Dialogues with Meg Hansen: Bankrupting Vermont through unfunded public pension debt (Part 3)

In the final part of our interview with David Coates (retired managing partner at KPMG and a member of the Vermont Business Roundtable), we look at why the state faces a declining workforce and ranks at the bottom for wages and benefits, and consider solutions to revive Vermont’s economy.

Meg Hansen is the creator and host of “Dialogues with Meg Hansen” on the YCN network. This episode originally appeared August 2019.

5 thoughts on “Dialogues with Meg Hansen: Bankrupting Vermont through unfunded public pension debt (Part 3)

  1. Dave Coates has had it right on the State’s pension mess for years…….The Montpelier politicians have proven themselves incapable of responsibly dealing with the growing pension problem…….Today, House Speaker Jill Krowinski join the politically paralyzed, kicked the pension problem down the road and proved that she is way over her head as Speaker.

  2. One of the many problems with the Dem/Lib/Prog block in Montpelier is it is comprised of dreamers, incompetents, well meaning fools. As long as this persists nothing will change. For example, keep an eye on how they use this year’s tax wind fall. As far as listening to Mr. Coates’ sound council, it gets ignored because he refuses to tell these clowns what they want to hear.

  3. “It’s better to have more tax filers than more taxes.”

    Will someone please explain this to State Auditor, Doug Hoffer.

    Another way of putting it is: 10% of something is more than 50% of nothing.

    Again, the problem not discussed in this interview is that 39% of the Vermont Workforce is employeed in the Government, Health and Education sectors, representing an unbeatable voting block.

    Furthermore, Vermont’s State Senate construct, with representation based on population – contrary to the governmental precepts of most Republics, strengthens Vermont’s tyranny of the majority. Cittenden County, for example, is the only district with 6 Senators out of 30 total. Windham County has only 2 Senators. Meanwhile while Lamoille, Orange and Colchester-Grand Isle have 1 each. It should be no surprise that Chittenden County rules the roost.

  4. Coates is a genius. And genuinely nice guy. He knows A LOT and time after time has given valuable input. It’s simply not convenient for the state to say NO to the unions, etc

  5. Is there anyone in ” Montpelier ” that has listened to David Coates, just listening to him
    in these few clips, he nails it, but apparently, our ” State Leaders ” have another way to
    run the state and their way is to run it ” Into The Ground”, .and they’re doing a great job at
    that !!

    Wake up people if not for yourself, think of the future ………It’s pretty sad with the gaggle of
    fools we have in charge.

Comments are closed.