2010 Gubernatorial Endorsement
On June 28, the Vermont League of Conservation Voters (VT LCV) announced the endorsement of Doug Racine for Governor. The announcement was made in Burlington in the afternoon with a crowd of supporters in attendence.
Please take a moment to read the press release from the announcement.
You may also watch the entire event on the Vote Green Gov site or on our YouTube channel, Vote Green VT, where you can view other videos released by the VT LCV.
VT LCV Board of Director Dan Smith's Remarks during the Doug Racine Endorsement Announcement.
Vote Green
On November 19th 2009, VLCV began the process of determining which candidate to become Vermont's next governor VLCV will endorse and support. While our "Evening With The Candidates" turned out to be a fantastic event that was very well attended, it is still only the first step in a lengthy endorsement process.
Below you can watch and hear what each of the candidates had to say about Vermont's environment. And although Lt. Governor Brian Dubie was not in attendance on the 19th he did provide written responses to VLCV's questions, which you can also find here.
Watch An Evening With the Candidates
If you missed the Vermont League of Conservation Voters' "An Evening With The Candidates" you can watch the full evening by simply clicking on the video below. You can view every candidate's answers to the questions this past Thursday in their entirety.
Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie's Repsonse
Below are the written responses to the same questions that were asked of the five Democratic Candidates last Thursday at the Vermont League of Conservation Voters "Evening With The Candidates"
Courtesy of the Burlington Free Press
Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie wrote:
“When I travel the state and listen to Vermonters, I hear an overwhelming sense of anxiety and concern for the economy and for job security in our state. We must focus our attention on jobs, the economy, and the sustainability of government. That does not mean we should turn our backs on the environment, but we do need to make sure that our approach to environmental protection is consistent with our economy and supports the needs of our economy. We can grow our economy — and protect our environment at the same time —- if we take a smart, balanced and sustainable approach to both.
• On permit reform : Vermont is competing with other states for jobs. The State of Virginia, for one, guarantees a 48-hour-turnaround permitting. The time and cost of permitting, the uncertainty, and frequently, the court costs associated with Act 250 are driving jobs to other states. We can’t to lose them, or the young Vermonters who will go where the jobs are. We must protect Vermont’s water, air and soil. We must protect what makes Vermont special. And we must do it better, quicker, and at a lower cost. I favor reforming Act 250.
• On water quality : We should continue to make cleaning up Lake Champlain a top priority, and continue to work with our congressional delegation to secure any federal funding that might be available. Lake Champlain and our other lakes and waterways attract millions of dollars to our state every year from tourists, sport fishermen, boaters and others. Along with our neighbors in Quebec and New York, we must continue to work on cleaning them up.
• On housing and conservation : In a year of tough choices, state funding for affordable housing and land conservation will have to be on the table, along with every other appropriation that the state has made in the past. Land conservation has been of great value to Vermont farmers, and has preserved a landscape that brings tourists to our state and makes our quality of life second to none. But with the drastic reduction in revenue we have experienced, it’s imperative that as a state, we first take care of those who need it most: our children, our neighbors and co-workers who live with disabilities, our elders, those who have lost jobs or are living on reduced incomes. It’s imperative that we maintain a safe transportation system. It’s imperative that we keep Vermonters safe from crime. It’s imperative that we are able to respond in times of disaster. For the foreseeable future, we’ll need to keep our priorities clear.
• On Vermont Yankee and wind : As long as Vermont Yankee is operating safely, consistent with Nuclear Regulatory Commission standards, and as long as it continues to yield low-cost, low-carbon power that keeps the lights on in the homes, schools, hospitals, milking parlors and workplaces of Vermont, it is reasonable to relicense the facility to run for another 20 years. I strongly support investing in the development and deployment of in-state renewable energy production. I also have a vision for expanding our clean electricity options by means of strategic transmission. Whether it’s in 2012 or in 2032, Vermont Yankee will close. We should be building our replacement energy capacity today.
An Evening With The Candidates ~ VLCV's 1st Annual Event
The next Governor of Vermont is likely to hold the highest office in our state until 2020. With major decisions to be made in that time we can not afford to make the wrong choice. He or she will likely make decisions that will impact:
- Vermont's clean energy future
- Water quality in Lake Champlain and through out Vermont
- The vitality of our Downtowns and Village Centers
- our working landscapes
and much much more.
Vermont's environment has always been a concern for voters and will be again in 2010. Knowing this, we hope you will join us on November 19th for an Evening With The Candidates!.
This event is being hosted by The Main Street Landing, 60 Lake Street in Burlington Vermont. The evening will begin at 5:30 PM and conclude at 8:30 PM. The Skinny Pancake will be serving delicious food and there will be a cash bar available.
This will be your first opportunity to hear directly from the candidates for Governor of Vermont and to know whether they have the vision and leadership skills to ensure that our state is prepared to deal with our short-term struggles and is well positioned to prosper for years to come.
If you would like to attend this event, simply enter the number of tickets you would like to purchase below and click on the "continue" button. This will automatically connect with our secure credit card processing to finalize your transaction.
Thank you and we hope to see you on the 19th
VLCV has a limited number of tickets to offer.
Update X 3: November 12, 2009. One week from today, VLCV will be hosting it's 1st Annual Event, "An Evening With The Candidates". We have 60 tickets remaining for the event. Get yours today!
Update X 2: October 22, 2009. The response to the "Evening with the Candidates" has been tremendous. VLCV only has 95 Tickets left for this event. Please buy your tickets soon or you may miss out. Be one of the first to hear from all five Democratic candidates for governor.
UPDATE: We announced this event on October 8th and 80 tickets have already been purchased!!!