Now that Douglas has announced that he isn't running for reelection, do you think we could elect a governor who actually believes in Vermont and the opportunities this beautiful state provides?

Although he was elected on the slogan of Jim=Jobs, he's missed no opportunity to tell potential employers how bad it is to do business in Vermont. I guess that's why he always wants to pay them big bucks to come here.

What we've seen in just the last couple of weeks, though, is that there are employers who actually think this is a good place to do business, and will come to Vermont, or stay here, without being bribed to do it.

Exhibit A is Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. Just to refresh everybody's recollection, the story here is that earlier in the year we had the Douglas Agency of Commerce talking about how GMCR was all set to move out of state, to Tennesee or someplace. Solution? Throw money at them. 

So what happened? We know the story: a couple of weeks ago they announced they're staying in Vermont. 

Then there's Nokian Tires. (By the way, when I started buying their tires they were called “Nokia”. Does anyone know why the change?) In case you missed it, since it didn't get a tremendous amount of coverage, Nokian Tires is moving its U.S. corporate headquarters here to Vermont. 

The move is designed to be “closer to our customers,” Jari Lepisto, president of Nokian Tyres' U.S. operations said in a phone interview Tuesday evening.

“We'd like to be in a place where there is winter,” he said, noting in Tennessee “they only have snow once a year.”

And get this:

Dave Mace, spokesman for the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, said state officials were not involved in bringing Nokian to Vermont. Nokian did not approach the state for tax incentives and none were offered, he said.

In other words, we had a corporation who isn't asking for money, but is interested in the unique advantages of our unique state.

We've discussed it around here before, but it bears repeating: badmouthing the state, so that you have to bribe companies to come here and do business, might not be the best approach to economic development.

Maybe our next Democratic governor will have a better idea of the value of Vermont for its people and businesses.