HALIFAX — I hope my fellow citizens are taking close note of how the actions of the state Legislature and Gov. Peter Shumlin regarding Vermont's energy policy are harming the state's economic future.
Shumlin openly opposes nuclear power, Entergy Corp., and other out-of-state corporations who operate in the state. Yet, in the past several weeks, he has endorsed the intention of Green Mountain Power (GMP) to buy nuclear-generated electricity from New Hampshire, along with the acquisition of Central Vermont Public Service by GMP, which is owned by Montreal-based Gaz Metro.
It makes no sense that GMP would buy electricity from an out-of-state generator when the company can obtain it at similar cost from Vermont Yankee, a proven reliable source of electricity.
For a governor who is so opposed to nuclear power, this move is in total contradiction to his previous statements that encourage the removal of nuclear energy from Vermont's energy mix.
How is Vermont going to achieve energy independence when 70 percent of the state's electric customers are now going to be served by a corporation outside the country? The road that Shumin is taking is totally contradictory to a sound energy policy.
It appears that he would rather satisfy his Progressive Party friends, even if it means closing Vermont Yankee and putting more than 600 people out of work in Windham County.
And then there is the Legislature. Just recently, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Vermont law regulating pharmaceutical companies is unconstitutional. A similar Vermont law regarding campaign finance was struck down last year.
This is the second time in two years that the Supreme Court has invalidated laws passed by the Legislature. With the Legislature's track record of passing laws against anyone they don't like, I do not want my tax money going down the drain of legislative ineptitude.
The actions of Shumlin and the Legislature do nothing either to encourage business growth in the state, or to stop the tide of our young leaving the state. There are really no good reasons for one to retire here either. Kiplinger recently ranked Vermont's tax structure as being the most unfriendly of all the states to retirees.
The Legislature and Shumlin need to reassess their anti-economic growth stance and focus on developing innovative programs to make Vermont the “in place” to live and work in the country.
If they don't, who will want to live here? Cows?
No, wait - we've already sold off our dairy farms.