By Rob Roper
On Friday, the Vermont Senate passed S.5, dubbed by critics as the Un-Affordable Heat Act, on a vote of 18-10. The previous day, on the second reading of the bill, the roll call vote in the 30-member chamber was 19-10, with Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth, D/P-Chittenden-Central, presiding in the absence of Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, and not voting.
Three Democrats, Sens. Dick Mazza, D-Grand Isle, Bobby Starr, D-Orleans, and Irene Wrenner, D-Chittenden North, joined all seven Republicans in voting no. But the one vote everyone was watching was that of Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington.
State Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington
Sears raised serious concerns about the bill in the Appropriations Committee, specifically the “carbon credit” system it mandates for purchasing oil, propane, natural gas and kerosene. In that committee he voted against advancing the bill to the full Senate floor. It takes 11 votes to sustain a veto the Senate, and if Sears continued to voted “no” — the eleventh no vote — it would have been a strong signal that a future veto by Gov. Scott would hold up. Sears, however, switched his vote to yes on the Senate floor.
Scott dedicated his weekly press conference in advance of the Senate vote to the topic of the clean heat standard bill, stating firmly that even with the changes made by the Appropriations Committee adding a “check back” provision requiring a vote by the General Assembly in 2025 to put and rules governing the carbon credit system into effect, he still does not support the bill.
According to legislators and lobbyists in the State House, Baruth was twisting Sears’ arm hard behind the scenes, putting tremendous pressure on the senator from Bennington to bow to party leadership and party politics over the vocal opposition to the bill by constituents.
Scott vetoed a similar clean heat standard bill, H.715, last May, which was sustained by a single vote in the House, surprising and embarrassing House Speaker Jill Krowinsky, D-Burlington. A similar single vote defeat in the Senate would be just as embarrassing for Baruth, who, following Democrats’ gaining supermajorities in the last election, bragged that climate change would be the Democrats’ No. 1 issue in 2023, and bringing back the clean heat standard would their priority legislation.
Sears, who himself said he received “literally thousands” of emails about S.5, was by no means the only senator getting an earful from his constituents. During floor debate, Sen. Randy Brock, R-Franklin, told his colleagues that he received over 700 phone calls, letters and emails from Vermonters about S.5. “I have three who wrote me in favor of it,” Brock said.
Sen. Bobby Starr said he received over a thousand contacts regarding S.5, and took the opportunity to remind his colleagues that “we’re all sent here for one purpose, and that is to represent the people that send us here.”
Wrenner said that her “no” vote was, “A nod to representative government. My constituents do not want S.5 to pass.”
Sen. Brian Collamore, R-Rutland, said he stopped counting the number of constituents who reached out to him after “a few hundred,” including instances of being stopped in the grocery store by people who wanted to discuss the issue. “Easily 95 percent of the contacts I got back asked me to vote no on the bill.”
Sen. Russ Ingalls, R-Essex, gave an impassioned floor speech opposing S.5, apologizing to all the Vermonters who reached out to legislators only to have their voices ignored, saying “it’s just plain politics” that is at the root of what he sees as the suffering with high home heating costs and supply crunches Vermonters who heat with fossil fuels will have to endure as a result of this bill.
Sen. Mark MacDonald, D-Orange, seemed to agree with Ingalls’ assessment that passage of a clean heat standard would bring hardship onto Vermonters, advising his colleagues to, “Tell our constituents they’re going to be in for a rough ride,” and in the meantime to buy some warm clothing. MacDonald then joined 18 of his fellow Democrats in voting for the bill.
S.5 now moves to the House, where the 38 Republicans will have to convince at least 13 of 112 Democrats, Progressives, and independents to vote with them to sustain a veto. That is a tall order.
Rob Roper is a freelance writer who has been involved with Vermont politics and policy for over 20 years. © Copyright True North Reports 2023. All rights reserved.
So, who are Vermont’s elected Senators and Representatives representing?
Certainly not the citizens of Vermont!!
As one senator told me… these “nut cases” don’t care what you think. Thousands of letters and phone calls were for naught in his opinion. Dick Sears has been a wacko forever. His obtuse actions relating to gun legislation for instance always raises the hair on the back of the necks of the citizenry.
I keep saying that these people are out of touch with reality when it comes to what this “climate change” agenda is/will cost Americans. You have communities like So. Burlington and Burlington mandating heating requirements. Then you have the state adding on, and then countless federal mandates covering automotive, home heating, power generation, etc. ALL THESE COSTS ARE ADDITIVE! Few of us can articulate what the sum total will be, other than we all know it will be destructive to this country, even worse than the effects of climate change itself if an enjoyable and fruitful life is to impossible to maintain. It is the socialistic agenda theses Progressives dream of where they can tell everyone how to live.
I believe the oil and gas suppliers in Vermont as well as constituent participation need to think about a class action lawsuit if this debacle passes the House (as I am sure it will).
Recent U.S. Senate hearings brought to light that we will spend $50T on climate change initiatives over the next 40 years. There is plenty of time to do it right with solid planning and not break the pocketbooks of our citizens. This should not be a punishment pushed by Progressive over the top and out of control ideologues. They won’t enjoy it if the citizenry rises up and they become “subjects” like they like to call us.
It is coming!
I will be looking to leave Vermont. It’s more unaffordable to live here than ever. I certainly didn’t vote for Scott we really needed a change that would help the citizens of this State and it’s not him. There’s no chance for the working people of this state. Be really poor for the free ride. Or really rich for the other free ride.
Planning on moving out of the state of Vermont. Looking to New Hampshire state that is more reasonable when it comes to the elite wanting to make climate change money grab. Way too expensive in Vermont. I haven’t been able to afford heat for 2 months, just using my stove for heat and two heaters! Make too much to receive any heating help and not looking forward to next year at all. You should listen to your constituents who have to foot the bill. What a disgrace you are the Democrats are destroying our country.
Vermont Republicans should be proud and rejoicing the bills their legislators are advancing, which they indirectly voted for by running candidates that stood for something.
Instead of being resentful, they should happily accept the new taxes, the new gun laws, and the further deterioration of our schools.
At least we stood for something and now we stand on the steps of the Capitol peering in through the windows.
There’s a cabal, reminiscent of Warren Jeffs, masquerading as “True Republicans” that is blurring the line between Right Wing Republican Zealots and Bigots.
Do you believe Cabal candidates stand a chance?
Primaries and Elections have consequences.
Dick Sears will not be very popular with his constituents
What part of “representitave” do they not understand?
I don’t know how many times I’ve stated this ” They Just Don’t Care ” what their
constituents have for concerns, especially financial ……………
Wake up People, before it’s too late !!
“But the one vote everyone was watching was that of Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington.” Why? Because this man is a wacko; that’s why.
Welcome, and witness how a Totalitarian regime operates. The people’s well being be damned. VT is run by a Legislative Cult, and backed up by a small army of cult-following-militant-lobbyists….who swim in secretive out of state money $, lawyers and enviro venom…all worship at the Alter of Climate Change….but nothing VT ever does, no matter how much they spend or harm residents financially & otherwise…these cultists will never change the weather, or Mother Nature.
I’d like to remind everyone that this situation is just exactly what happened when they were going to add a carbon tax onto diesel fuel in France that would have put the rural farmers out of business.. it sparked the Yellow Vest Movement.
I’d prefer we do what France did to the “Let them eat cake” crowd.. Gallows solve the problem permanently and send a strong message.
I caution Senator MacDonald and his fellow selected thieves to be careful how they project a snickering prophesy of a “rough ride” onto constiuents…the Universe has a way of delivering a boomerang that will be justified and self-induced.
Get a blanket
They’ll tax blankets next.
Wool blankets may be exempt