The state budget and campaign finance problems were only part of the news this week. We also heard in-depth reporting on pollution in Lake Champlain, the attorney general defended how prosecutors go after sex offenders, a new health center was designated for Lamoille County, and oil prices were blamed on market speculators.
These were some of the voices in the news this week:
Question over Pollina campaign contributions may end up in court
(Political scientist Garrison Nelson) "Take as much money from as many sources as you can because you’re really in third place in this campaign and you’re basically going to need whatever kind of support you can engender."
Legislative leaders work to trim budget
(State Sen. Susan Bartlett) "There are going to need to be serious policy conversations about what the core missions of each agency are and what we can afford to continue to do and things we may not be able to do for a while."
Sanders renews call to re-regulate trading of energy futures
(Sen. Bernie Sanders) "It confirms to me that you have the huge companies playing with tens and tens of billions of dollars who have been speculating in oil that the problem is not simply supply and demand that companies who are making huge profits by controlling parts of the market are driving up prices artificially."
AG candidate calls for an end to plea bargains in sex offender cases
(Attorney General Bill Sorrell) "The suggestion that prosecutors are lazy and make plea bargains because they are afraid to go to trial or aren’t good in the courtroom, I mean, where’s the proof for that?"
Lamoille County clinic wins federal community health center designation
(Kevin Kelley, Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley) "What this means to all the community in Lamoille County is that we’re going to be able to expand our services – and add dentistry, bring a low-discount drug program in … and add other services that are necessary in Lamoille County."
Lake Champlain, Science and Solutions
(Eric Smeltzer, Department of Environmental Conservation) "There’s a tremendous amount of phosphorus in the sediments of the bay that’s just being recycled back into the water, especially in mid-summer conditions, which is the worst time to have it to happen. And there’s enough phosphorus in that sediment to keep it algae ridden into the foreseeable future."