From a press release today out of Welch’s office:

In order to stimulate the economy and meet pressing infrastructure needs, the Vermont congressional delegation is seeking to waive the state and local match requirement for all federally-funded highway, transit and rail projects through September 2009.

The move would give Vermont and other states facing tight budgets a much-needed boost to improve roads and bridges, support public transit agencies and upgrade rail lines at no additional cost to the federal government.

Transportation officials have reported that because of growing budget deficits at the state and local level, many ready-to-go projects simply cannot move forward without untying the strings of the required match. Under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act, states are typically required to meet a 10 or 20 percent match for federally funded projects.

This seems like a very good idea, and a sound way to ramp up infrastructure repair with no extra budgetary impact at the federal level and a potentially significant impact on reducing state budgets at a time when they are in crisis. Two birds with one stone, and those could be big, big birds for a small state like Vermont. Would love to see some numbers on just how many projects at what dollar value could be impacted.

Very nice 3 Musketeers moment, guys. Kudos.

(That’s two candy bars mentioned in the last paragraph….I must be craving sugar)

UPDATE: Apparently the idea was mentioned on VPR did a full news item on Bartlett’s idea on Nov. 14 a couple weeks back, where Rep. Welch gave credit to recognized and supported State Senator Susan Bartlett’s  (D-Lamoille) for the original idea and pledged to take it to Washington.

If you are, I’m sure the Chinese will be psyched.

Wake Up Walmart, who I’m working with, has a great new video up highlighting the perils of supporting the Bentonville behemoth.

In their quest to cut costs, Walmort outsources more and more jobs overseas. It’s come to the point where 70% of Walmart products are now made in communist China. “In the race to the bottom, Walmart gets ahead and the middle class falls behind,” the ad warns.

I know I’m just kind of preaching to the choir about how ugly Walmart’s business practices. But in the spirit of the holiday season, I’d like to invite you to do one of three things:

1. Send this ad to your friends and family. Walmart’s low prices are deceiving and in this struggling economy, a lot of good people might be fooled. It’s important that we get the word out about the high cost of these low prices.

2. Visit WakeUpWalmart.com today and learn how you can help. With the election over, if you have time to join the good fight, we could always use your support.

3. Blog about how the Obama administration should have a say in curbing Walmart’s ugly business practices. This isn’t only a case of a corporation out of control; it’s a case of worker abuse, shoddy environmental practices and an active union-busting agenda.

We’re fighting for more than just winning elections. We are fighting for a more progressive America.

In this time of economic peril, it’s more important now than ever. I urge you all to join the fight and send a strong message to Walmart!

Per today’s Rutland Herald:

The private information of thousands of state employees is potentially at risk in a computer hacking and extortion incident.

The target was Express Scripts Inc., which is the pharmacy benefit company for Vermont state workers, as well as the employees of many institutions and companies around the country. The company was threatened by still unidentified people in October that private information of members of its clients’ health plans would be released if demands were not met.

[…]

“What we do know is that the criminal or criminals in this situation … in early October sent Express Scripts a letter demanding money in exchange for their not publicly releasing the names and personal information of millions of patients,” said Steve Littlejohn, vice president of public affairs for the company.

Some questions:

1. Why are just discovering this now?


2. What the hell kind of security protocols is Express Scripts using?


3. Why are we outsourcing the job of tracking pharmacy benefits when we’d have much greater control over the security protocols in question if we were to do it in house?

Grr.  Argh.

( – promoted by odum)

or ..leaf me a loan ? Here is a look back at the Douglas green effort from a year ago and a program to sell the carbon-storage value of Vermont’s forest about which spokesperson Gibbs and Vermont’s new commissioner of Forest, Parks and Recreation said  “we’re talking millions of dollars here.” This caused a great deal of excitement in the press and was the equivalent of a good ribbon cutting .They were going to lease the State Lottery,the next logical step is to offer shares in the trees natural functions. In Douglas’s time in office have there been any major initiatives to come from the governor’s office which have amounted to anything ? What or where are the shining accomplishments that Douglas can point to ?

MONTPELIER – One year ago, Gov. Jim Douglas unveiled the recommendations of his Climate Change Commission and laid out ambitious plans to cut Vermont’s greenhouse gas emissions while building a “green economy.”

Three ideas stood at the center of those plans: appointment of a Vermont Climate Collaborative to guide research and action; creation of a “Vermont Green Standard” to regulate the multimillion-dollar carbon trading market and create a new business sector for the state; and sale of carbon credits from open land and state forests.Twelve months later, the Green Standard idea has been abandoned.

Other parts of the work plan require staff time and money the state does not have.

“There is a lot of pent-up desire for action,” acknowledged John Sayles, deputy secretary of Natural Resources and the administration’s point man on climate change. “It is hard to create excitement over the incremental progress we are making – but we are making progress.”

He described the Vermont Climate Change Collaborative, a panel of university, state government and outside members, as the “signature piece” of the governor’s plans.

The collaborative will meet for the first time Dec. 8.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress…