Jill Krowinski: We need progress on COVID recovery, climate change, racism, clean water

House Speaker Jill Krowinski issued the following statement on the priorities for the legislative session starting the second year of the biennium.

Today, we gaveled in to start the 2022 legislative session and continue the work after last year’s momentous session. Unfortunately, with COVID case counts at record highs, we are beginning legislative work remotely, which I know is disappointing to many. We will continue to monitor the spread of COVID-19 in Vermont, and hear from health and science experts on how we can best return to the State House safely. However, that will not deter us from doing the important work that Vermonters in all 14 counties are counting on in order to recover from this pandemic and build more resilient, equitable communities across the state.

state of Vermont

House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington

In one way or another, we have all been impacted by the pandemic. We have a lot to reflect on and be proud of, and while this has been an incredibly difficult time in our nation’s history, I believe that we can come out of this more united and stronger than ever. This pandemic has only further highlighted issues that we need to address in Vermont, and it is critical that we come together to build communities that support Vermonters and individuals from all walks of life. We cannot afford to ignore the many lessons that we have learned during this historic time, but rather, we must persevere to recover together and create a Vermont that works for everyone.

It is my priority to work with our Senate colleagues and the Governor to make significant progress on boosting our economic recovery; tackling the interconnected challenges of housing, childcare and workforce; enacting inclusive strategies to combat climate change and build a resilient future; and work to ensure the legislation we pass is reviewed extensively to make sure it creates greater equity for all Vermonters. These policy initiatives include:

  • Investing Vermont’s remaining federal ARPA funds and building a budget that will boost recovery in all 14 counties and set the stage for a strong future
  • Enacting forward-looking, inclusive strategies to combat climate change and transition to a sustainable way of life, while preparing for shifting and severe weather patterns
  • Investing in higher education and workforce development to prepare Vermonters for 21st century jobs within the state
  • Advancing clean water and the health of our lakes, rivers, wetlands, groundwater, and drinking water systems; ensuring a toxics-free environment that protects our natural resources
  • Increasing access to healthcare, mental health and substance use disorder treatment services
  • Passing the two constitutional amendments before us – the amendment to clarify the prohibition of slavery and indentured servitude in Vermont and the amendment that would guarantee personal reproductive liberty to all Vermonters
  • Protecting public health and safety during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic through evidence-driven strategies, sound data and the advice of medical experts
  • Supporting working families through affordable housing, a child tax credit, rural broadband buildout, and affordable, high quality child care
  • Dismantling systemic and institutional racism and advancing racial and social equity as an overarching goal in every policy area
  • And many other important issues, including reapportionment; education finance and the weighting study; addressing our unfunded pension

I am also excited to release the report that highlights the work that Senator Balint and I embarked on this summer and fall, when we met with Vermonters and discussed the investment of the federal funds we have received and the future of Vermont. Our virtual town halls, Investing in Vermont’s Future, was an unprecedented public engagement process to identify bright spots, chronic challenges, and opportunities to make critical investments across the state. We heard from many different people and organizations that shared their stories, life experiences, and hopes for the future of Vermont. It was inspiring to hear from so many, however, it also highlighted many challenges we need to address, especially from those that have historically not had a voice in the legislative process. We will be releasing the report in the coming weeks and I hope others will find the themes and personal accounts as interesting and as helpful as I do.

The pandemic has taken a toll on all of us, and I know that health care providers, parents, students, business owners, educators, and local officials are exhausted and looking for support in their day to day lives. I am certain that we can find collaborative solutions to support our families, friends, neighbors, and constituents as we continue to make sacrifices to support each other through this phase of the pandemic. We will be diligent in our work and I look forward to taking on the issues that are important to the future of our great state.

Image courtesy of state of Vermont

16 thoughts on “Jill Krowinski: We need progress on COVID recovery, climate change, racism, clean water

  1. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A BIG-GOVERNMENT GROWTH STORY

    EXCERPT from:

    “BUILD BACK BETTER” WOULD COST $4.490 TRILLION OVER THE NEXT DECADE, IF PROVISIONS WERE MADE TO LAST 10 YEARS
    https://www.windtaskforce.org/profiles/blogs/build-back-better-would-cost-3-95-trillion-overt-the-next-decade

    BBB Bill is a Trojan Horse

    The BBB bill consists of two parts:

    1) A huge social program bill
    2) An energy/environment/SALT bill

    The total cost of the social programs would be $3.477 trillion, or 3477/4490 = 77.5% of $4.490 trillion

    The social programs would be 3,477/889 = 3.9 times more expensive, if budgeted for 10 years.
    US debt adder would be 160 + 73, interest = $233 billion, with “gimmick” expirations to understate costs.
    US debt adder would be 2,748 + 266, interest = $3.014 trillion, with 10-y expiration dates

    Child Tax Credit (CTC)

    A CTC was enacted as part of COVID relief. It was meant to be temporary, from Jul. 2020 to Dec. 2020
    During that time, the US treasure sent more than $80 billion, in direct deposits, to every household with children, $300/child/mo.

    Household with incomes up to $150,000 qualified for the full $300/child; if greater household income, the CTC would decrease to as low as $166/child/mo.

    CBO estimated extending CTC for 2022 at $185 billion, and $1,597 billion for 10 years
    CBO estimated Expanded Child Care and Pre-school at $752 billion for 10 years. See table 4

    Sanders has been advocating both programs for decades, because that was done in the more Socialist countries of Europe. He does not mention, rich Europe spends about 1% of GDP on defense, whereas the US spends about 4.5%, about $780 billion/y, plus $50 billion/y for intelligence.

    Democrats Ignoring Precarious Financial Condition of Medicare

    “The Medicare Trustees Report estimated that Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund will be insolvent in 2026. At that point, the fund will have to rely on incoming revenues, essentially operating on a cash-flow basis—and there won’t be enough cash.”

  2. Speaker Krowiniski has one solution for all of Vermont’s problems…… Throw money at them.

    Ms. Krowiniski is a true disciple of the Bernie Sanders’ failed model for problem solving…….Just throw more money at it.

    Senator Balint is also a throw money at it disciple as confirmed by her own most recent words: “As we head into another session…… my top priority is making the most of the historic federal stimulus dollars available to Vermont……. This means real and sizeable investments…….” The “historic federal stimulus dollars available” of which Balint speaks are already ravaging Vermonters pocketbooks with the highest levels of inflation this country has seen in 40 years.

    Krowinski and Balint, the top leaders of the Vermont legislature are fully on board with Bernie Sanders rejected philosophy of solving all problems by throwing some else’s money at them…….Money to be repaid by our children and grandchild before ultimately turning Vermont and this entire country into another bankrupt Venezuela.

    Simply throwing money at problems is a solution for nothing……It’s a guarantee of economic disaster and hardship for coming generations who will get the bill.

  3. This woman is a large part of Vermont’s problem.
    Vermont’s new goal should be: “Make Common Sense Great Again!”

    • Laura,

      If she did not have a government job, she might not HAVE a job.

      A for-profit business would be afraid to hire her, because she thinks profits are evil, and should be taxed as much as possible.

      She would have to work for a non-profit entity, that is kept afloat with taxpayer money.

      It is called wasteful government-“business” partnership.

      Many of the RE companies are kept afloat in the same way, because they sell energy at prices 2 to 4 times higher than the market.

      That is the reason they instigated GWSA, to ensure government largesse for decades, to “solve” a global warming problem their puny efforts could do NOTHING about.

      • Speaking of jobs, take a look at the resumes of Vermont legislators readily available on line and one will find little in their backgrounds, training or experience to prepare them to identify and deal with and solve the large and complex economic and organizational problems facing the State…….This is a real weakness among Vermont’s legislators and a serious problem for Vermonters.

        Take a look at Speaker Krowinski’s list of policy initiatives above and you’ll find no mention the massive $5 billion State retirement pension problem. Now look at her resume as an example of the lack of training and experience problem……How could she not cite the $5 billion pension problem?……Maybe her background and work experience explain the $5 billion pension omission. See her resume: https://speaker.vermont.gov/meet-speaker

        As a result of a lack of training and experience, our legislators are heavily reliant on input and direction from lobbyists who are advocating for special interests and not the people of Vermont as a whole……..This is a real problem for Vermonters……A problem that repeatedly shows up in the type of bills introduced and ultimately passed in Vermont…….The Global Warming Solutions Act is a perfect example of legislation passed that will greatly financially benefit a small number of special interest groups while offering little of consequential benefit for regular Vermonters while forcing undefined costs and hardships on them.

        It seems that our legislative leaders and many of our legislators maybe over their heads and overly dependent on special interests to guide them in their actions……This is a real problem for Vermonters.

  4. I have a suggestion for Jilly and her other greenweenie friends on combating
    the gorebull warmongering… move to china and convince them to lower their
    carbon footprint. I would have said India but these people are more inline with
    the commie faction and would be more comfortable there….with their ilk all gone
    Vermont would prosper and freedom would take care of our other problems…

  5. Jill Krowinski is proof positive that anyone can educate themselves to the point of unadulterated retardation if they’re willing to take on enough student debt.

    Congratulations, Jiller Billers. You’re the Iron Horse of Retarded. Good work, champ.

  6. I wonder what she’d say if she needed a hospital bed or monoclonal antibodies for covid but was told to go to the back of the line in the name of medical equity.

  7. Jill Krowinski: We need progress on COVID recovery, climate change, racism, clean water,
    sounds like the same old ” Liberal Talking Points ” but it will cost taxpayers, it’s just a matter
    of time……

    The problems that we have in the state, are the product of foolish liberal policies, except
    for COVID, which belongs to the CCP… So Jill how about a balanced budget and lower
    taxes, then we’ll know you’re serious about saving the state……. talk is cheap !!

  8. The best way to grow the economy is for Vermont’s government to become a lot smaller, and to scrap all sorts of rules and regulations.

    LET FREEDOM REIGN

    TURN OUT TO VOTE EN MASSE IN NOVEMBER 2022

    • The investing in the future should be done private enterprise, because they have unique expertise relating to allocating capital.

      Government, by definition, lacks any such expertise

      • Um, well I would point out that when it comes to capital allocation, not only did Wall Street gloriously implode because of its deliberate capital misallocation from 1999 to 2008, but when the government bailed it out with $27 trillion starting in 2009, it somehow managed to allocate tens if not hundreds of millions to itself in bonuses during that entire time AND use more of those funds to purchase at rock-bottom prices the homes 6.5 million families lost and re-purposing them at great profit as “family rental units” to families who have forever lost their chance at home ownership.

        • Are you referring to the mortgage crises brought on by the democratic congress forcing banks and savings and loans to grant mortgages to people who could not qualify or pay them back? Which created the mortgage sell offs with everyone involved trying to make a fortune until the whole housing market and wall street collapse? That was Barnie Frank’s fiasco brought to the country by democrats and bailed out by taxpayers. You mean that one?

          • Thank you Dano,
            CGregory doesn’t belong here, his comments are comical, but helpful in that he points out the obvious far left debacles

  9. Krowinski and Balint are reading off the same set of talking points.
    Every issue these two are determined to “fix” is an issue Vermont’s legislatures have created.
    Every one.

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