Wake-Up Call: Monday, June 23, 2008

With the PolitickerVT.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Vermont's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerVT.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Vermont's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Douglas says he is ‘the voice of change, and the voice of reason’

Gov. Jim Douglas (R-Middlebury) rounded out his "Every County Counts" campaign kick-off tour yesterday with an official announcement of his re-election bid at a barbecue get-together in Saint Albans. (PolitickerVT.com, Megan Stewart)

Link: http://www.politickervt.com/meganstewart/1207/douglas-says-he-voice-chan...

Burlington schools predict deficit

Burlington school officials say the district will end the fiscal year June 30 with an estimated deficit of $800,000 to $900,000.

They attribute most of the deficit to a $650,000 budget overrun in special education services for students with disabilities. Other factors include spiking energy costs and unexpected repairs, including a $100,000 tab to replace an elevator that broke down at Burlington High School. (Burlington Free Press, Molly Walsh)

Link: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080623/N...

Attorney general resolves dispute, rules hemp bill is legal

MONTPELIER — A constitutional dispute surrounding the so-called hemp bill has finally been resolved, paving the way for Vermont to become only the second state in the country to allow its farmers to grow the crop.

Gov. James Douglas, a critic of the hemp bill, had said the measure flies in the face of federal statutes and could ultimately complicate marijuana eradication efforts in the state. (Rutland Herald, Peter Hirschfeld)

Link: http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080623/NEWS04/...

Benson embraces renewable energy

Residents in Benson are doing all they can to keep the environment "green" and their taxes low.

Last month, with the approval from the Select Board, residents organized an energy committee to assess the energy needs of the town and its citizens and to plan for the conservation and generation of renewable energy there. (Rutland Herald, Dawson Raspuzzi)

Link: http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080623/NEWS01/...

Pollina Wraps Up Statewide Tour

On the heels of Governor Douglas' statewide campaign kickoff tour, Progressive gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina wrapped up a tour of his own. (WCAX)

Link: http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=8537775

Pollina gleans priorities from public

MONTPELIER—Andrea Stander told Progressive gubernatorial candidate Anthony Pollina on Saturday that she moved to Vermont because of how forward thinking it was. But in the last decade the state has fallen behind on environmental policy and missed opportunities in environmental technology, she said. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link:  http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2008/06/22/pollina_gle...

Unemployment rate is highest since 1994

MONTPELIER — The state Department of Labor says the unemployment rate for May was 4.9 percent, the highest it's been in 14 years.

State Labor Commissioner Patricia Moulton Powden says Vermont's job growth isn't enough to hold down the rate, which is to be expected in tough economic times like these. (Times Argus, AP)

Link: http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080622/NEWS02/806...

City taxes back to regular schedule

MONTPELIER – By filing the 2008 grand list nearly a week ahead of its due date, Montpelier's tax schedule looks to be back on track.

The grand list was filed on June 16 and notices of change in appraisal were sent out at that time. According to City Assessor Steve Twombly, approximately125 property owners will be receiving change of appraisal notices. (Times Argus, Staff)

Link: http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080621/NEWS02/806...

With the PolitickerVT.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Vermont's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.