included Mullin, Miller, Snelling, Doyle, Maynard and Scott.

The House Government Operations Committee will take up the bill once the Senate finishes with it tomorrow. Early predictions are that a vote in the House will also be close.

-Paul

VOTE COUNT on the IRV BILL (S.108) in the VERMONT SENATE
April 25, 2007

YES - 16
Ayer
Bartlett
Campbell
Carris
Collins
Condos
Cummings
Flanagan
Giard
Kittell
Lyons
MacDonald
McCormack
Racine
Shumlin
White

NO - 13
Coppenrath
Doyle
Hartwell
Kitchel
Maynard
Mazza
Miller
Mullen
Nitka
Scott
Sears
Snelling
Starr

ABSENT
Illuzzi

Community Gathers To Ask Legislature For Quality Affordable Health Care.

Last night nearly one hundred interested and passionate community members gathered at the State House to testify in front of a joint committee on Health Care to ask them to expand access to Catamount Health and give more Vermonters the opportunity to afford quality comprehensive health care.

The citizens who came to testify were passionate and committed to expanding access to quality and affordable health care. One of the most touching pieces of testimony came from a small business owner who was literally paying all of her profits, more than $11,000 last year, into health care. She spoke passionately about the need for a hand up not a hand out.

This “hand up” could be created by expanding Catamount Health to the more than 17,000 small businesses that employ nearly 60,000 Vermonters. Allowing small businesses to buy into Catamount at a fair rate would provide the economic stability needed to let these businesses flourish all while saving tax payers and businesses nearly 2.8 billion dollars over the next 10 years.

I must say, we are truly lucky to live in a state where the Legislature is so open and accessible to the people who put them there. Thank you to everyone who came out and spoke eloquently on the need to ensure all Vermonters have access to quality, affordable and comprehensive health care.

-- Sean Sarah

Sen. Doyle’s Fails to Block IRV

A Democracy Program Update from Executive Director Paul Burns

Despite Sen. Bill Doyle’s best efforts at obstruction, the VPIRG-backed IRV bill survived in a 3-2 vote today, the Senate’s Government Operations Committee passed the bill in a 3-2 vote.

The bill is all about voter choice and majority rule (read more about IRV here). It’s a good thing for Vermont. Sen. Jeanette White, chair of the committee, deserves credit for moving the bill to a successful vote. Senators Ed Flanagan and Clair Ayer also voted for the bill, which would institute IRV for US House and US Senate races in Vermont.

The two Republicans on the committee voted against the bill. Sen. Doyle was joined by Sen. George Coppenrath.

The vote on the Senate floor will not fall entirely along partisan lines though. We expect a VERY close vote with some Democrats voting against the bill (S.108). It could come up on the floor as soon as this Friday, April 20th. Visit our action center to learn more and TAKE ACTION in support of IRV.

-- Paul
April 18, 2007

Stepin' it Up with VPIRG

It was a fantastic day, despite the cold and damp weather in the morning, thousands of Vermonters turned out to more than 70 events all over the state demanding that our leaders step it up by cutting carbon 80% by 2050. VPIRG staff heard reports from dozens of events, and directly participated in two: Montpelier and Burlington.

In Montpelier hundreds of central-Vermonters marched from Morse Farm to the statehouse. Burr Morse, a one of a kind 7th generation sugarer lead off our event at the farm by discussing the local impacts of global warming. Joined by Onion River Sports owner Andrew Brewer and local High School Student Colin Arisman, Burr sent a message that was carried loud and clear on WCAX: We can’t afford any more inaction on global warming, our environment and our economy depend on us finding an answer to this problem -- and soon.

After Burr, Andrew and Colin spoke about the bad news, VPIRG’s own Andrea Stander lead the march down the hill to the statehouse. We met up along the way with Senator Bernie Sanders and VT-Senate President Peter Shumlin. We arrived at the statehouse lawn in a roar of chants, music, and calls for action. Bernie took the stage first, happy to pledge continued support of his bill in the US Senate to cut carbon 80% by 2050. VPIRG’s Drew Hudson read a short statement from Congressman Welch, who is backing similar legislation in the House, but was in Iraq on the 14th and could not join us. Finally, Senator Shumlin took the stage and boldly signed a 3 part pledge to enact laws that will achieve the 80% cuts scientists tell us are necessary to stop global warming.

The crowd literally was literally screaming for Governor Douglas, who attended exactly zero step it up events, despite having only 2 ribbon cuttings on his schedule. No word yet on whether he plans to stick to his earlier promises to enact policies to cut global warming pollution, or if he will flip-flop and veto legislation under consideration this year. But you know VPIRG will be watching, and you can join our email network to get the news before it breaks!

~ Drew Hudson

Well, we couldn’t have asked for a better Step It Up event in Burlington. We started off the day early with an 11 am talk on how to influence you friends, family, and government into taking responsible action for climate change. Then the team broke up into 6 groups and spread through out the city.

The first three groups went tabling in and around downtown Burlington for 10% challenge and for the big rally that would happen later in the day. The fourth group built a traveling display out of some 150 2 liter bottles that showed how much co2 emission you put out traveling the one mile from UVM campus to Lake Champlain. The fifth group hit the North End and exchanged old inefficient light bulbs for newer more efficient CFL’s. The sixth and final group stayed at home base and got on with the process of setting up the event.

So finally, at 5pm, with the free ice cream stand from Ben & Jerry’s rockin’ and the place starting to fill up the event got underway. From Sen. Bernie Sanders, to Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss, to a myriad of State Rep’s, to musicians, poets, and even a talking dinosaur the 450 people who made up the congregation on the shores of Lake Champlain to ask Congress to cut Carbon Emissions 80% by 2050 was simply huge.

The group of women and men who put this event together had a monumental job and they did it well. Kudos to them and kudos to all of you who made it to Burlington or any one of the myriad of other Step It Up’s that went on around the state! Together, showing this type of solidarity we can do what it takes to make real change and reverse the damage being done to the climate right now.

~ Sean Sarah

Step It Up VT!

The time has come once again to put on your activism hats, get out there and show the world Vermont cares about Global Warming! That’s right, this Saturday April 14th at nearly 70 locations around the state and more than 1,300 locations around the nation people will be gathering for STEP IT UP.

Step It Up is the brain child of noted environmental advocate and author Bill Mckibben who is fighting to cut global warming pollution 80% by 2050. (Read his invitation here) To get this done he has moved away from the standard “million man/woman/zebra march” on the National Mall and instead brought the action, and the issue, to your home town. So this Saturday people will gather all over the nation in places that are important to their environment, their community, and their lives and have photos taken of the assembled group. All the photos will be sent with Mr. Mckibben to Congress to urge them to cut carbon by 80%.

Here in VT we’re adding a little local to the national call: VPIRG has helped organize events in Montpelier and Burlington that will feature Senator Bernie Sanders and local legislators. Surprisingly, as of right now, the governor does not plan to attend any Step It Up rallies.

VPIRG and allies have also created a pledge that asks local legislators to support policies capable of achieving the 80% by 2050 goals; and so far we have commitments from Senator Sanders, Congressman Welch, House Speaker Symington and Senate President Pro Tem Shumlin. Again, no word from the governor. In fact, he has not even returned phone calls to organizers about the pledge. One is left to wonder: If Governor Douglas is really committed to stopping global warming, why won’t he step it up on the 14th?

We hope you will join us at a local Step It Up rally and sign our petition calling on leaders to support 80% cuts in global warming pollution by 2050. You can find your local event at http://www.stepitup2007.org/ and sign the petition here. Brief agendas of the two SIU events that VPIRG is helping to organize are below.

INFO:
Montpelier: April 14th 2007

• 12 Noon at Morse Family Farm: Come for the free Maple Creemees and stay for the action!
• 1pm speeches by those affected by Global Warming
• 2pm a march to the State House
• 3pm State House Lawn
  ~ Senator Bernie Sanders
  ~ Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin
• 3:30 Group Picture
  

More info online

Burlington: April 14th 2007

• 12 Noon under the canopy at Main Street Landing: A discussion on climate change policy, and what you can do at home, followed by service projects around the city!
• 5pm in the parking lot next to the ECHO Center on the corners of Lake and College St.: Speeches by Senator Bernie Sanders, Mayor of Burlington Bob Kiss, and State Representatives Rachel Weston and Dave Zuckerman
  ~ Free Ice Cream From Ben & Jerry’s
  ~ Climo-Dino, a fun way for the whole family to explore climate change!
  ~ Free bands, poetry readings, informational tables and much more!
  ~ Hand stamp will get you discounts at many local restaurants and retailers including Muddy Waters, Nectars, Ben & Jerry’s, and many more!
• 5:30 Group Picture
  

More info online

SHOW UP and STEP IT UP!

-Sean Sarah and Drew Hudson

Update on Public Financing

An Update from Paul Burns, VPIRG Executive Director

I was invited to serve as the primary witness today in a Senate Government Operations committee hearing concerning a bill that would reduce the influence of money in politics by making public financing available to qualifying candidates for state Senate and House.

VPIRG supports full public financing because it substantially reduces the need for candidates to rely on private contributions to finance their campaigns, thereby:

• Strengthening public confidence in the integrity of government;
• Encouraging candidates from all walks of life to enter the political arena; and
• Freeing candidates from the burden of fundraising so they can spend their time talking to voters instead of dialing for dollars.

Committee Chairwoman Jeanette White wanted to get all the issues on the table before next January when the committee has pledged to take up the bill again when they have more time to deal with it. You can write your Representative(s) and Senator(s) to let them know you support public financing here.

Sen. Diane Snelling felt so strongly opposed to the bill that she made time to testify to the committee even though there was no possibility of the committee voting on it this year.

Longtime committee member and former Chairman, Sen. Bill Doyle also expressed his opposition. When he asked me why VPIRG believes the legislation is needed, I was glad to be able to quote the senator’s own words from a floor debate ten years ago, in which he said that campaign reform is necessary so that “there will be increased time for real debate; [and] that candidates will be able to concentrate more on issues rather than raising public money.”

Sen. Doyle’s position made sense then and it makes sense today. The only question is whether his mind has changed….

- Paul
April 11, 2007

Governor’s Plan to De-fund Health Care Bad for Everyone

Some of you may be paying attention to all the media coverage the budget process is getting this year. There’s one budget issue that deserves close attention from anyone who cares about making quality affordable health care available to all Vermonters: Governor Douglas’ cuts to the Catamount Health budget.

For those of you who aren’t following health care policy as closely, Catamount Health is a program that will provide quality affordable health care to Vermonters who make between $30,000 and $60,000 for a family of four. The premiums, co-pays and deductibles (the amount you have to pay) are going to be inexpensive and enrollment is supposed to begin in July.

Now, to implement a plan like this takes smart people and a considerable chunk of money. In this case, $180 million dollars between 2007 and 2010. This money pays doctors, keeps track of enrollees, and markets the program so eligible Vermonters know how to sign up. Most of this money is coming from a $365 per employee assessment paid by businesses that don’t provide insurance for their employees and from an additional 60 cent tax on cigarettes (sorry smokers, somebody’s got to foot the bill, and heck, think of it as an investment in your future!).

What’s great about Catamount is that, if fully funded, it actually pays money back to the state. That’s right; it’s a government program that runs in the black. Why? Because when every Vermonter has health insurance, people stay well longer, pay their fair share when they are sick and create less burden there is on the state and health care providers to care for them in long term. Of course all of those savings and all of those healthy people can only be realized if Catamount is fully funded.

Now here is the rub: Governor Douglas is seeking to cut nearly $19 million dollars out of the Catamount budget. This is more than 10% of the budget, and appears to go back on a myriad of promises he made during the last legislative session and his re-election campaign. Most concerning, these budget cuts will end up costing Vermonters nearly $10 million additional dollars. That’s right, the Governor’s budget takes a money-making program that delivers health insurance to tens of thousands of dollars and puts it in the red; a move that could deny health coverage for 4,100 Vermonters.

Where does the money go? One of the biggest line items in the Governor’s catamount budget is a doubling of “Private Market Investments.” This program is little more than a subsidy for insurance companies whereby taxpayers ‘invest’ millions in private (and profitable) insurance companies in exchange for their commitment to insure Vermonters who are self-employed or otherwise have trouble finding private insurance they can afford. The trouble is, there’s no guarantee the insurance companies will follow through and no way for the legislature or governor to hold them accountable to their goals! It’s a give-away of public dollars and the Governor’s Catamount budget DOUBLES it at the expense of real health care reform.

But the budget passed by the House on Friday would put a stop to all by putting the money back where it belongs. This is why we’re asking you to help us take action and ask the Governor to support the House’s Catamount Health budget. You can do so by clicking here.

- Sean Sarah

Last night’s transportation hearing was AMAZING!

The hearing room was overflowing with Vermonters, the vast majority of whom seemed to support the committee’s proposal to tax the most gas-guzzling cars and trucks in order to raise needed revenue for public transit projects. If you missed the hearing, there’s still time to weigh in and support the proposal. Click here to take action now.

Media coverage tended to play up the division in the room, and give the governor, who did not attend the hearing and sent no staff to it, a healthy piece of the coverage. The real truth was that out of about 60 people who testified, approximately 50 of them were in favor of the committee’s proposal. The handful of others were mostly auto dealers who have a financial stake in opposing taxes of any kind on new car sales.

These folks are, of course, entitled to their opinion. But the Governor’s transportation budget is $150 million in the red and he slashed public transit by nearly half a million dollars. The Governor’s budget puts public transit statewide in danger and threatens programs like ‘critical care’ that provide free bus rides to cancer patients who need to get to chemotherapy or folks waiting for kidney transplants to get to a dialysis.

As VPIRG has previously testified, and as we reiterated at last night’s hearing, transportation funding is about making choices. In this case, the Governor is choosing to prioritize wasteful highway projects like the Circ over programs that get sick people to doctors when they need them.

To us, that’s not just bad policy, it’s bad governing. And the Governor’s assertions that he’s defending Vermonter’s right to buy a minivan is just plain wrong. For one thing, the vast majority of personal cars and trucks sold in Vermont will not use enough gas to qualify for the surcharge. More importantly, research from our friends at the Conservation Law Foundation and the Union of Concerned Scientists earlier this year showed that using off-the-shelf technologies we can make SUVs and minivans that get better than 35 mpg.

So what’s the hold up? The big automakers don’t want to invest in new technologies to make cars go farther on a gallon of gas, even if it will save consumers millions in the long run. So it’s up to our elected officials in Montpelier and DC to push these companies to do the right thing, which is just what this bill does. That’s probably why so many Vermonters showed up for transit Tuesday.

We Win One in the Supreme Court!

It’s not often that we get to start the week off with a monumental victory in the US Supreme Court. This week it happened.

For years President Bush has been the foot-dragger in chief when it comes to stopping global warming. He and his administration have denied the existence of the problem, stifled their own scientists, suppressed data, and attacked those who had the courage to speak the truth.

When the EPA claimed that it lacked the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act and that the causal link between greenhouse gases and global warming had not been unequivocally established, a coalition of states, cities, and environmental organizations (including VPIRG through our federal advocacy arm, U.S. PIRG) took them to court.

In a 5-4 decision, the Court made clear that carbon dioxide is a pollutant under the Clean Air Act, and therefore the EPA has the authority to regulate emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The Court also ordered the EPA to reconsider its decision not to regulate CO2 emissions from cars.

The justices who sided with the Bush administration make up the Court’s ultra-conservative wing: Scalia, Thomas, Roberts and Alito. (Note: Those four along with justices Kennedy and Breyer voted to strike down Vermont’s landmark campaign finance law last year….)

This is a huge victory and it must have come as a shock to the President and the dwindling number of global warming skeptics in this country.

It opens the door to lots of possibilities for future action and it certainly damages the auto industry’s case in challenging Vermont’s Clean Cars regulations. So there’s more work ahead, but this is one to celebrate and enjoy. Congrats to all those who helped to make it possible!

For a complete list of the petitioners and other documents related to the case, go to www.cleancarscampaign.org and click on “Court Action.”

- Paul