(Host) Today we close out our series, Sounds of 2008, a review of the top news of the past year.
And we wrap up with a reminder of the dominant news story of the year – politics.
In Vermont, the big race was for governor. And three widely known politicians got into that race.
They mixed it up in September when they met during a debate sponsored by VPR.
House Speaker Gaye Symington took the opportunity to question Governor Jim Douglas about a bill that would have required Vermont Yankee to fully fund the plant’s decommissioning.
And Progressive-turned-independent Anthony Pollina laid all of the state’s problems at the feet of incumbent Democrats and Republicans.
(Symington) "You vetoed that would have protected Vermont taxpayers for cleaning up after decommissioning. Why do you refuse to plan for after Vermont Yankee closes?”
(Douglas) "What we don’t need is more taxes on Vermont Yankee which will ultimately be passed on to the ratepayers of our state.”
(Pollina) "When the governor said let’s cut programs for the frail and elderly Vermonters, let’s cut programs for the chronically ill, let’s cut for affordable housing, the Legislature did go along with those, so they have all been willing to join together to make hard times harder for Vermonters.”
(Host) Democrat Gaye Symington. Republican Jim Douglas. And independent Anthony Pollina. They debated in September on VPR.
A month-and-a-half later Douglas easily won re-election to a fourth term.
Click here to listen to all of our Sounds of 2008 series.