We’re down to the final month of the general election, which means Team Scott is working extra hard to earn the vote of every Vermonter who wants to see the economy grow and Vermont become more affordable – which will be Phil’s top priorities as Governor. Check out this week’s highlights from the state’s most energetic and hardworking campaign.
EARLY VOTING IN PROGRESS – HAVE YOU VOTED FOR PHIL YET?
Early voting is now open. You’ve kept us going throughout the campaign, now it’s time to pull the lever for Phil. Don’t wait until November 8. Voting early ensures nothing keeps you from the voting booth on election day, and helps us maximize our Get Out The Vote efforts for the remainder of the campaign. Click HERE to find your town clerk’s location or to request an absentee ballot.
And, ICYMI, we’ve released our first TV ad of the General Election this week. The choice is clear! Watch it HERE, share it with friends, and then get to your town clerk’s office to vote early!
PHIL’S ECONOMIC PLANS: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Last month Phil released a comprehensive economic development plan (which you can view HERE) that laid out his blueprint for economic growth. While his opponent is trying to jump on the economic messaging bandwagon in the final weeks of the campaign, Phil remains the only candidate with a comprehensive approach to strengthening the economy and making Vermont more affordable. This week, we want to share more about Phil’s proposals to grow our workforce and address our demographic challenges:
Vermont faces significant demographic challenges as our population gets older, workers retire, and younger generations leave the state. A smaller workforce means a higher tax burden on those who remain. As Governor, Phil will support a number of actions to retain and attract more working-age Vermonters, grow our workforce and ease the tax burden. Those actions include supporting innovation in the public education system to make Vermont more appealing for young families; setting goals and working with Vermont colleges and universities to retain more college graduates; investing in skilled workers and creating training programs to increase the number of skilled workers; and eliminating the “benefits cliff” to increase independence and bring more Vermonters into the workforce. Read more HERE.
In his final months in office, Gov. Shumlin is working to push through a transition to an all-payer model, which would significantly impact our healthcare system, asking doctors to sign up as part of one giant Accountable Care Organization.
This is a complicated transition, and one where the outcome is unknown. This week, Phil called on Gov. Shumlin and the Green Mountain Cardboard to add additional public presentations and more transparency on the model. “Vermonters deserve to have a detailed discussion about this before we move forward. We simply cannot afford any more expensive and unsuccessful healthcare experiments. I think it’s premature for the Shumlin Administration to lock Vermonters into an agreement, without first explaining how, exactly, it is going to work and what, if any, savings Vermonters can expect to see in the cost of care and in their insurance premiums,” Phil said in a statement.
An editorial in the St. Albans Messenger rightly points out that, yet again, Vermont will be charging forward on an experiment without knowing the impact on consumers and businesses. We saw how that worked with Vermont Health Connect! As the Messengerwrites, “When the agreement is signed, Vermont will be the first in the nation to test the idea. No one knows whether it will be a good thing, or a disaster. But it would seem axiomatic that when we decide to turn upside down an industry that constitutes 20 percent of our economy that we do a more thorough job of analyzing the pros and cons. Publicly.” We agree. Read Phil’s full statement HERE.
As Phil said this week, his opponent’s so-called “cap and trade” plan for transportation would add unnecessary costs onto Vermont drivers and businesses, slow the economy and deepen the crisis of affordability facing many families and employers. In his response, Phil reinforced his commitment to growing the economy and making Vermont affordable “so we can afford to invest in priorities like early education and job training.”
“I’m the only candidate in this race who knows that we need to be working to reduce the tax burden. To do that, we have to keep the state budget from growing faster than the economy and wages; stop imposing new taxes and fees; modernize state government; and make growing the economy the highest priority. If we don’t come to grips with this reality, we’ll continue to face higher taxes, a shrinking labor force and fewer resources to invest in programs we all support like early education, job training and substance abuse prevention and recovery,” Phil said. Read the full statement HERE.
Another exciting week of debates, events and hearing from hundreds of Vermonters about what matters to them – the economy! This week Phil and Team Scott joined Republicans from around the state at the Vermont Republican Party Fall Dinner, and stopped by Jet Service Envelope Company and the Vermont Pie & Pasta Company to check out some great small businesses. Phil also participated in the Vermont PBS debate and forums with American Academy of Pediatrics Vermont Chapter, Permanent Fund for Vermont’s Children, Vermont’s Council of Developmental and Mental Health Services and the Vermont Technology Council.
Responsible leadership with integrity
“I’m supporting Phil Scott because his word actually means something as he has the core integrity representative of genuine public servants and will make Vermont proud as Governor.” – Thomas Joseph, Wilmington (Source: Bennington Banner: Full Letter)
Proven leadership
“I want a governor with proven leadership ability and someone who knows what it’s like to run a business in Vermont. And I want somebody who is willing to take on the status quo in government and restructure it so that it serves Vermonters again. That person is Phil Scott.” – Howard Manosh, Morrisville (Source: Times Argus: Full Letter)
Phil: We’ll leave no stone unturned to strengthen our economy
“To make real progress, and to truly strengthen our economy to generate revenue organically, rather than on the backs of tax payers, we need a comprehensive approach that comes at the problem from all angles. That’s why my plan for economic development covers topics from workforce training and taxes to healthcare, broadband and housing.” (Source: Burlington Free Press: Full Article)
Phil: Vermonters can’t afford more taxes
“I think we’ve had enough of raising taxes and fees. I think we need to just take a deep breath, live within our means, tighten our belts and do whatever we can to not add to the burden on working families. It’s across the board.” (Source: WPTZ: Full Story)
Rep. Scheuermann: Where were they until now?
Rep. Heidi Scheuermann asks a very important question of Vermont’s Democrats in an op-ed in the Stowe Reporter this week: Where were you on ethics reform? In a desperate attempt to gain traction, the Democrat party has worked hard to sling mud in Phil’s direction. But as Heidi points out, their aim is off! Rep. Scheuermann details her efforts to pass ethics reform since 2013, only to be shot down repeatedly by the Democratic majority and Gov. Shumlin. She writes, “So, to now see Democrats waving the flag of ethics reform — after years of opposition — smacks of political opportunism. After all, when they had the opportunity to speak up, and act, they refused.” Finally, she concludes “If we want a governor who is the epitome of honesty and integrity in his public life, one who will demand it of others, one who will support state ethics reform that works, and, most importantly, one who will finally make the economy and affordability Montpelier’s highest priorities, there’s only one choice — Phil Scott.” Read her full article HERE and read Phil’s plan to restore faith and trust in government HERE.
Democratic Activist Feeling the Need for Change
John Freitag, a self-described “Democratic activist,” writes an interesting piece about the problem with Party allegiance in a time of serious challenges and what he calls a distressing “shift toward centralized decision-making that ignores the strength and value of our local communities.” He cites Vermont Health Connect, Act 46 and energy legislation as examples of where that has happened in Vermont. Phil has always been a public servant who believes no individual or political party has a monopoly on good ideas. As Governor, he will listen to any idea that will help improve our economy and make Vermont more affordable, as he has done throughout his entire career. And, Phil has always done what is best for Vermont, regardless of whether that aligns with his party’s ideals or not. We hope you read Mr. Freitag’s article, and know we welcome all Vermonters to our movement to make Vermont more affordable and move our economy forward!