Who won and lost the week in Vermont news and politics?
Goat-killers, doppelgangers, loggers, Little Rockers, cops and… the economy.
Here’s the Scoreboard for the week of Friday, July 26:
Winners:
The economy, stupid — State revenue forecasts are up, a bit. So that’s good. But… Runner-up loser: Congress, whose federal budget sequestration is stalling Vermont’s economic recovery.
Mark Mitchell — When the VSEA chief was fired last month by the union’s board of trustees, ally and board president John Reese said Mitchell would be vindicated. Turns out Reese was right. Mitchell’s back — and that brings us to our our Runner-up losers: Michael Casey and Abigail Winters, who staged the ultimately unsuccessful coup with the help of a few allies on the board. Now Casey and Winters are on their way out.
State auditor’s office — Newbie State Auditor Doug Hoffer released the results of his first big audit this week: a sober, constructive look at how the state can do more to prevent workplace injuries. After years of politically motivated work by predecessor, Tom Salmon, isn’t that refreshing?
Homeless advocates — They got their way on new motel rules this week, now that Gov. Peter Shumlin is playing nice with lefty lobbyists. Runner-up losers: Legislators who want to cut the program entirely. Oh, and the state budget, which’ll be footing the bill for more stays at the Ho Hum Motel.
Little Rock — For barely beating out Burlington as America’s best small city in which to live.
Rutland Herald correspondent Eric Francis — For penning the following sentence in a story headlined, “Man Takes Stand in Goat-killing Case“: “Parry said he had nothing personally against Majeski and had no reason to harm the goats beyond the fact that he had consumed more than a dozen beers and nearly as many Percocets that evening, and that Ashline offered to pay him what sounded like a couple of hundred dollars to do it.” ‘Nuff said.
Vermont’s political doppelgangers — Especially Cousin Oliver.
A tie score and losers after the break…
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
