Legislative Report Card

[Henry]

The 2007-2008 Legislative Report Card has been released and I did a quick check to see just how Business Friendly our local Senators & Reps were.  Below is how I read it, although I may be wrong.  This is based on how they voted on all the different bills:

Representative Carolyn Branagan - 86%

Senator Don Collins - 67%

Senator Sara Kittell - 54%

Representative Gary Gilbert - 36%

If you wish to check out how they voted on the different bills or how the other Senators and Representatives in other districts fared in this report card, you may click on the following link:

http://www.vtchamber.com/pdf/VT_Chamber_2008_Report_Card.pdf

[Chris Santee]

You're reading it correctly, Henry.
As Vermont Chamber of Commerce President Duane Marsh states in his opening letter:

"An informed public is necessary if we, as voters, are to make educated decisions on who we choose to
represent us at the State House. At the end of every legislative biennium, the Vermont Chamber of
Commerce reviews and records a series of roll call votes that impact the business and job environment
in our state.
The information contained in this report provides a snapshot of how each representative supports the
business community. By reviewing the legislative agenda and voting records, along with our member
survey, our Government Affairs Committee and Board of Directors develop the legislative principles
and policies for the upcoming biennium. In 2007-2008, the principles established that:
• The growth of overall government spending needs to be reduced.
• Taxes on all Vermont constituencies are too high.
• No Vermont child or adult should lack the necessary skills and competencies that lead to self
sufficient and productive lives.
• Excessive business costs deter job creation and need to be reduced.
• Environmental stewardship and economic vitality need to be viewed as compatible ideals.
• Burdensome government regulation leads to cost escalation and market destablization.
We trust that the information contained on these pages will give voters a better insight into the
positions and legislative philosophies of incumbents seeking re-election. This report will also provide
non-incumbent challengers with an overview of the business-based issues they will face if elected."


Congratulations on your grade of 86 Carolyn !

[7F24]

• Burdensome government regulation leads to cost escalation and market destablization.

Lack of regulation can lead to market destablization too.........

[DrewCrash]

Representative Gary Gilbert - 36%

A whopping 36% favorable rating for business friendly legislation? I am sure Gary Gilbert would like to blame the Governor for the state's economy, like his fearless leader Gaye Symington is preaching in her run for Governor. Like Rep. Gilbert's in action over the last two years to provide effective leadership and support to bring effective legislation to the state in the spirit of Jessica's Law, he is also a major part of the problem why businesses in Vermont chose to relocate and why the state struggles with attracting new businesses to the state.

Once again, I am glad we have alternative options in November.

[Gary Gilbert]

Care should be taken when a lobbying group attempts to influence the election process. This would be true of reports issued by any lobbying group whose primary focus is for the benefit of their members- whether it be a Union, an Industry, School, Bank, or Investment company.
Lobby group report cards select bills and floor amendments. Bills are the result of considerable work in committees where testimony is taken and offer opportunities for different points of view to be expressed, checked for accuracy, and reflected upon. The bills that reach the floor for second or third reading represent the recommendation of the committee where the bill was assigned and where it was studied in detail. Floor amendments are different. They appear as stand alone ideas to alter a bill.  They may be an improvement, they may be designed by a lobby to meet their own needs, or they may be introduced by a legislator to cater to a particular group and produce campaign donations. Most amendments will be referred to the committee where it was studied, where they will discuss it and take a formal position to treat it as favorable or unfavorable. Favorable amendments improve a bill and generally pass as part of the bill. Unfavorable amendments generally do not.
The Chamber of Commerce’s lobbyists chose to select only 11 of 127 roll call votes over the last two years as the basis of their report card.  The amendments selected by the Chamber for this report were all ones that were regarded as unfavorable by the committee and injurious to the intent of the bill in some manner. They would have made things worse instead of better.  In addition, the items selected were not the same for the House and Senate making comparison difficult. This report, as that of other lobby groups, is both limited and selective and their conclusions predetermined by issues chosen or not chosen. A high ranking using selected votes may be more of an indication of who is in that lobby’s pocket, while a lower ranking may show who votes in the interest of all taxpayers. For 126 roll call votes, I voted for the position that I felt was in the public interest, and voted against that which created benefits for some, burdens for others, or simply sounded good but did little. I ask only that the voter compare the actual wording of a bill with what a lobby group presents about the bill or speak with their legislator before they reach a conclusion.
During the last two years I have found that all lobbyists are not equal. Some are quite self-serving while others try to be helpful in researching and presenting options to help legislators solve problems. Two that I have found to be helpful, and not political because of their very broad membership interests, are the Vermont Business Round Table and the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. They do not endorse candidates nor do they make contributions to candidates or parties.