Past Policy Updates

Hello, My name is Will Patten.  I am Executive Director of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility, a non-partisan business association.  I am joined here today by the CEO’s and representatives of some of Vermont’s most dynamic and innovative companies; companies that are creating thousands of high quality, good paying jobs for Vermonters.

We’re here today because we thinkVB it’s time we all get real about the energy crisis that faces Vermont and the money it’s going to take to do something about it.

The era of cheap oil is over.  Vermonters are now paying more for gasoline than at any time in our history…after adjustment for inflation.
The heating bill of the average Vermont homer has doubled over the past four years, increasing $260 dollars every year.
The reason is well established:  worldwide demand for fossil fuel is far out-pacing a finite supply.  It’s going to get worse.

Ok, that’s not news.  Even George Bush understands that we have to do something about our addition to fossil fuel.

Well, H520, called the Energy Bill, does something about it.  It helps Vermonters reduce that annual increase in their heating bills and it encourages the creation of renewable energy sources.

The Energy Bill is headed to the Governor’s desk this week.  He says he’s going to veto it to protect the interests of Vermont businesses.

We’ve asked for a meeting with the Governor.  We are Vermont businesses and we support the Energy Bill.  The Governor is not speaking for us!

Let’s get real.  We can spend the next year blaming oil companies of price gouging…everyone knows that’s not the problem…or we can make sensible investments today that will provide for a more stable tomorrow.  We can make small investments today to prevent huge cost increases tomorrow.

And let’s get real about funding the Energy Bill.  We can put it off until next year…everyone knows that’s an election year…or we can demonstrate political courage today and invest in a brighter tomorrow.

A robust business climate in Vermont will not be built by cutting taxes and gutting regulations.  It will be built by confronting the real issues that face our businesses and our state:  health care, workforce development and energy costs.

It will be build with strong leadership and cooperation from the business community and the government.

The Governor spends too much time complaining about the business climate in Vermont.
We think this is a great state for business because Vermonters have a great tradition of protecting the important things in life, of confronting issues and pioneering solutions.  That is what the Energy Bill is all about.

We think governor Douglas is selling Vermonters short on energy.  We call on him to sign the Energy Bill and sign it now.

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