Adapt Tuesday

Busy day ahead.

Have to get past this frightening, armed gentleman [left] to get into the Statehouse this morning. Don't know how I do it, but I do. Thank you, Chief Dave Janawicz.

Gov. Jim Douglas has changed his schedule and moved his "regular weekly" presser up from Thursday at 1 P.M. to 10 o'clock this morning. It's our "Inside Track" day, but I've adapted. Got a certain interview done with a certain someone yesterday so we've already filled a big whole.

Did you catch the story in this morning's Freeps about Big Business wailing and gnashing teeth over Sen. Peter Shumlin's proposed tax on Entergy Vermont Yankee's "nuclear" bankroll?

Writes Statehouse Reporter Terri Hallenbeck:

State Treasurer Jeb Spaulding, a Democrat, offered an indication that the Vermont Yankee tax might not go over smoothly among members of Shumlin's own party. Spaulding said the tax sends a negative message to businesses. "It's very problematic," he said. "It tarnishes our image as a reliable business partner."

Spaulding is quoted expressing his support for the original Shummy proposal - a surcharge on heating fuels to raise money for heating-fuel efficiency. It was ridiculed by the GOP Guv and the hissing and moaning got so loud, Shummy pulled it off the table.

Spaulding said Monday that first proposal made more sense to him because the tax matched the goal -- the tax on heating fuel would pay for a program designed to reduce the use of heating fuel.

What's he running for?   

Comments

[NanuqFC]

Jeb's name has been on the list of potential gubernatorial candidates for some time now, according to the scuttlebutt I hear. And his recent round of positive media-worthy actions suggests he might be going for it.

[montpelier28]

We live in Vermont. A lot of us don't have a lot of money - obviously a lot do also - but we need to heat our homes, hovels that they are and can't afford to have our heating oil taxed and I can't stand to hear all that other crap. Vermont Yankee can afford it and I can't. That should all be in caps - it's that way in my head.

[Ivan Jacobs]

This is America people, we don't tax corporations. We tax the consumers that buy from them and those that work for them. Otherwise their would be no money to subsidize said corporations. Duh.

Jeb is a good Dem and he understands this, so of course it's important for him as Treasurer to remind Shumlin never to ever question this sacred dynamic. Besides, That's why we have a 3rd party in Vermont.

I think the powerful feeling of doing the right thing with the Impeachment resolution went straight to Shummy's head. Poor guy might be starting to think he's in Montpelier to work for the people... oh wait.

[JoeWilly]

Spaulding is another fiscally conservative Democrat who is afraid to upset the corporate base with any new tax. Previous poster's sarcasm is sadly correct. Stick it to the average Vermont taxpayer, but leave the business owners alone. Douglas must be cornering His Jebness and pounding that "businesses won't come here" crap into his hairy-ass head. Why doesn't His Jebness suggest to Douglas that he call on Bush to repeal tax breaks for the wealtiest 1 percent of Americans and channel some of that money back here to Vermont. His Jebness will never be governor because he doesn't have the doo-dads to be combative or to upset the apple cart. He's wallpaper and always will be (albeit hairy wallpaper).

Maybe Peter was right a while back. We need a fresh face. Maybe Condos is a good fit.