Why does our lame duck Governor have to fly all the way to Asia apparently just to make it clear there will be no special treatment for foreign investors? What possible reason would Jim Douglas, who is about to leave office and face uncertain employment himself need  for drumming up investors for big Vermont businesses?  

Gov. James Douglas will again go to Asia in search of investors willing to trade capital for green cards next month….  

The state involvement does not imply to the companies that Vermont will ease regulatory or other burdens for the investors, Douglas said. In fact, according to the governor, he makes it explicitly clear that is not the case when he talks with investors.  

“I do not think the investors are confused,” he said.    

Vermont’s approach is unique in that the state, rather than an independent organization, runs the EB-5 regional center. That means the state itself fulfills a role normally done by a chamber of commerce or other economic development organization. Douglas’ role is to meet with and talk to potential investors about the advantages of putting their money into Vermont companies, the governor said.

That’s right, Douglas is off again for his second trip to Asia where he will be looking for EB-5 investors. The State pays the trip costs for Douglas his security detail and Vt. EB-5’s program director James Candido.

It should be noted business leaders take care of their own …eh costs.

EB-5 is the Federal make-an–investment-get-a-visa program run by Vermont. A mere $500,000 invested in an approved project which creates jobs over two years, yields immediate green card for the investor’s family and ,will after a period of time yield the investor  permanent US citizenship.