( – promoted by odum)

I’m saddened and embarrassed by the Governor’s speech today. But I’m also angry that he continues to lie to the people of this state. For example, he said

“Vermonters have no capacity for higher taxes – another approach advanced to shore up state coffers.”

Is that ALL Vermontes Governor? Here are some pesky facts.

Since 2003, the number of filers reporting more than $500,000 in adjusted gross income (AGI) has more than doubled and their income has tripled to almost $2.3 billion. Big deal right. But here’s the kicker. In 2003 those earning over $500,000 paid 5.9% of their AGI in state income taxes (not much when you consider our top marginal rate is 9.5%). But in 2007 this group paid only 5.4% of their AGI in state income taxes. That’s right. The percentage of income they paid in state income taxes WENT DOWN!!

So tell us again Governor how “Vermonters” have no capacity for higher taxes and how we’re chasing the wealthy out of VT.

I don’t know which is more disturbing: Governor Douglas’ dissembling or the media’s failure to call him on it.

From Welch-land:

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Peter Welch was appointed to three subcommittees of the House Energy and Commerce Committee Thursday:

·       Subcommittee on Energy and Environment

o       National energy policy, environmental protection, solid and hazardous waste, fossil fuels and renewable energy, utility regulation, nuclear energy and waste, the Clean Air Act

·       Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet

o       Telecommunication and information transmission by broadcast, radio, wire, microwave, satellite or other mode

·       Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

o       Oversight of agencies, departments and programs within the jurisdiction of the full Committee

Hoo-boy. If you thought the man got a lot of bandwidth on this site before….

Not only is it a new year – and very nearly Green Mountain Daily’s 3rd birthday – but in the last week we crossed a mini-milestone with the arrival of our first few user-numbers into 4 figures (welcome to user D.R. who was the first to cross the threshold). Now there are a handful of clear sock puppets, so we’re clearly not at 1002 actual unique registered users, but pretty dang close in any event (and many, many more unregistered ones as well).

For the beginning of 2009, there will be a couple tweaks to the lineup. First of all, Christian Avard is, for the moment, returning to “emeritus” status (joining the distinguished emeriti on the right-hand side). All this means is that, while you’ll still see content from him when he feels like it and he can still represent the site, he doesn’t get poked at behind the scenes if he hasn’t posted in a month.

The other lineup change is that I will be stepping down my own contribution level quite a bit. I’ll still post about once a week or so, but I’m stepping back for the next couple months to use my spare time to work on a book project (yes, its political, and yes its somewhat Vermont-connected, but that’s all I’m saying for now…) To take up some of the workload, greenvtster has agreed to step up and cover some of the front page duties while I’m on sabbatical. greenvtster is a longtime member of the GMD community and is very plugged in to Vermont issues.

This is gonna be one hell of a session, and the stakes are gonna be as big as the ideological battles – particularly on social services and the environment, which the Douglas Administration is already signaling they’ll be going after with great aplomb. I expect great things from the new House Leadership team and there’s going to be a huge need for citizen involvement, so it feels kinda crazy to be backing off now, but with any luck it will all be worth it. Stay tuned…

At any rate, you’ll all be in the hands of the crack GMD front page team of Jack McCullough, kestrel9000, JulieWaters, JDRyan, Caoimhin Laochdha, Maggie Gundersen and greenvtster with the likely occasional support from the emeritus squad of Christian Avard, Kagro X, NanuqFC, Vermonter and mataliandy – all of whom are much smarter and more entertaining than I, and make fewer typos. They’ll all do the heavy lifting (or rather, all the heavy lifting, as they were already doing it…) while I just drop in occasionally to do the Andy Rooney thing (oh yeah, and if the site breaks, it’ll still be my fault too).

(See, I told ya it wouldn’t take long… – promoted by kestrel9000)

Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee hit the international news for a second day, with a newly announced leak in the feedwater system.

The feedwater system is inside the turbine hall. What’s leaking is radioactive water …. it would be ventilated out the stack into the air.

Entergy to reduce Vermont Yankee reactor to 40 pct

Story below the fold.

http://www.afxnews.com

NEW YORK, Jan 8 (Reuters) – Entergy Corp said it would reduce the 620-megawatt Vermont Yankee nuclear power station from full power to about 40 percent Thursday afternoon to fix a water leak in the feed water system.

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by John Picinich)

From Raw Story:

Several major blogs were in jeopardy after a Tuesday hack of their software provider had its owner ready to throw in the towel.

According to SoapBlox owner Paul Preston, the attack on its servers–which prompted SoapBlox’s Internet service provider to shut it down–was connected to a shadowy group called Astalavista, which claimed credit for the attack in the site’s altered source code.

“Consider this the ‘We’re Out of Business’ post,” Preston wrote on Wednesday morning. “Most of the servers have been taken off line because they were being used to hack and exploit other websites. The hackers install this crap on servers after they get in. SoapBlox’s ISP then takes the servers off line… It was a good ride, but it’s over.”

A few months ago I had a conversation with a friend of mine who used to work in Washington and she was criticizing the Democrats for their ineffectiveness. And one exampe that she chose was the way they never were able to work effecitvely with Arlen Specter.

Speaker Smith is wasting no time and has hit the ground with a stimulus proposal that likely puts him on a collision course with the Douglas/Lunderville desire to exploit the financial crisis to starve off state Government.

Smith is proposing a public works infrastructure investment program, modeled after a proposal of former Governor Snelling’s during the early 80s recession. The program would be “a major reinvestment in Vermont’s crumbling transportation infrastructure.”

The $150 million for the two-year plan would be funded by $30 million in general fund bonding and another $120 million in transportation bonding, would be focused on Vermont business to create and sustain jobs. It would be implemented over the next 6 to 18 months. the idea, of course, is that targeting infrastructure for a stimulus will further enhance tourism and other economic development.

It’s a good idea, and it represents an excellent sign that the new House leadership has its economic head on straight. We’ll need to encourage and support them to show the same good sense when social services and environmental protections get put on the chopping block by the Governor. Make no mistake, the pressure is going to be intense as Douglas is seeing his opportunity to eviscerate both.

The complete abstract of the Speaker’s proposal is below the fold.

As the Vermont Legislature reconvenes to confront our state’s immediate economic crisis, Speaker Shap Smith and Democratic leadership in the House called for a $150 million economic recovery package to keep Vermonters working now and in the future.

The centerpiece of Speaker Smith’s Economic Recovery proposal is a public works employment program modeled after a program championed by Governor Richard Snelling in 1983.  Additionally, the new Speaker called for a major reinvestment in Vermont’s crumbling transportation infrastructure.

Speaker Smith’s plan is part of the Democratic House’s overall agenda to keep all Vermonters working, warm and well through the current crisis and for the future.

? Immediate Need ?

Vermont’s economy is at an important crossroad.  We cannot rely on federal action alone to move Vermont forward as we confront our immediate economic crisis.

Already, unemployment rates are at the highest levels since 1993 and are still climbing. It is very possible that unemployment could rise to levels not seen since the 1973 downturn, when it peaked at 10.5 percent.

Vermont housing starts during the last 12 months were at their lowest level since statistics in a comparable form began to be collected in 1969.

Finally, consumer spending – which represents two-thirds of the economy – continues to decline nationally. While figures to date indicate that Vermont is faring slightly better that the nation as a whole, nationally the year over year change is worse than -8 percent, the largest drop since the 1983 recession. Economists expect consumer spending to continue to decline.

? Strategic Investments ?

In the face of these critical challenges, it is more important than ever that the state make strategic investments in Vermont, its businesses and its people to ensure all Vermonters weather the current storm and to build lasting opportunities for our future.

In this critical time, Vermonters and Vermont businesses need income generating opportunities to keep the economy healthy.  As businesses make decisions about where to make their future investments, they are looking to us for assurances that the infrastructure they need to succeed in a competitive, global economy will be in place here in Vermont.

And, since tourism remains an important part of the Vermont economy during both downturns and recoveries, we must ensure this sector remains strong.

? Keeping Vermonters working ?

On the opening day of the legislative session, Speaker Smith called for a bond-based public works jobs program modeled after a program developed by Governor Snelling and the legislature in 1983.

Speaker Smith proposed a $150 million two-year program consisting of $30 million in general fund bonding and $120 million in transportation related bonding as quickly as possible with the following three goals:

1. Implement projects that employ Vermonters and Vermont businesses, including the $10 million public works jobs program that targets Vermont’s unemployed, underemployed and youth.

2. Create jobs and develop projects that strengthen our infrastructure including our roads, park system, overall economic capacity and other critical state needs.

3. Implement projects and create jobs within the next 6 to 18 months.

Using the existing general fund bonding capacity, Speaker Smith asked the newly constituted Institutions Committee to develop a public works jobs program that puts Vermonters to work and increases the value of state assets.  Examples of potential projects could include improvements to State Parks, water quality projects or construction and improvements to state offices.

Additionally, the Speaker called for an evaluation of future state investments in existing housing stock and support for our local businesses.  He emphasized the importance of employing Vermonters in ways that will position us to take full advantage of the economic recovery when it comes.

The Speaker also asked the Transportation Committee to analyze a variety of projects for state investment, including:

• Increased funding for state and local roads and bridges where maintenance and reconstruction today can avoid future costs;

• Capital projects to strengthen our public transit system such as buses and park and rides; or,

• Major infrastructure projects including improvements to the state-owned rail system or upgrades of airport access and facilities.

Speaker Smith asked the committees to develop programs that provide jobs for the men and women of Vermont.

Funding sources:

• For the current fiscal year, the capital bill included $54.65 million for general fund projects and $10 million for transportation projects.

• For the next fiscal year, the Debt Affordability Committee has recommended $69.995 million in bonding, which includes $10 million for transportation funding.  For FY 2010 and 2011 the full $15 million increase over FY 2009 authority will be targeted for general fund projects.

• The Legislature will consider the Treasurer’s $120 million revenue bond proposal to fund transportation projects now.  With the economic weakness we are facing and the low price of oil – typically a major expense for projects – this is an excellent time for transportation construction activities.  The Ways and Means committee will look at the Motor Fuels Distributor Infrastructure Assessment or other assessments that can be used to create a revenue bonding initiative as the Treasurer proposed.

• The Treasurer is anticipating going to market for approximately $57 million of this authorization in early March which, when combined with other year’s unissued bonding authority, leaves $11.6 million authorized and unissued bonding capacity.  Vermont needs to consider expedited use of authorized debt to maximize project spending capacity to keep Vermont working.

I haven’t been able to be as active on this site as I’d like to be (more on that tomorrow), but there are a couple things that have happened recently that – although they’ve already been discussed on this and/or other blogs – I feel the need to diary on personally.

Starting with the bad news, a lot has already been said about the passing of Peter Freyne. I didn’t know Peter personally, beyond a passing acquaintance that you smile and say hi to when you see, so I’ll just comment as a blogger. Peter has meant a lot to Vermont through his long career as a print journalist and columnist, but he has played an irreplaceable role in the development of Vermont’s political blogosphere as well, as new and immature as it still is.

When GMD launched, I dropped Peter an email letting him know I was starting a blog. His response was simply a six word “Might as well. Everyone else is.” I suspected at the time he just wasn’t sure what to make of it all, and that sense was reinforced in the early days of his own blog when he still didn’t seem to know what to make of it. He “metablogged” quite a bit, all the while coming off almost like an excited kid discovering an amusement park for the first time.

Which was ironic, truly, because I have never seen a person from the traditional media (or the blogs, for that matter) so effortlessly walk from one world to the other. It’s hard to know whether Freyne was made for the politcal blogosphere or vice versa, but his style and content was such a perfect fit that his engagement with the medium served to raise the quality, profile and impact of all of us almost overnight. Media pros often have a hard time with the transition because the medium is so interactive, meaning that not only are you likely to get back as good as you dish out, but you’re likely to get it from some amateur in his pajamas just getting home from his shift waiting tables. Clearly, Peter was completely comfortable with those rules and that world. More than comfortable, really, as someone who so easily and casually lived and breathed the give and take of politics and media, it seemed an ideal fit. Even though he wasn’t the first in, he was indeed the godfather of the Vermont political blogosphere.

And then there are the happier tidings, as wedding bells rang last week for Rep. Peter Welch. As profound an impact as it can be to lose someone, it is just as powerful a thing to find someone. So while it may not be as broadly newsworthy as the passing of Peter Freyne, the recent marriage of Rep. Peter Welch to State Rep. Margaret Cheney merits a special mention as well. Welch gets a lot of grief, and lord knows a lot of that grief gets delivered by this very blog (and ofttimes this very blogger), but regardless, I know Peter to be a very, very good man. A good human being with a good heart, a sharp mind, and a real desire to make the world a better place. Anybody who would suggest otherwise is, frankly, full of crap (or more likely, full of themselves).

So Peter, if I had a glass right now, I’d be raising it, as belated as that toast would be at this point. You deserve all the joy that finding someone you want to share your life with gives you, and I wish the two of you health, happiness, and good times.

Granted I’m just as likely to give you a hard time about something tomorrow, but that’s blogs for ya. Just for god’s sake, don’t give any more quotes to Republicans for campaign literature, ‘kay?

(

#$@!#@@

What  f****** next? – promoted by Christian Avard)

Another leak, this time in the reactor building. They’re going to try to plug it while they keep the reactor running full tilt.

Entergy to keep Vermont Yankee reactor at full power

http://www.reuters.com/article…

Look for more radiation overexposure of people on the job, and they will probably have to throttle back on power before they’re done.

Not so safe-clean-reliable.

UPDATE: Sites are coming back, and things have stabilized. Looks like BlogPAC and the netroots community are going to engage activiely to make sure that Soapblox – which has really become the backbone of the netroots – stays viable. Whew.  -odum

Okay, so here’s the deal: Soapblox, the site that hosts Green Mountain Daily and a whole host of other leftwing blogs, is in serious trouble.  At least one of their servers was hacked, bigtime, and several sites that use Soapblox are completely down.

This isn’t even the worst part.  The worst part is that the owners of Soapblox are considering shutting the system down completely.  

The details behind this are over at Daily Kos, but I’ll give the quick summary: Soablox is incredibly cheap and the people who run it do so for very little (if any) profit at all. (seriously: I’d be charging 2-3 times what they charge for the same service, and my rates are not high).

It looks like the only way we’ll be able to keep Soapblox up and running (with its complete history) is to give Soapblox a reasonable fee for its services, which means we need to start soliciting donations to keep it active.  

I don’t have the button to accept donations ready yet, but we’re hoping to do this.  We can host GMD elsewhere, but we’ll lose all the content of the site so far if we do so and have to start over from scratch.  I’ve got all the e-mail addresses, so that if we do go down, we can send a notice out to everyone, but that’s the best I can do right now.

This is big, folks.  Really big.