(Host) The 2009 Legislative session came to an end on Saturday night but it’s likely that lawmakers will be back in Montpelier for a special session in several weeks.
That’s because Governor Douglas is expected to veto the state budget for next year. If he takes that action, it will mark the first time in Vermont history that a governor has vetoed the state’s annual spending plan.
VPR’s Bob Kinzel reports.
(Gavel sounds-Shap Smith)
(Kinzel) In many respects, the 2009 Legislative session ended the way that it started -under a cloud of economic uncertainty that fueled enormous debate about how the state should deal with declining revenues.
It was also a session that saw the passage of a same sex marriage law after lawmakers overrode Governor Douglas’s veto of the bill.
The appropriation of several hundred million dollars in federal stimulus money had a huge impact on the deliberations of the Legislature because these funds helped balance the state budget and they financed a dramatic increase in road and bridge repair projects.
Despite the use of this additional money, the budget was still very controversial. A number of House Democrats expressed strong concerns about a provision that included a 19 million dollar cut in education spending. Legislative leaders responded to this concern with a last minute proposal to eliminate this cut and the budget passed largely along party lines. Lincoln Democrat Mike Fisher:
(Fisher) "This is a very tough budget package for me to come around to support. I know the impacts of the cuts we have made here. I know the lives that will be impacted when people say we have not made the tough decisions. I say they don’t know the people who will be most impacted, yet a balance has been found here."
(Kinzel) Waterbury Rep. Sue Minter said the budget was the proper balance of program reductions, an income tax cut for all Vermonters and the elimination of some tax deductions for upper income people:
(Minter) "Our state revenues are rapidly declining and this budget asks Vermonters to weather the economic storm together. It asks for sacrifice from those most in need of services from the state while also asking more from those with income security."
(Kinzel) But House Republicans argued that tough decisions had not been made and that the Democrats relied too heavily on new tax revenues. Hartland Rep. Steve Adams:
(Adams) "Instead we’re preparing to continue with what has become our MO, raise taxes on hard working Vermonters. We failed to remember or perhaps ignore that Vermonters pockets are not bottomless and whose assets in these troubling times are not limitless."
(Kinzel) The Governor has the same concerns and it’s likely that he’ll veto the budget. If this happens it means lawmakers will have to return to the Statehouse for a special session by the end of June. Douglas told lawmakers late Saturday that he still hopes a compromise can be found in the coming weeks:
(Douglas) "I’m disappointed that we haven’t reached a compromise on this year’s budget because Vermonters were counting on us to pass a plan that respects the views of both sides and puts the interests of our people first. I remain committed to working with all of you going forward as we address the economic challenges ahead."
(Kinzel) The budget isn’t the only major disagreement that Douglas has with the Legislature. It’s also likely that the governor will veto a Vermont Yankee decommissioning bill and legislation that encourages the development of renewable energy sources. Lawmakers will also try to override those vetoes during their special session.
For VPR News I’m Bob Kinzel in Montpelier.