![]() The speaker-to-be said she had hoped that committee designees would outline broad problems their panels planned to tackle, not champion a specific solution this early in the process. ![]() She was one of Johnson's earliest, strongest supporters for the speaker's job and is considered a potential chair of the Natural Resources and Energy Committee.Īsked afterward whether Democrats would really seek a carbon tax this year, Johnson said the proposal was "on the radar," but she also indicated that Sullivan hadn't quite followed the caucus' agenda. The intraparty disagreement suggests that soon-to-be House speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero), whom Democrats elected Saturday as their nominee to run the chamber, will have her hands full playing referee. In her rural district, she says, the prospect of a carbon tax raises "very real concerns about higher costs of living and greater commuting costs." Whether she ends up in or out of the legislature, the three-term lawmaker says she hopes legislators find other ways to reduce the output of carbon in Vermont. She attributes her electoral tight spot in part to Republicans' barrage of ads focused on the carbon tax.īuxton says her position was mischaracterized: She opposes the tax, but Republicans disregarded that fact. Buxton's reelection bid is in the hands of a judge after she and Republican challenger David Ainsworth found themselves in a tie. Sarah Buxton (D-Tunbridge) stood across the room, cringing. ![]() ![]() It would also pit Democratic lawmakers against one another.Īs Sullivan spoke, Rep. But by electing Republican Phil Scott governor, didn't voters send Montpelier the message that they're uninterested in new taxes and spending? Are Sullivan and her carbon-taxing compadres politically tone-deaf - or is their reading of the election results a reasonable one?Įither way, advancing such a proposal would immediately pick a fight with the governor-elect, who has said repeatedly that he would veto such a bill. Those ads, she argues, failed to mention that 90 percent of the money raised by the levy could go back to Vermonters in the form of direct rebates to consumers, a sales tax cut and credits for home-weatherization projects. Sullivan craves a debate over a proposal that Republicans spent boatloads of money criticizing in radio, television and print advertisements. "I don't want to let them get away with misrepresenting the tax." Rep. "They never talk about what an economic development tool it is." "I don't want to let them get away with misrepresenting the tax," Sullivan said afterward, referring to Republicans. In the Statehouse meeting room, none of the 40-some Democrats in attendance said a word, but one could almost hear what some were thinking: Did she say carbon tax? You mean the very same issue that Republicans successfully used in recent months to hound some Democrats and Progressives out of office? She called the measure, intended to reduce fossil fuel consumption, one of the "most maligned" of the fall campaign. Mary Sullivan (D-Burlington), speaking for the House Natural Resources and Energy Committee, made her pitch for a carbon tax. They were on just the third of 13 committee reports when Rep. In their first Statehouse meeting since last month's elections, House Democrats spent Saturday hearing from committee leaders about the issues they expect to arise when the legislature convenes in January. Democratic speaker nominee Mitzi Johnson addresses House Democrats on Saturday.
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