FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 25, 2009
CONTACT:
Alex MacLean
802-828-3806
Montpelier, Vt – Senate President Pro Tem Shumlin and Speaker Smith commented today on the loss of over 200 jobs at the Ethan Allen manufacturing plant in Beecher Falls, Vermont.
“The loss of so many jobs is a devastating blow to the economy of the Northeast Kingdom,” said Senator Shumlin. “I have reached out to the plant manager and let him know that our thoughts are with the workers and their families as they deal with the loss of their jobs during such difficult economic times. ”
“I was saddened and frustrated to hear of the job losses at the Ethan Allen plant,” said Speaker Smith. “Addressing the faltering economy as well as the unemployment insurance system will continue to be among the legislature’s top priorities.”
Reform Health Care NOW!
Everyone it seems, except for Governor Jim Douglas, understands that our health care system is broken. Instead of being run to provide better care for its customers, it’s being run to provide ever higher profits for the insurance companies and ever larger golden parachutes for chief executives.
In Vermont 66,000 of our neighbors don’t have insurance. That figure includes 11,000 Vermont children. Per-capita, our state spends more on healthcare than the national average and these expenses are rising at a faster rate, too. The most common cause of personal bankruptcy is a catastrophic health crisis. And a third of our Vermont neighbors who have lost their homes through foreclosure had to choose between paying for the hospital or the house, medical care or the mortgage.
Employer-based health insurance costs are rising, putting local businesses at a disadvantage in the global market. Out of pocket costs for those of us who have insurance average over $1300. With friends like Jim “Status Quo” Douglas, businesses might want to look for friends with more equitable solutions.
But in Jim Douglas’s Vermont, that’s all fine, part of the right wing program of promoting private profit at the expense of caring for our community. Jim Douglas, of course, has never had to pay for private health insurance. He’s been on government-administered healthcare insurance for the ast 30 years.
Yet, he is opposed to any health care reform that includes a “public option.”
Vermont needs a governor who truly belongs to our community and has the best interests of working Vermonters at heart. We need your help to elect a Democrat who cares about healthcare into the Governor’s office before Republican neglect makes the current system even sicker.
Statement from Majority Leader Floyd Nease
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Floyd Nease, Majority Leader in the Vermont House released this statement in response to the Vermont State Employees Associations filing of an injunction to stop the firing of state workers:
The Governors determination to fire our state workforce regardless of the impact on services to Vermonters is irresponsible and may well be illegal. The legislatures budget makes it clear that firings of this magnitude should undergo scrutiny and be accountable to Vermonters. The administration has clearly overreached. I applaud the VSEAs efforts to stop it.
Contact:
Rep. Floyd Nease
Majority Leader
Vermont House of Representatives
517 Maple Hill Road
Johnson, Vermont 05656-9793
(802) 635-9211
Shameful!
After months of negotiating and compromise, Vermont Governor Jim Douglas did, in fact, veto the states budget earlier today.
Last week, the Governor called a special legislative session, leaving little doubt that despite further attempts to negotiate, he intended to veto the budget all along.
Its now up to the legislature to act!
When the House convenes tomorrow at 10 AM, they will be asked to do something no Vermont legislature has been asked to do before, override a Governors budget veto. Both House Speaker Shap Smith and Majority Leader Floyd Nease are confident they can assemble the votes necessary to override this shortsighted action.
While this is happening in the House, Senate President Pro Tem Shumlin and the other members of that chamber will consider a separate bill that includes several additional changes made to the budget in order to gain approval by the Governor.
Theyve made their calls and assembled their teams, but our Legislative Leaders still need our help.
Below, youll find links to both the Senate and House Member directories. Please contact your legislators, as well as those you think could use a little encouragement, and tell them you stand with the Legislative Leadership. Tell them you support a budget override and thats how you want them to vote!
This is a very critical time in our states history. Never before has a Governor vetoed a budget. Its time to send Jim Douglas a message and let him know you will not let him play politics with our states budget!
What: July VDP State Committee Meeting
When: Sat, July 18, 10:30am 12:30pm
Where: Vermont College of Fine Art (Map)
Nobel Lounge
Montpelier, VT
Description: County Party Working Group Meeting at 9:30 AM. Coffee at 10:00 AM and the meeting will start at 10:30 AM. Due to summer vacation, the meeting is being held in Montpelier rather than at Randolph Elementary School. For more information, contact the VDP HQ, 802-229-1783.
Our office is handicap accessible.