(Host) Governor Jim Douglas is calling on lawmakers to pass an Act 250 reform bill, a comprehensive jobs package, and a short-term plan to reduce property taxes in the next few months. Lawmakers return to the Statehouse Tuesday for the second half of this year’s session.
Douglas is encouraged by the progress that the House is making on Act 250 permit reform legislation. The bill is expected to be on the House floor for debate in the next two weeks. The governor says that the Senate is working hard on the jobs bill and that his drug initiative is also moving forward:
(Douglas) “Well, I’m very optimistic about several of these major initiatives passing. I think it’s essential that they do in order to send a message about the new attitude in Montpelier, the openness to employers creating jobs here and in one case, in attacking the very serious drug crisis that the state is confronting.”
(Host) Douglas acknowledges that the House and Senate are taking very different approaches on possible changes to Act 60, and he says resolving these differences will not be easy. The governor is hoping that the Legislature will adopt a plan to reduce the statewide property tax rate this year and then address the long -term issues with Act 60 next winter.