The AP is reporting that Governor Douglas, Senator Shumlin, and House Natural Resources Chair Representative Robert Dostis are scheduled to meet tomorrow to discuss the global warming bill and the upcoming July veto-override session. Right on the heels of that announcement comes this from the Senate Prez-Pro-Tem's office:
The leadership of the Vermont House and Senate today announced that in light of Governor Douglas's veto of H.520 and his objection to the source of funding for the bill, Senator Shumlin and Speaker Symington will propose a suspension of the rules during the veto override session on July 11 to consider the same bill with the funding for an all fuels efficiency utility removed. Since the legislation vetoed by the governor stipulates that funding for the all fuels efficiency utility will be needed starting in 2009, this proposal would allow the legislature to consider how to fund the utility when it reconvenes in January. In the meantime, the planning process for the utility, as well as other key provisions in H. 520, will be enacted
This announcement is one of two things; either another example of our legislative leadership running to move the goalposts and compromise before negotiations have even begun... OR... a(n attempt at a) savvy move to put the Governor on the defensive, and put the media focus of tomorrow's meeting squarely on the content of the bill and not the "dreaded" funding scheme vis-a-vis Vermont Yankee.
My money's on the latter, but its risky. Still, the papers and internet are replete with conservatives claiming that they'd be all for this bill with a different funding scheme. This calls their bluff, and leaves them nowhere to hide if they really are global warming deniers. It also puts the BS to the GOP nonsense line that the bill is all about "getting" Vermont Yankee.
Unfortunately, it also leaves the Dems nowhere to go in a July compromise, but to take actual policy content out of the bill. It's a good ploy, but the risk seems perhaps disproportionate and the timing dangerously off. We'll see. The content of the full press release is below the fold, along with a poll as to whether or not you think this is a wise strategic move...
Legislative Leaders Propose Modification to H. 520
The leadership of the Vermont House and Senate today announced that in light of Governor Douglas¹s veto of H.520 and his objection to the source of funding for the bill, Senator Shumlin and Speaker Symington will propose a suspension of the rules during the veto override session on July 11 to consider the same bill with the funding for an all fuels efficiency utility removed. Since the legislation vetoed by the governor stipulates that funding for the all fuels efficiency utility will be needed starting in 2009, this proposal would allow the legislature to consider how to fund the utility when it reconvenes in January. In the meantime, the planning process for the utility, as well as other key provisions in H. 520, will be enacted as stipulated by the bill. Senator Shumlin and Representative Robert Dostis, Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, are meeting with Governor Douglas tomorrow to inform him of this proposal.
"This bill represents an extraordinary opportunity to save Vermonters money and create jobs while addressing global climate change, and we owe it to Vermonters to make it law,² said Senator Shumlin. ³We have always said that to have a real impact, this bill needs funding, and we still believe that. We also believe that the provisions of this bill are too important not to pass right now, and that when the legislature reconvenes in January, we can work on the funding source. We continue to feel strongly that the source of funding in this bill ‹ an adjustment to the property tax handout for Entergy that would still give them the same preferential tax treatment as other electric generators like wind ‹ is fair and just. While we¹re disappointed that the governor disagrees, that is a conversation we can resume next year."
Chairman Dostis added, "My committee, along with the Senate Natural Resources Committee, worked hard on this legislation, and we produced a great bill. We have heard from opponents about their objections to the funding source, and while we don¹t come to the same conclusion, we believe there is too much good in this bill for it not to become law. From incentives for renewable energy generation to the expansion of net metering and the creation of a model energy efficiency utility, this bill is important in addressing rising energy costs and promoting Vermont's energy independence. We look forward to hearing the governor¹s response and working with our legislative colleagues to get this bill passed."
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