Representative View

Hello Moretown, Northfield and Roxbury:

Here are some highlights of this year's session. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent you. I look forward to seeing you over the summer and fall.

FISH HATCHERIES

Vermont's fish hatcheries contribute to the sterling reputation of Vermont's sports fishery by assuring a plentifusupply of valued species and by maintaining special brood stocks of populasports fish speciesDuring the budget process, when we found Vermont's financial resources stretched, much consideration was given to closing Vermont's fish hatcheries. The House argued against closure because of the value our hatcheries have. The vetoed budget kept hatcheries open.

INVESTING IN VERMONT

This year Vermont will invest in state and municipal infrastructure, provide jobs, and strengthen the economic development of the state through its Capital Bill. The legislation incorporates federal stimulus money with the annual bond so that the total infrastructure spending will be over $109,000,000.

Vermont will construct an urgently needed forensics lab in Waterbury. We will complete the renovations of the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington. We will complete another phase of the construction of the archives facility in Middlesex. In addition to these specific building projects, major maintenance projects to state buildings will be undertaken across the state that will employ many Vermonters.

The federal stimulus money has allowed us to allocate over $19 million to wastewater treatment projects, and another $19 million to drinking water projects. Having access to this financing is critical as we will be able to assist so many towns with these improvements. Towns will be in a better position to undertake significant economic development with water and sewer infrastructure in place.

The Vermont Investment Package outlined in the Capital Bill targets infrastructure investment and job creation in an even more specific way. About $6 million will go to Forest & Parks for maintenance and expansion of facilities. A portion of the work will likely include summer jobs for young people - like a Vermont Civilian Conservation Corps. There will also be $1 million for the standard Building Communities Grants and $1 million to create transitional and affordable housing.

We continue to pay down the backlog of school construction funding owed to towns for past projects. This year we were able to make a total of $10 million in payments. There is still a moratorium on new school construction project financing until we can catch up and plan for a sustainable method of school construction funding.

CREATING JOBS &

STIMULATING VERMONT'S

ECONOMY

The Legislature acted to create jobs and foster growth for Vermont's employers. By investing wisely and creating strategic and innovative policies, Vermont's employers stand to leverage small investments into $175 to $200 million worth of economic activity. Such a triumph is hard to come by, particularly when times are tight. But we did it by taking a variety of forwardthinking and strategic set of measures: More green jobs due to new investments from federal funds and a Vermont Green Jobs Corps. Seed capital that will enable small businesses to employ more workers and expand business. Buy local: A new Farm-to-Plate Investment Program helps farmers, employers, and consumers. More powerful co-ops: A new law allows limited co-ops to raise money from investors. Stronger car dealerships mean more choices for consumers. Bolstered tourism: Vermont will invest more in bringing tourism dollars to Vermont. New income for Vermont: Vermont will be at the cutting edge with e-corporations. Protection = commerce: insurance and trusts are big employers in Vermont. We've strengthened them with new safeguards for senior citizens, and more opportunities for these businesses.

DRUG MARKETING

One of the great contributors to rising health care costs is the amount spent on prescription drugs. S. 48 bans most gifts pharmaceutical companies give to doctors and increases transparency in the marketing of pharmaceuticals and other "prescribed products." Vermonters spent 52% more on drugs and non-durable medical supplies in 2007 than in 2002. And by many accounts, almost a third of every dollar spent on prescription drugs now goes to marketing. This marketing occurs for prescription drugs, biologics and medical devices. The bill bans gifts—including free meals— from manufacturers to providers with some exceptions, and it requires disclosure of most of these exceptions.

TRANSPORTATION

The transportation budget will provide work for many Vermonters by repairing our roads and bridges. It is one area where stimulus money will be visibly helping Vermont's economy.

Besides the increased tax on gasoline and diesel fuel, motor vehicle registration fees will increase. We have maintained two license plates but will save money by requiring only one registration sticker (rear plate). The recession's effect on transportation revenues means that even with the increase in taxes and fees, the state revenue projected for 2010 is still $10 million less than in 2009. The addition of stimulus dollars has helped us add projects and thus jobs.

Town highways will be levelfunded for next year. Local towns will be able to access an additional $10 million in stimulus money and a third round of enhancement grants.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

House Natural Resources and Energy passed legislation this year to help the state develop its renewable energy sector. H.446 has the public service board set long-term, stable contract prices for small renewable energy producers, ranging from solar to small wind and methane projects. 75 Vermont companies were involved in building just four of the most recent farm methane digesters. This legislation protects ratepayers through strict caps on sizes of projects and total percentage that will be eligible statewide. Larger consumers of electricity may be allotted special rates to protect them further. H.446 also directs federal stimulus funds intended for energy projects, aligns our building codes to make the state eligible for other federal funds, and offers programs for municipalities to build biomass projects and offer low-interest loans for residents' energy-saving projects if voters so choose.

MILITARY AFFAIRS &

HONORING OUR TROOPS

The legislature held a public hearing on the upcoming deployment of our National Guard to Afghanistan. Approximately 1,800 Vermont Army Guard men and women will be deployed starting in November or December. This is the largest call-up of our Guard since World War II. The hearing, as well as further communication with the Adjutant General, emphasized supporting state partnerships with the military to provide social services to the families of our Guard. Federal support for social service programs has been generous, and we will be monitoring the Guard and the state to make sure both active-duty soldiers and veterans receive the help to which they are entitled.

The Wilderness battlefield in Virginia, site of an important Civil War battle involving Vermont troops, is being threatened by large commercial development. In a joint resolution that passed the house on Lincoln's birthday, Vermont called on county officials and commercial developers to honor the Civil War site and protect it from encroaching development. The resolution has since been followed with correspondence from Rep. Peter Welch. While it remains unclear as to the effect this resolution will have, we felt honoring our Civil War dead by the purchase of park land and the erecting of a monument deserved our effort.

AGRICULTURE

Vermont is 78% forestland and 14% farmland. In order to keep rural resources productive and profitable remains, the House Agriculture Committee has continued its overall strategy: support the diversification of Vermont agriculture as well as our existing, largely dairy, base. We have also worked to expand opportunities for the forest and wood products sector.

The committee bills to support ongoing diversification:

H.58: Dairy Goat Milk H.62: Working Farm H.125: Raw Milk

H.152: Biomass Energy

H.192: EBT- Electronic Benefit Transfer (credit card) machines at farmer's markets

H.231/H.313: Farm to Plategrown food

S.94/H.93: Maple Sugaring on State Lands- This bill supports the further development of a small, current program that allows the state to license stateowned forests for maple sugaring. There is a good opportunity here, as maple sugar is at an alltime high on world markets, and Vermont maple sugar is perceived as a premium product.

The committee developed the following to support ongoing our existing dairy base:

S.89: VMC and Milk Surety Bonding

Emergency Loans for Spring Planting