Email Blast Sent to Supporters on June 25, 2017. Subscribe!

Friends,

Campaign for Vermont has been fighting for YOU in Montpelier; fighting for an accountable and transparent government, a sustainable state budget, and an affordable quality of life. While the legislature has finally listened to warnings about the growth in state spending, property taxes are still out of control.

GUEST:  Matt Cota, Vermont Fuel Dealers Association
TOPIC:  Carbon Tax

Pat McDonald and Ben Kinsley are co-hosts of the show “Vote for Vermont.” On a recent show  Ben and Pat interviewed Matt Cota, the Executive Director of the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association.  The topic for the show was carbon tax.

Email Blast Sent to Supporters on June 21, 2017. Subscribe!

Friends, 

Today the Legislature returns to Montpelier for a two-day budget veto session. Lawmakers have just nine days to pass a budget or state government shuts down. Unlike many states, Vermont does not have a system that continues operating on the previous budget. In Vermont it is a constitutional requirement that no money can be spent without the Legislature’s approval. This puts pressure on budget negotiations over Governor Scott’s $26 million teacher health care savings plan.

Email Blast Sent to Supporters on May 30, 2017. Subscribe!

Friends,

Because the Legislature failed to take action on a plan to save Vermont property taxpayers up to $350 million, we have extended our fundraising campaign to engage lawmakers over the summer and start a pilot project to begin reinvesting in our education system NOW.

Email Blast Sent to Supporters on May 23, 2017. Subscribe!

Friends,

Governor Scott has one day left to decide what do with S.22, the Marijuana legalization bill. The Senate sent the bill to Scott last Thursday starting a countdown that ends at close of business tomorrow.

Press release sent @ 10am on May 16, 2017.

CONTACT
BENJAMIN KINSLEY
[email protected]
(802) 448-2380

Burlington, VT – Campaign for Vermont Prosperity (CFV) concluded a four year legislative campaign last week when the House and Senate approved the final version of S.8, a bill creating a state ethics commission and standards of conduct for public officials. “This is a significant step forward,” said CFV Executive Director Ben Kinsley, “we have been fighting for this for years and the Legislature has been slow to act,” referring to a 2013 report the organization issued calling for the creation of ethics laws for public officials.

When the Vermont House took a final vote on S.8, the bill making Vermont the 48th state in the country to pass ethics laws, there were 24 lawmakers who voted against it. While we don't make any assumptions about the reasons these lawmakers chose to vote against government ethics, we do believe it raises questions about their commitment to a transparent and accountable government. We encourage voters to contact the Legislators below for an explanation. 

Friends,

Several weeks ago we launched a campaign to support our report on Re-Energizing Vermont's Public Education System with a goal to raise $10,000 before the end of the legislative session. I am happy to say that we broke that threshold this week, with just a few days left in the session. However, the Legislature has been reluctant to move forward with this plan.

In order to realize meaningful savings for Vermont property taxpayers we must extend our legislative campaign through the summer and set a new fundraising target of $18,000. We need your help to make this happen, extending our advocacy for an innovative plan that could save taxpayers $350 million. 

Here is why you should support the initiative...

TO:                      REPRESENTATIVE TOWNSHEND
CC:                      HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
FROM:                BENJAMIN KINSLEY, PAUL BURNS, BILL SCHUBART
SUBJECT:           CHANGES TO GOVERNMENT ETHICS BILL S.8

Dear Representative Townshend:

First, we would like to thank you and your committee for the considerable amount of time you have put into S.8. As you are well aware, ethics legislation can become complicated as you get into the nuts and bolts of it.

Email Blast Sent to Supporters on April 24, 2017. Subscribe!

Friends,

The House Government Operations Committee has stripped the last remaining piece of oversight authority from the state ethics commission created by S.8. Research shows that strong ethics enforcement is critically important; any conflict of interest, revolving door, or nepotism regulations will not be effective. The piece removed by the House committee gave the commission authority to enforce oversight of egregious violations such as bribery.

Perhaps Representative Brumsted said it best; “[the commission] seems really fake to me, almost.” Yes, yes it does.