Updated 7/5/2017
The biggest spenders of Vermont’s 2017 legislative session included a liberal advocacy group, the state workers’ union and a trade group representing hospitals. Each shelled out more than $100,000 on direct lobbying expenditures over a five-month period, according to a database maintained by the Secretary of State’s Office.
From January 15 to June 15, 364 groups collectively devoted $5,445,009 to lobbying — slightly less than the $5,583,285 spent last year during the same time period. The Vermont Public Interest Research Group, the Vermont State Employees’ Association and the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems led the way — each spending $25,000 more than the No. 4 lobbyist employer, Entergy, which owns the shuttered Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.
VPIRG spent $113,738 to push an assortment of liberal causes in the Vermont Statehouse. It focused on environmental issues — including climate change, toxic chemicals and recycling — and an ethics reform bill, which passed in watered-down form.
At various points during the 2017 session, some 36 people registered as lobbyists for VPIRG, according to the database. Many were members of the nonprofit’s staff, but others were contract lobbyists for the Montpelier firms Ellis Mills Public Affairs and the Necrason Group.
VPIRG consistently ranks among Vermont’s top lobbying groups. Executive director Paul Burns said that’s because it frequently faces off against deep-pocketed opponents.
“The range of issues we’re involved with is very broad, and so if you were to look at the number of lobbyists and lobbying organizations and corporations on the other side that we’re up against, we’re still certainly out-resourced in these kinds of campaigns,” Burns said. He noted that only a handful of the VPIRG staffers listed as lobbyists were regularly in the Statehouse.
The Vermont State Employees’ Association also had a large presence in the Statehouse, spending $110, 475, and employing eight lobbyists.
“State employees had a lot at stake in this legislative session,” said VSEA executive director Steve Howard. “We had a new administration and new legislators, and we believe very strongly in going on the offensive.”
Among the union’s victories: quashing Gov. Scott’s proposal to close the Windsor prison; winning collective bargaining rights for states’ attorneys and securing a pay increase for docket clerks. The VSEA also pushed for paid family leave, which didn’t pass, and waded into a debate over teachers’ health insurance, even though state workers weren’t involved. It did so in solidarity with the educators’ union, the Vermont-National Education Association, which spent $52,555, most of it during the final month of the session.
It was sleepy year for health care issues, but the Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems still spent $105, 871 and employed 12 lobbyists, including members of the firm MMR.
“As in previous years, the 2017 legislative session focused significantly on health policy as important issues from mental health care to Medicaid payments were considered by legislators,” VAHHS president and CEO Jeff Tieman said. “As the association representing Vermont’s network of not-for-profit hospitals, we work to be an engaged and constructive voice in the State House.”
Individual hospitals also shelled out on their own, led by the University of Vermont Health Network, which had a lobbying tab of $53,896.
The following entities spent more than $50,000 on lobbying during Vermont’s legislative session:
- Vermont Public Interest Research Group ($113,738)
- Vermont State Employees’ Association ($110,475)
- Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems ($105,870)
- Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee ($75,000)
- FairPoint Communications ($60,827)
- Green Mountain Power ($54,442)
- The University of Vermont Health Network ($53,896)
- Vermont-NEA ($52,555)
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Protecting our only source of food, water, air and shelter (aka our physical environment) is not a liberal cause … it is an absolute MUST!
Despite what Paul Burns is quoted as saying – from the list above – it seems VPIRG itself has the deepest pockets amongst lobbying groups in Vermont in 2017.
Paul Burns has destroyed the credibility of VPIRG. I am not alone in dropping my long-time support of that group.
The health of our air and water, fighting to curtail climate change, and working to curtail the effect of big money in our political system is not a SPECIAL INTEREST. It is the definition of the PUBLIC INTEREST. The title of this article is misleading and should be revised.
Full Disclosure: I am the Field Director for VPIRG and am proud to wake up everyday and work to mobilize out tens of thousands of members to speak out for the public interest.
So does this mean our legislators are taking bribes?? Because I think they sure are..
Sending our tax money like it’s theirs on stupid things like the crazy new inspections for cars, paying out millions on the tablet from a out of state co, was it from CA or OH?? then what you have to go through now to renew your drivers lic. but hey if you are a illegal, no worry the good state will give you one, no questions asked….but Us Vermonters has to go through all this new red tape..don’t care if you were born and raised here.
The lobbyists don’t care about us..as long as they get their share, because they are paid you know..they don’t do it for free.. you do know money also comes from out of state too..These lobbyists should listen to Vermonters, ask our opinion..we have to work hard, in some cases 2-3 jobs to keep our heads above water..Everything is going up in Vermont..taxes and sale tax.!!!This money is suppose to help with the schools, roads, bridges..the roads are horrible, ever traveled the roads in Montpelier..what a laugh..Some body pockets are getting really lined..but won’t name names..don’t want to upset you liberals, who think you know better then us on how we should live and how we spend our money..What gets me the most, how they moved here and are changing our state to be like the one they left..
Adam Goch, please do not send your “field operatives” to my farm again. VPIRG should change it’s name to VSIRG, the S for “Special”. VPIRG has no credibility and represents the industries that will destroy what people come to Vermont to see and Vermonters hold dear, our beautiful mountains and valleys. The tide has turned for Paul Burns and company and Adam Goch.
Here’s one for you, put up a 500ft windmill in Charlotte or on the Burlington waterfront. As one of your field panhandlers told me, “oh, we would never do that”.