May 14, 2008, the Brattleboro Reformer, by Chris Garofolo

BRATTLEBORO -- Citing a number of family related issues as a major factor in his decision, Daryl L. Pillsbury bowed out of the race for the Vermont State Senate Tuesday.

Pillsbury, 52, an outgoing independent state representative from Brattleboro, said he regrettably ended his campaign because he wants to spend more time at his home instead of in the Vermont House.

"I really wanted to serve the people of Windham County. I want to thank them for giving me an opportunity that was an experience of a lifetime," he said. "I'm just not focused enough right now."

A resident of Brattleboro since 1979, Pillsbury has six children and six grandchildren and is involved in more than a dozen organizations in the town. He said being up in the Statehouse has taken a toll in the amount of time he gets to spend with his loved ones and wants to be there more often for his children and aging parents.

"People do not realize the sacrifice politicians make," he said. "It's time for me as a husband, a father and a son to spend time with my family and I hope the people understand that."

Asked if he will return to public office in the future, Pillsbury said he still has a desire to serve the people of Brattleboro, but is comfortable with his decision to step down following the end of the legislative session.

"I may be back in a couple years, but right now I just have to deal with my family," he added.

A former member of the Brattleboro Selectboard, Pillsbury served in the House since 2000 before launching his campaign in mid-February to challenge incumbents Democrats Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin and Sen. Jeanette White.

After the issues surrounding the campaign finance reform legislation in April, Pillsbury said the campaign for the Senate seat could get nasty and would rather spend time watching his daughter run track than play politics.

The Brattleboro independent voted last month against the override of Gov. Jim Douglas' veto to the bill because he felt the measure was geared strongly toward incumbents and unfair to independent and third party candidates.

The four-term representative put his support behind longtime teacher and Progressive Party member Molly S. Burke to replace him in the House.

"The people will be in good hands with Molly," he said.

Burke officially announced her race for the vacated seat back in October with Pillsbury's support.

[Source]

May 8, 2008, the Burlington Free Press, by Terri Hallenbeck

MONTPELIER — Gov. Jim Douglas vetoed a bill that could have required Vermont Yankee to boost its commitment to the nuclear power plant’s decommissioning fund, saying he was protecting Vermont’s electric costs.

Those who supported the bill, however, said the measure would have protected Vermonters against long-term costs associated with the plant’s eventual closure.

“As Vermont’s employers have made abundantly clear, they oppose this legislation because it would unnecessarily and substantially increase the future cost of electricity on both businesses and families. I agree,” Douglas said in his veto message.

“It’s his veto today that’s surely going to raise rates,” countered Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin, D-Windham. He suggested Vermonters would be stuck with the bill if there is not enough money in the fund to pay for the plant’s closure.

The bill would have required that if the Vernon plant changes ownership the new owner must guarantee funding for full decommissioning, a more thorough process than is required of current owner Entergy. Entergy has a proposal pending with the state Public Service Board to restructure the company and put the plant under new ownership.

A decision from the Public Service Board on whether Entergy can spin off Vermont Yankee into a

May 4, 2008, the Burlington Free Press

Agriculture

The fate of some of the hundreds of bills the Legislature considered in 2008:

Hemp: The state will establish procedures for growing industrial hemp to allow the practice if the federal government changes its regulations to permit it. H.267

Manure injection: The Agency of Agriculture will help custom farm operators and large farmers buy equipment that injects manure into soil to reduce surface runoff, reduce odor and improve water quality. S. 290

Meat slaughter: On-farm slaughtering of animals could be possible by April 15 if Vermonters buy a live animal and contract with a farmer to raise the animal and have it slaughtered. The change depends on whether the federal government rules that it won't affect the state's meat inspection status. S. 322

Milk: Farmers may advertise and sell up to 50 quarts a day of raw, unpastereized milk. Act 101.

Business

Abenaki: Abenaki artisans are left without a fix to a flawed 2006 law that was supposed to allow them to meet federal rules for selling their work as Abenaki-made. The Senate, having difficulty finding a way to make the change, passed a bill late in the session that set up a process to grant tribes official state recognition, but the House never took it up. S. 369.

Housing: Act 250 land-use permitting will be lifted for new housing created in specified areas alongside existing development in communities with planning in place provided that 20 percent of the homes meet moderate-pricing ranges of about $250,000. The bill also makes mobile homes real property rather than personal property, giving buyers access to better interest rates and provides mobile home park residents with rights in case of park closure. H. 863

L3Cs: A new designation allows for the creation of a hybrid between a nonprofit organization and a for-profit corporation. The entity would be a low-profit, limited-liability company with "charitable or educational" goals. Enacting the legislation in Vermont, advocates say, gives the state an opportunity to further burnish its credentials as a progressive and innovative economy and might generate revenue for the state when in- and out-of-state companies register as L3Cs here. S. 308

Mercury: The sale of mercury thermostats is banned beginning April 1, 2009. By fall, the Agency of Natural Resources must have a plan for a financial incentive program to collect old mercury thermostats beginning in April. The incentive will be a $5 refund or coupon, with the cost covered by the manufacturers. H. 515

Vermont Yankee: The state will conduct an independent audit of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant and have a panel oversee the results in preparation for a decision next year on whether the plant should be allowed to continue operation at 2012. The Legislature is also seeking to ensure the plant's decommissioning fund has sufficient funding for complete decommissioning if ownership of the plant changes, although Gov. Jim Douglas has hinted he will veto the bill. S. 364 and S. 373

Worker's compensation: If a worker has a minor injury, misses no more than a day of work and incurs medical costs of less than $750, an employer may choose to pay those expenses and not report the injury. Also, small businesses must be offered policies with deductibles. S. 345

Consumer Protection

Boating while intoxicated: Offenders may be charged with separate counts for each victim in a boating-, all-terrain-vehicle- or snowmobiling-while-intoxicated incident. This brings other vehicles in line with rules governing automobile drivers. H. 599

Domestic violence: Penalties increase from 12 to 18 months for domestic violence. People who interfere with a person's access to emergency services face criminal charges. Police will receive more training on domestic violence and more money will go toward prevention program and services offered to victims. Money will come from increases in court surcharges and marriage and civil union license fees. S. 357

Drunken driving: Anyone who permits his or her vehicle to be used by someone who is drunk or has drunken-driving convictions faces new penalties. The state will also investigate alcohol ignition interlock systems as a check on drunken driving by people who already have one conviction. S.168 Elevator safety: Many more elevators should receive inspections, thanks to an increase in the fee paid for those inspections. Lawmakers raised the fee from $100 to $250 per inspection to attract more inspectors. H.878

Library records: Libraries can't release information about patrons, such as lists of the books they borrow. Exceptions will be made if there is a court order and for requests from parents of children younger than 16. S. 220

Marijuana penalties: The Senate voted to remove jail time as a penalty for small-quantity possession on first and second offenses, but the bill died because the House never voted on it. S.238 Nursing mothers: Employers must allow nursing mothers time, although not necessarily paid time, to express milk for their children. They also must try to provide a private space that isn't a toilet stall. Employers would be exempt from this requirement if providing time and space disrupts operations. H. 641

Smoke detectors: Starting Jan. 1, single-family homes will have to have photoelectric smoke detectors (rather than ionization style) at the time of sale. S. 226

Whistleblower: State employees will have more specific protections for speaking up about job-related problems. S. 201

Education

School calendar: Both chambers passed bills that would establish more uniform school calendars in the state, but neither took the other's bill up, meaning both expire. S.117 and H. 864

Snowboards: The Senate passed a bill sought by sixth-graders in Swanton to make snowboarding and skiing official state sports, but the House never acted on the bill, meaning it expires. S. 216

State board of education/commissioner: The Senate voted to eliminate the state Board of Education and change the Department of Education to an agency headed by a secretary appointed by the governor, but the House let the bill die. S. 371

Student medications: Beginning in the fall, students with life-threatening allergies or asthma may carry their medications and self-administer them at school and at school-sponsored activities. Their parents must work with a school nurse before students are clear to self-administer their medications. H.748

Two-vote repeal: The House agreed to repeal a controversial 2007 law requiring two votes on some school budgets, but Senate leadership blocked any vote on the question. The two-vote law takes effect for school budgets that come up for votes next winter. H. 864.

Environment

Composting: The bill puts a two-year hiatus on Act 250 environmental enforcement of all composting operations. It will allow Intervale Compost Products in Burlington and Vermont Compost Co. in Montpelier to keep operating while a panel meets to recommend how composting should be regulated. Both composting operations are under orders to seek an Act 250 land-use permit after it was determined they were no longer primarily agricultural enterprises. H. 873.

Environmental enforcement: Penalties will increase for violation of environmental permits, particularly for those who realize an economic advantage by not following the law. The Agency of Natural Resources is directed to establish a database of enforcement actions taken and report to the Legislature on the use of stormwater general permits and enforcement actions involving those permits. H. 865.

Groundwater protection: Underground water becomes a public trust and the state may regulate large withdrawals. Domestic and farm use are exempt from regulation. Reports are required for withdrawals greater than 56,000 gallons per day. S. 304

Lake Champlain cleanup: A cap established last year on the amount of phosphorus that sewage treatment plants near the lake can emit is repealed because of municipalities' concerns about cost. Instead, the state will pursue other efforts to reduce pollution in the lake. H. 873

Government

Campaign reform: Lawmakers passed a bill setting a host of campaign contribution limits, but Gov. Jim Douglas vetoed it. Although the Senate voted to override, the tally for the House override fell one vote short, so the bill died. A similar bill met the same fate in 2007. S. 278

Capital gains: The governor wanted to eliminate an exemption that spares individuals from paying taxes on 40 percent of their capital gains and use the increased revenues to offset changes in the income tax rates for the highest- and middle-income taxpayers. Lawmakers rejected the idea. Court records: The public will have access to Vermont Crime Information Center records for a fee, but full state court records will not be published online. S. 246

Instant-runoff voting: The Legislature passed, but the governor vetoed, a bill that would have authorized instant-runoff voting in federal races, beginning this fall in the U.S. House race. Lawmakers, lacking the votes, never tried to override the veto. Under IRV, voters indicate second, even third choices among candidates, which come into play if no candidate receives a majority. S.108

Proposition 1. Pay freeze: The highest-paid staff in state government won't see pay increases next year. The constitutional officers, the judiciary and the legislative branch also agreed to the pay freeze. Workers covered by the union contract aren't affected. H. 890

Lottery: Lawmakers rejected a Douglas administration proposal to lease the state lottery to a private operator for 40 years with the expectation the state would receive an upfront payment of $50 million. Mobile polling stations: The Secretary of state may allow a town clerk to set up a mobile polling station in nursing homes. This is a pilot project. S. 232

Prison reorganization: The Dale prison for women in Waterbury will close, and all female inmates will be housed at the prison in St. Albans. Men in St. Albans will be shifted to other prisons or out of state. The women's prison in Windsor will become a work camp offering substance-abuse treatment. Savings from these changes will be invested in treatment and transitional housing to try to reduce recidivism. H. 859

Public records: The Secretary of State's Office will take charge of managing the state's public records and coordinating what records must be preserved. S. 229

Young voters: The Senate and House passed an amendment to the state Constitution that would allow young Vermont residents to vote in the primary election in September if they would turn age 18 by the date of the general election in November. It needs to pass the Legislature next biennium, receive approval from the governor and the state's voters to become law. Proposition 5.

Health

Mental health parity: State insurance officials have clearer authority to respond to complaints and regulate insurance plans that use separate firms to manage their mental health care. S.114

State hospital: The state will investigate where to put a 15-bed, secure residential unit for psychiatric patients who no longer require hospitalization. Officials had considered new construction at the Waterbury office complex, but lawmakers directed them to look at a Dale building that would be vacated if female inmates housed there are moved to St. Albans, and at the current hospital building. Planning for the secure unit is another step in the process to close and replace the 54-bed Vermont State Hospital in Waterbury. S. 365

[Source]

May 2, 2008, the Burlington Free Press, by Nancy Remsen and Terri Hallenbeck

MONTPELIER -- Democratic legislative leaders backed away from a confrontation with Gov. Jim Douglas on Thursday over his desire to hold a two-day sales tax holiday in July that will cost about $2 million in lost revenues.

It was one of dozens of decisions lawmakers made as they quickened the pace of their march to adjournment. Leaders now say the gavel will fall Saturday -- unless there is an unexpected snag.

Without fanfare, House and Senate negotiators agreed on the budget, but they put off signing it until after they review the finished document today.

Teams trying to resolve differences in several other money bills -- transportation, capital project, pay and miscellaneous tax -- all reported progress, but had yet to wrap up.

For most of the day, lawmakers carrying fat folders scurried through the Statehouse to negotiations, then retreated to review and revise offers. Those not assigned to negotiating teams packed their files.

Floor debate was minimal, although the House was the scene of a brief skirmish over enhanced driver's licenses.

The negotiation that drew the biggest crowds throughout much of the day involved housing legislation.

Conferees met several times formally and in informal clusters around the Statehouse, but left for the night without settling their largest differences. Those included whether to use education tax money to offer incentives for new housing and how much of the housing would have to meet pricing requirements to be eligible for an exemption from land-use regulations.

Tax breaks

Douglas proposed a tax-free weekend for July 12-13 in an economic stimulus package he unveiled two weeks ago.

House Speaker Gaye Symington, D-Jericho, summed up how many lawmakers see the sales tax holiday when she addressed a special legislative panel charged with reviewing all the governor's suggestions.

"I don't think it is the best use of taxpayer resources," she said. She noted that the Legislature's economist had said the holiday would do little to stimulate the economy. She added, "I don't think it benefits the Vermonters who are struggling to make ends meet -- instead it focuses on Vermonters who have discretionary income and can choose when to make their purchases."

Still, she said she wouldn't try to stop it because she didn't want the disagreement to mar other progress made during the session. "This is important to Governor Douglas. I realize that."

An hour earlier, Douglas had repeated his call for the sales-tax holiday. "This is something the people of Vermont and our visitors deserve," he said. "I'm optimistic the Legislature will see its value."

Members of the legislative review panel, however, weren't persuaded of the economic merits of the sales-tax holiday, but agreed with Symington that it wasn't worth a political fight. The public expects it, too, they concluded, because of all the publicity.

"We had better go with it," said Sen. Robert Starr, D-Essex/Orleans.

"It's only with great reluctance that I would vote in favor," said Rep. Harvey "Bud" Otterman, R-Topsham.

The committee endorsed the tax-free weekend with conditions. Only purchases under $2,000 would be tax-free. The state would have to refund revenues lost by municipalities that have to suspend their local option sales taxes.

The panel also agreed to a revised proposal from the administration that would help struggling manufacturers in high-unemployment regions. Lawmakers didn't like the administration's first suggestion because it provided tax credits to profitable firms. They wanted to help companies close to failing.

[Full Story]