Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday urged lawmakers to work with him to turn “catastrophe into opportunity” by helping the state recover from devastating floods, reverse rising crime and build more housing — all without breaking the bank.
In his annual State of the State speech, the Republican governor returned to well-worn themes about the need to grow Vermont’s stagnant population and loosen restrictions on development in order to boost the economy. He also noted that Vermonters help one another in times of crisis.
“From the first struggles of the pandemic to the rising waters of July and December and a once-in-a-century opportunity to revitalize our communities — the indomitable courage of Vermonters is as strong as ever,” Scott declared to the 180 lawmakers and hundreds of visitors assembled in the Statehouse.
Scott highlighted the selfless volunteerism of Vermonters in general and during the flooding in particular, making the case that people need to step up to strengthen their communities.
Scott regaled listeners with stories of people devoted to their communities, describing a guy in Brattleboro who wakes up before dawn to water 200 flowerpots downtown and kids in Caledonia County whose lemonade stand raised $700 to support a pizza place in Hardwick hard hit by the July flood.
click to enlarge - Jeb Wallace-Brodeur
- Gov. Phil Scott
He quoted President Joe Biden when he said “good communities are built by thousands of small acts of decency” and urged more people to embrace that spirit.
“Plant a tree, mentor a kid, coach a team, volunteer for your local fire department or rescue squad. Or sign up for the National Guard, which has been essential to our state emergencies and national security. We desperately need them, and they need more of you,” Scott said, a line that got an enthusiastic howl of support from Vermont National Guard Adj. Gen. Greg Knight in the balcony.
But Scott’s stories about Vermonters helping Vermonters struck some as a bit over the top and tone-deaf toward communities devastated by floods and awaiting aid for homeowners and businesses.
“Different charities and drives are awesome, but that doesn't take the place of government,” House Speaker Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington) said. “We have a fundamental role to play to make sure that we have people's backs.”
Krowinski said she looked forward to seeing the details of the initiatives the governor proposes in his upcoming budget and agreed that there are tough budget decisions ahead. But she said the needs of residents should drive the budget, not arbitrary spending limits.
click to enlarge - Kevin McCallum ©️ Seven Days
- House Speaker Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington)
Scott gave few hints of what will be in his proposed 2024-25 budget, but he did say “austerity” was in order and he'll seek to cap spending increases at 3 percent.
That wasn’t what Rep. Conor Casey (D-Montpelier) wanted to hear. He said Scott used a “lot of platitudes in that speech” when hard-hit communities, businesses and homeowners desperately need recovery aid.
“We need significant investments in flood recovery and mitigation going forward,” Casey said.
Casey acknowledged that it's possible Scott’s budget will contain significant flood relief for affected communities.
“I feel like, if help was on the way, he would have said help was on the way,” Casey said. “Instead we got a lot of neighbor helping neighbor, which is a beautiful thing, but that only goes so far.”
On the issue of rising crime, Scott shared some sobering statistics. He noted that in 2017, the state had the second-lowest property crime rate and second-lowest violent crime rate in the nation. By 2022, those had fallen to 18th and eighth, respectively. He also noted that over the past decade, violent crime increased 56 percent, aggravated assault rose 65 percent, sexual assault rose 76 and homicide soared 166 percent.
click to enlarge - Kevin McCallum
- Representatives listening to Scott's speech
While justice reform and treating addiction as a public health crisis have their place, he said, lawmakers need to face up to facts when strategies clearly aren’t working.
“When those who victimize others are put back on the streets, hours after being apprehended only to reoffend again and again, Vermonters question law enforcement, prosecutors, our courts, and they question the wisdom of the work done here in this building,” Scott said.
That miffed some in the room who viewed it as yet another case of Scott blaming them for a problem he’s shown little interest in solving.
“Everything bad is someone else’s fault under the Phil Scott administration,” quipped Jim Dandeneau, executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party.
Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman noted that the increases in crime that Scott cited precisely coincided with his administration's tenure. Scott was first elected in 2016 and took office in 2017.
“After seven years, some of this rests on the administration,” Zuckerman said.
Scott also returned to one of his most persistent refrains — his critique of the state’s land-use and development law, Act 250, which he views as inhibiting growth and housing construction.
“The fact is, Act 250 did exactly what it was intended to do. It slowed down growth and, in some cases, stopped it altogether," Scott said. “But it was enacted at a time when we were growing way too fast. Today we face a different reality — one where families desperately need homes and communities need reinvestment.”
click to enlarge - Kevin McCallum
- Rep. Conor Casey (D-Montpelier)
Scott didn’t outline a solution, but his administration has proposed ways to exempt more housing developments from Act 250 review, particularly those in already developed areas. Today, about 2,200 new residential units are permitted each year in the state, but 6,800 would be needed just to restore some balance to the housing market, he said.
“Let’s work together and get more families in homes faster, and at a cost they can afford,” he said.