HEARD IT FROM A FRIEND 

No, nobody is messing around. But lots of people were talking about the $8,000 cell phone bill which Auditor of Accounts Elizabeth Ready ran up over the first sixteen months of her first term. Sources close to the Governor’s office implied that their pushing the story was payback time for what was believed to have been cheap shots by Ready, particularly her criticisms of the tax department’s woes when she took not one or two but three good shots at Dean’s management.

Ready disagrees, however, telling DPR that the story is being "shopped by Republicans." Fingerprints fingerprints. The facts came to light according to Ready when Philip Dessureau of Washington, VT petitioned her office with a Freedom of Information request which included "most everything we have which is on paper, including all our expenses, phone bills, cell phones, contracts, budget, etc. And we produced them all."

Ready said, "My problem was that we were on a bad cell phone plan and I did not know it until Mr. Dessureau’s requests. I should have seen the bill but I didn't. Our usage was $8,395, $2,298 of which were personal calls for which I reimbursed the state." 

Probably thanks to Mr. Dessureau’s request if she never had seen a bill as she told us.

"Under the old plan, we had two cell phones in the office averaging over $350 per month. With the new contract we have cut that rate to just of $100 per month. There are over 1,000 cell phones in state government costing us $40,000 a month. Cell phone usage is a valid issue and I have raised that question with other state agencies. My office has learned from this. We are trying to pass on those lessons to the rest of state government. I am sorry about our contract. I did not know. I should have known. The buck stops with me," she concluded.

She asked, "Will you being doing a hatchet job?" What do you think? 

MORE EVOLUTION 

That Douglas Racine, you have got to give him credit; he lives and learns. Previously he made the tie-breaking vote to allow the our government to raid the unemployment compensation fund to pay for family leave. Then was then, now is now. Of course, his vote was just youthful exuberance.

According to an AP story in both the Times Argus, Rutland Herald and the Free Press, "Racine later said he was wrong to support the plan and reiterated that position Wednesday. Still, he said, the state’s policy should be to find a way to pay for leaves."

Was this the whole story? This weekend the New York Times reported about Iraq including some words on its family leave plan. So Racine went on to say "maybe we should take a look at what Iraq is doing... They are way ahead of us."

Not sure which is more galling, his saying this or the reporter omitting that he said it. Maybe the headline should have read: "Racine says, Saddam is my Mentor." 

A LA CARTE POLITICS 

Senator Peter Welch made a strong bid to shake up the Constitution regarding the selection of the governor, lieutenant governor and treasurer by the legislature when none receive over half of the vote.

"Vermont is the only state in the union where the legislature by secret ballot elects the governor or lieutenant governor." Of course Vermont is the only state in the union which has greater than a two-member senate district, and we have three three-member districts and one six-member district. But did you hear Welch complaining about that? 

THE BREAKS OF THE GAME 

DPR devotedly goes weekly to the secretary of state's office of campaigns and elections to look at the campaign finance reports. Most other reporters assemble in the lobby at 500 PM the 25th of the month to be given the filings of the day. The filings are required to be in their office that day, but many are not. Some forget, some say the dog ate the campaign finance reports or their computer crashed, others appear to sign them by the 25th but then choose to mail them instead of delivering or faxing them.

Vermont state law requires: Each candidate for state office, each candidate for the general assembly who has made expenditures or received contributions of $500.00 or more, and each political committee and each political party required to register under section 2831 of this title shall file with the secretary of state campaign finance reports 40 days before the primary election and on the 25th of each month thereafter and continuing to the general election.

There are just too many absent or late filings to report but here, according to the office of campaigns and elections, are senate candidates who filed their campaign finance reports "with the secretary of state" late. Unfortunately there is no penalty for not following the law.

Meg Barnes, Ezekiel Cross, Neal Danaher, Michael Hebert, Art Hogan, Rob Ide, Paul Kane, Randy Kniffin, Hull Maynard, Janet Munt, Judy Murphy, Gary Richardson, Bob Shea, Diane Snelling, and Peter Welch.

There is an advantage to filing late: the media will never go back and see your filing. You are home free. 

VERMONT'S BIPARTISAN EDUCATORS' LABOR UNION 

The VT-NEA has just mailed a list of 45 recommended candidates to their members in Chittenden County. In addition to pushing Racine and Shumlin, the list includes one recommended candidate for each of the six senate slots, and one for each of 37 house slots in the county.

There is not even one Republican on the list. There are four Progressives. 

HOW NOT TO WIN THE MALE VOTE 

Patsy French, a Democrat nominee for the state legislature, shared how her husband sometimes cooked her a nice hot dinner after a day of door-to-door campaigning. She said however, "I have to leave the specifics for my husband on how to boil water though." 

MISSING THE MESSAGE 

Thus was the title of a recent Free Press editorial about the recent acceptance by the Burlington School Board of union demands for more money. That it took four ballots in 2000, two in 2001 and three in 2002 to pass the school budget did not impress the board or the union. The inevitable argument was presented, another town's teachers make more than we, we must have parity. And they got it, some 2-3 times the rate of inflation.

Is this a reward for performance you ask? Here are some second grade Burlington results to consider to see if you are getting your money's worth. In 2000, the CP Smith school reading assessment was 91 and in 2002 it was 71, in Champlain it was 65 and now it is 58. In Flynn last year is was 81, this year 72. Take fourth grade English. In 2000 Edmunds was rated 100 and in 2002 they had slipped to 88, Smith from 88 to 79.

There were some gains as well. But in the real world such a performance would not rate such an increase. The tax base does not rate such an increase. The per capita income does not rate such an increase. The recent polling suggests that the citizens do not want to grant such increase. But with a let them eat cake attitude, the board gave the teachers big bucks. 

ARE CONSERVATIVES DEAD? 

Some said yes after the recent strong showing of Bill Meub when pitted against two more conservative candidates. Many said that the conservatives would never forgive Meub's treatment of Ruth Dwyer in the 2000 primary. Yet at the end of the day there stood Meub with 57.2 percent of the vote.

Second place finisher Greg Parke did not even win his district. In Orleans County where the conservative six-pack ruled the house races, Meub received 54 percent. So are conservatives dead? No, they are smart and forgiving or at least practical. They have learned that it does not do much good to fall on your sword on principle. Perhaps they have learned to support the person with then best chance against Sanders. 

WITHOUT VARNISH 

Con Hogan is using the debates to advantage telling it like it is. Regarding Act 60 he said, "Act 60 has really unleashed unbelievable spending in this state." So was Act 60 about the kids or about the state getting its paws on the last big tax pool in the state?

According to reports at the time, winning Brigham attorney Robert Ginsburg went into the Democrat caucus announcing his victory by reportedly saying, "Now we have control of the property tax." 

A POX ON BOTH THEIR HOUSES 

Pundits are evening including Hogan as the legislature's choice. One told us that the poisoning partisanship and maneuvering will give neither Douglas or Racine a clear majority of the legislative vote, that in frustration and enmity, the legislature will finally vote Hogan governor. 

TIDBITS 

Do you think that you might become roadkill? Hard on the Montpelier beat, your editor was crossing Taylor Street when he was nearly run over by a car rushing off State Street. Not with great agility at his advanced age, but quickly he stepped back, only to recognize the driver of Vermont Legislature # 125 as Representative Ann Siebert, D- Norwich. She did not stop, yield, slow down, honk, or apologize, consistent with her manner in the state house which has never earned her the title of "Miss Congenality." 

TIDBITS OF TIDBITS 

When you depart the elevator to visit Howard Dean's new Burlington office of his presidential campaign, you turn left, of course. If you turn right, you go to Jim Douglas's campaign headquarters. 

GOING, GOING, GONE 

Check out WKDR’s web site: "Big changes are coming soon to WKDR! Watch this space for information!" WKDR is going off the air "mid-October" according to owner Ken Squier. Others sources said that the final broadcast will be October 11th. News, talk, and local sports will be replaced on the same frequency, 1390 AM, with a classic country and western format under new call letters.

Squier told DPR that the market was "saturated with news and talk. There are five stations in the market, two Clear Channel stations, WVMT, Vermont Public Radio and WKDR. It is time to try something different. Research shows that there is a real audience for people wanting the have something which is familiar after September 11th. And our country and western will not just be another satellite feed format. We will do it ourselves."

A few months back Radio Vermont received permission to boost their signal for 96.1 WDEV-FM to 25,000 watts giving them excellent coverage in the Champlain Valley from their tower on top of Sugarbush Mountain. "The Mark Johnson Show and True North with Laurie Morrow will be heard in their usual time slots on WDEV-AM and FM."

Acknowledging that losing Rush Limbaugh about a year ago to a Clear Channel station probably hurt, Squier said that he took pride in the fact that "with WKDR Rush had a 4-5 percent market share and with Clear Channel, Rush has fallen to 1.5 to 1.8."

Asked about layoffs, Squier said, "There will be some changes, some layoffs. We will probably cut 1-2 people. We will have Joel Najman back at WDEV and he knows so much about Vermont politics. We may have to cut back sports somewhat though."

All this in spite of your editor’s efforts to provide interesting programming on WKDR via the James Dwinell Show and our frequent visits on True North with Laurie Morrow. WKDR has been offering news/talk to the Champlain Valley for over ten years, first under the ownership which included Mark Johnson and in the last few years under the ownership of Radio Vermont. 

NOT ONE OF THE THREE HORSEMEN 

»» Dick Drysdale, Editor, The Herald, Randolph: You greatly bend the facts when you include Thomas Friedman as one of three "war-mongers" along with Adelman and Cheney. Friedman could not have been more clear in his address that although he thinks Bin Laden and other leaders of Al Quaida should be 'killed,' he believes the Bush administration is wrong in pursuing a war policy with Iraq. He gave several persuasive reasons why war in Iraq would be a disaster for U.S. policy. In this combination of views, he falls in with the "realist" camp as described in an influential article this month in the New Yorker by their Washington correspondent. These sober-minded people believe that it was a mistake ever to declare war on "terror" because it detracts from the really important war, which should be against Al Quaida. Friedman is surely no war-monger. 

LOOPHOLE? 

»» Alan Parent, St. Albans: Do you really think Flanagan contributed all that money from his personal funds to his campaign? ...do you suppose that he could have funneled some larger donations through his own bank account because those donors had maxed out their campaign contributions? There is absolutely no way the pathetic campaign finance law can stop a candidate from taking a donation, putting that donation in his personal bank account, then writing a check to his campaign bank account from his personal bank account. 

BALANCED IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER 

»» Betty Ferraro, Rutland: You must have hit a nerve with Tim McQuiston of the VT Business Magazine, James. Evidently 'he can't stand the truth' nor does he want to publish facts (even from both sides of the political arena).

Shouldn't there be some kind of honorability, recognizing fair and balanced reporting? Very few newspapers in this area possess this feature --- except the Dwinell Political Report. Don't let anyone change your policy, James - it is fair and balanced....and I thank you for that.

It is next to IMPOSSIBLE to get positive letters concerning Republican candidates published. The 'boat' is really "listing" to the left - but someday it will sink! 

BRICKBATS & BOUQUETS 

»» Robert S. Childs: The bias of the news media in the State of Vermont hit its all time low this Sunday when Channel 3 WCAX TV aired a "Bernie" commercial immediately following their broadcast of 'You can Quote Me' with Bill Meub. This along with Mr. Parsons demeanor while interviewing Meub leaves Vermonters little choice but to turn to the candidates themselves to get the real story or seek out publications such as yours. Keep up the good work. 

GOT MILK? HOW MUCH YA WANT FOR IT...? 

»» Jean A. Rainville: Why are you crying because the farmer lost their NE compact check? The farmers are their own worst enemy letting corporate America set their prices for them. The farmers are losing more with $10.50 milk than they ever lost with a small compact check. We are receiving only 35% parity. No way anyone can make a living on 35 cents on a dollar. Last year we were receiving $17./cwt. Go figure why we now only receive $10.50. GREED. Got to put more milk on the truck.. Got to COMPETE with my neighbor...got to make more money than the next guy...etc.

As long as the farmer lets crap happen to them, they get what they deserve. As long as they let the co-ops handle their affairs (charge purchases to my co-op account please), they get what they deserve. I too am a dairy farmer but I ship to an organization not to a buyer of my product. I will never understand why a farmer sells milk to himself at the lowest price (he supposedly owns his "share" of the co-op),lends his money without interest(dividend checks) and also when he charges to the co-op he is paying 3% to 5% more for his purchases to allow his co-op to pay his bills for him and handle his financial affairs!!! DUH.

So who really is to blame for the farmers woes? Wish they would look in the mirror and see who is to blame!

Oh, I work at the Georgia rest area. This is where I read your report. I just had to reply to your GOT MILK.

"BUYERS OF PRODUCTION WILL ALWAYS REACT TO THE MOVEMENT OF MILK" As long as the farmers are willing to not make waves the price of milk will never go up! 

WHY WE'RE NUMBER ONE 

»» Ian Robertson, Elmore: I'm surprised that you have devoted so little comment to the US census data that places Vermont as number 1 in the nation in state tax burden! This is a hell of a fact, one that should be discussed and played out in full detail. We are #1 in tax burden because our income is low and our taxes our high (duh) all characteristics of a state under long term Democratic control. Democrats have had the too much power in Vermont for far too long, that's why we are #1 in tax burden in spite of our great "fiscally conservative" former governor. What would be our fate under a Racine/Shumlin era, the mind boggles! This data is the strongest possible argument Republicans can make this election. Its the Economy Stupid! Ours sucks here in Vermont! It doesn't have to! 

RED POWERBASE AT RISK 

»» Jim Daley, Colchester: Mr. Guillaume McDowell of the UVM pubbies has an excellent idea about warning out-of-state UVM students about the potential loss of financial aid if they sign up to vote in Vermont. I recall the first time the Burlington Reds invaded the campus and signed up a bunch of out-of-state and local folks who blessed us with the Progressive line-up and after graduation headed for parts unknown.

According to the UVM website, there are 7400 students on campus and SIXTY-TWO PERCENT are out-of-staters. Turning that bunch around could have a serious impact on the liberal agenda. Can we get some more information so that those interested could write letters to the editors and otherwise promote this idea? 

WHAT'S WRONG WITH DEBBIE? 

»» Mike Bertrand, Candidate for Secretary of State, Stowe: I read with great interest the section of your last Report entitled, "What's wrong with Debbie?" You wondered aloud why it is that the Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA) endorsed me, the Republican challenger, for Secretary of State over incumbent Deb Markowitz. The reason they did so is not because of some sort of inappropriate "link" between someone in the SOS office and the VSEA, as you speculated, but because the VSEA believes that (#1) I am the better candidate for the job, and (#2) the performance of the incumbent over the past four years leaves much to be desired.

As was indicated at the VSEA press conference announcing the endorsement, there has been an unusually high number of grievances filed by unionized employees against the incumbent Secretary of State. While Deb Markowitz may be good at getting "out and about," as you put it, her performance as a boss has been less than stellar. In the words of the VSEA president, "Members tell us they simply like to be able to do their jobs without an overbearing management style." The VSEA has faith that I will be able to once again make the SOS office a pleasant place to work for their members.

My campaign to become Vermont's next Secretary of State has been built upon two pillars: the first is that there is so much more that we can be doing in the SOS office - and all across state government - by embracing technology. Vermont was recently ranked 50th out of 50 states in the category of "digital government", despite the fact that we have one of the highest percentages of citizens online in the nation. We need to elect pro-technology candidates at all levels of state government who recognize that we can use digital technology to improve services to our citizens and our businesses. In the SOS office, that would include the ability for corporations and non-profits to file annual reports online, as well as trade name and trademark registrations. Professionals should be able to register online. Citizens should be able to file unprofessional conduct claims online. Some people may call that "customer service", I call it "good government."

The second pillar of my campaign is based upon the belief that it is time to take the politics out of the Secretary of State's office. Many Vermonters - be they Republican, Democratic, Progressive or Independent - believe that Deb Markowitz has been perhaps the most blatantly political Secretary of State we have ever had. More so than any other statewide elected official, the expectation is that the Secretary of State should be "above politics." After all, this is the office that oversees the state's elections and administers and interprets the state's campaign finance laws (including Act 64, should it ever go into effect). If evidence is needed of how political the incumbent is, look no further than the recent Democratic primary for Treasurer, in which Markowitz endorsed Spaulding and completely trashed Flanagan . . . four days before what was believed to be a very tight race. That was too much for even some Democrats, such as former House Speaker Michael Obuchowski, who was quoted as saying "I think it would be a lot cleaner for the chief elections officer in the state not to be taking sides."

There's only a few weeks left in campaign season 2002, and during that time I will continue to meet and talk with as many Vermonters as possible to let them know who I am and where I'm coming from. I am hopeful that they will respond positively to my message. 

WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE... 

»» Thom Serrani, Montpelier: This is the text of a letter Phil Scott sent out to all candidates for the legislature in 2000. He got roughly 10 responses. Democratic response was "We can't do this. The constitution doesn't allow it."

October 3, 2000

Dear Fellow Legislative Candidates:

It is becoming increasingly clear that the race for Governor will most likely be decided by the legislature due to no one candidate receiving 50% of the vote as required by law.

As a candidate for one of the State Senate seats in Washington County I am deeply disturbed by the fact that any such decision by the legislature will be by secret vote.

My decision to run for office is based on the premise that governing should be an open process and accountable to the people who elect their public officials. Decision-making should be open for all to see and judge. The election of a Chief Executive Office who will run the daily affairs of our state is too important to our citizens to be decided by secret ballot.

No elected official should carry on the states business behind closed doors or by secret ballots. Therefore I am asking each and everyone of you who seeks to serve in the Vermont General Assembly to join me in committing to an open ballot if indeed the election of our next Governor is thrown into the legislature for a decision. We cannot afford to be secret about the important business of the state. Join me in making government more accountable to the people. Let the people of your district and the state know that if called upon to make the decision on who will be their next governor that you will do it in open and you will be accountable for this and other decisions made in your entire term of office.

Thanks you and good luck in your efforts to serve Vermont in the General Assembly.

Sincerely,
Phil Scott, Washington County 

THEY LIKE US 

»» Matthew T. Daly, Burlington: Thanks for putting me on the mailing list. I look forward to future editions.

»» Stephan Morse: Not sure how I have missed this great service! Can I subscribe on-line or only by mail?

Editors Note: You're subscribed!

DON'T HOLD BACK 

"Gore's speech was one no decent politician could have delivered. It was dishonest, cheap, low. It was hollow. It was bereft of policy, of solutions, of constructive ideas, very nearly of facts - bereft of anything other than taunts and jibes and embarrassingly obvious lies. It was breathtakingly hypocritical, a naked political assault delivered in tones of moral condescension from a man pretending to be superior to mere politics. It was wretched. It was vile. It was contemptible. But I understate." - Washington Post columnist Michael Kelly 

A WASTE OF TIME 

"You know, it's hard to pay attention to what Al Gore says because it's so hard to know what Al Gore really believes, given how many times he's changed his position on Iraq. . . . My point is that Al Gore changes his story and his tune so often, on so many different issues, that it's not an effective use of time to pay much attention to what he says." --White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer 

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