Vermont lawmakers leave for their Town Meeting Day break with much work remaining and many questions to be answered about the ultimate shape of their 2013 session.
House Speaker Shap Smith says it's not unusual for the first year of the two-year biennium to start slowly, as new lawmakers get their feet on the ground and newly constituted committees get to work.
He says the pace will pick up considerably when lawmakers return on March 12 after visiting with constituents at this coming week's town meetings. The House Transportation Committee is expected to finish work soon after returning on an increase in the state gasoline tax.
Smith says the future looks doubtful for a sugar-sweetened beverage tax, but he thinks removing the sales tax exemption from soda would be appropriate.
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