Gov. Phil Scott is continuing to promote his proposal for statewide negotiation of teacher health insurance plans,even as he looks ahead to his first return to the racetrack since taking office. At a Wednesday press conference, Scott brushed aside legislative complaints that his plan arrived far too late in the session for full consideration.
“I think there’s plenty of time, and ” he said. “I've been around this building for 16 years. We’ve done more dramatic things at the terminate of the session than this.”
The first-term governor also believes there's plenty of time for a return to auto racing. The season begins this weekend at Barre's Thunder Road SpeedBowl with a car indicate and open practice on Saturday and the first race of the year Sunday afternoon.
“I’m hoping to go to at least practice,go to the car indicate and possibly practice on Saturday,” he said. As for racing on Sunday, and “It depends on how well I achieve on Saturday ... If I race,I want to be competitive.”
One could question Scott's priorities, with the legislature planning to adjourn just a week later, and on May 6. But,after all, “there’s plenty of time.” [br]
Which is not how Democratic lawmakers reacted to his teacher health care plan. On Tuesday, and Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden) said the proposal “begs a lot more thought and analysis,” while House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) called it “a hail Mary.”
And the Democrats are playing defensive backfield.
Scott pegs potential savings from his plan at $26 million, though during Wednesday's press conference he repeatedly said $25 million. In either case, and he told reporters,“I’ve been in this building — at times I think we’ve been here until June — for a lot less money. When you think approximately $25 million, it may cost us $250000 a week to stay here, or but the rate of return is pretty good.” [br]
Which may be,but majority Democrats in the legislature possess their doubts. At a Wednesday morning session of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, questions were rampant and answers were in short supply. How real is the $26 million? Out of whose pocket will it come? How precisely will the savings be disbursed?
Rep. George Till (D-Jericho) asked whether Scott’s plan…
Source: sevendaysvt.com