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"The Vermont I love is a strong, healthy, caring place, where we proclaim our freedom and our unity in a single breath...and where we greet both our challenges and our opportunities with a positive, can-do spirit. As your lieutenant governor, I believe that a good paycheck, a world-class education, safe streets and neighborhoods, and a clean environment should be within reach for every Vermonter. I pledge my service to help make it so.” |
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(Burlington, VT, February 4, 2010) – Lt. Governor Brian Dubie issued a statement today, urging legislative leaders to push ahead on a bill intended to deliver roughly $8.6 million in federal State Fiscal Stabilization Fund (SFSF) to help Vermont’s economy and sorely-needed create jobs.
Dubie spoke in Burlington, from a “Jobs Tour” in Chittenden County. The day is part of a state-wide, ongoing effort he launched in mid-January to hear from employers about ways the state can help them retain existing jobs and grow new jobs.
In early January, Dubie joined Governor Douglas and legislative leaders to announce the $8.6 million jobs bill, which proposed appropriations for low-interest loans for small businesses, for the Vermont Training Program, for farmers to purchase seeds for spring planting, for help promoting winter tourism, and for extending internet broadband access to underserved areas.
“This funding has been available for months -- since the federal stimulus act was passed last year,” Dubie said, “yet not a dime of it has reached Vermonters. It’s time for the House and the Senate to pass the bill, and get it to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law now, before the town meeting week break. The legislature promised swift action on this bill in January. Now is the time to act.”
Dubie said, “I have been out listening to small business people all over our state, and they are worried. Out-of-work Vermonters, farmers, and employers need those dollars now. Not next summer, next year, but now. I call upon leaders in the House and the Senate to make passage of this bill their first priority.”
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(MONTPELIER, VT, February 3, 2010) – Lt. Governor Brian Dubie will focus on employers in Chittenden County Thursday, listening to what they say will help them retain existing jobs and grow new jobs.
Dubie launched the state-wide Jobs Tour on January 13. So far, he has visited with employers in Rutland, Brattleboro, Waterbury, Randolph and Bennington. He plans to continue the tour through the coming weeks.
So far, Dubie reports, the feedback from businesses large and small is centered on taxes, and the state's regulatory environment.
Forbes Magazine recently ranked Vermont as the 47th best state in the nation to do business. The ranking is down eleven spots from the previous year.
Dubie attributes the drop in part to the Vermont legislature’s failure to reduce state spending and “right-size” state government in 2009. “Actions have consequences,” he said, “and raising taxes in a recession, as the legislature did last year, is not leadership. It sends the message that Vermont is closed for business. When our small businesses grow, we create the revenue that funds all the great things that we value in our state.”
Still, Dubie says he is bullish on Vermont. “There is no bigger cheerleader for Vermont than me,” he said. “But we simply must do better than 47th. Making Vermont the best state in New England to do business and earn a living must be priority one,” he stated.
“We need to send a message to our employers and employees that Vermont values them, and we need to send a message to the world that Vermont is open for business.” Dubie is encouraging state legislators to go to businesses in their own districts during the next few weeks, and meet with employers and ask the same question, “How can Vermont make it easier for your business to hire and prosper?”
The itinerary for Thursday is as follows:
Chittenden County Jobs Tour
Thursday, February 4, 20107:00 am to 7:45 am The Charlie + Ernie + Lisa Show
WVMT AM 620 Burlington - Plattsburgh
Listen Live at http://www.barnabasroad.com/wvmt_launch.htm8:00 am to 9:30 am Breakfast Round Table
The Doubletree Hotel South Burlington
with GBIC, Cynosure and Lake Champlain Regional Chamber Boards of Directors
10:00 am to 11:30 am Tour Rhino Foods
Burlington12:00 pm to 1:45 pm Employer Roundtable lunch
The Doubletree Hotel, South Burlington1:30 pm Media Availability
The Doubletree Hotel, South Burlington2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Tour Dealer.com
Burlington
(Montpelier, VT, January 27, 2010) – In response to Gov. James Douglas’ call today for a moratorium and change in management at Vermont Yankee, Lt. Governor Brian Dubie released the following statement:
“Our first concern today about Vermont Yankee should be for safety – the safety of Vermont Yankee’s employees and area residents.
Statewide Tour Extended Due to Positive Response
(MONTPELIER) – Lt. Governor Brian Dubie travels to Bennington tomorrow to hear what area employers say will help them retain existing jobs and grow new jobs in Southwestern Vermont. Dubie launched the Jobs Tour on January 13 and has so far taken it to Rutland, Brattleboro, Waterbury and Randolph.
Positive response from around the state has persuaded him to extend the tour – originally slated for three weeks -- indefinitely into the future.
(MONTPELIER, January 19, 2010) – Following up on last week’s launch of his “Jobs Tour” in Rutland and Waterbury, Lt. Governor Brian Dubie travels to Brattleboro tomorrow (Wednesday, January 20) to hear what area employers say will help them retain existing jobs and grow new jobs.
The feedback from last week’s tour came from Rutland and Waterbury area businesses large and small, and centered on taxes, the state's regulatory environment and its energy supply.
