Voters in Vermont have a number of choices to make in Tuesday’s election, including what has become a heated race for lieutenant governor. The candidates debated again on WCAX television Wednesday night.
One of the most competitive races in Vermont this year is for Lieutenant Governor. Incumbent Democrat/Progressive David Zuckerman faces a challenge from Republican John Rodgers.
Zuckerman is seeking his fourth non-sequential term. He held the office from 2017 until 2021 and then unsuccessfully ran for governor. In the following election he won back the lieutenant governor’s seat.
Rodgers served in the Vermont House and Senate representing the Orleans County area from 2003 until 2021 as a Democrat. In May he announced he would run for Lieutenant Governor as a Republican and won the August 13th primary.
A rift between Republican Governor Phil Scott and the Democratic supermajority in the Legislature has stalled consensus on a number of issues. Zuckerman was asked how he works to bridge the differences.
“I’ve certainly reached out to the Governor on a number of issues that were in debate whether it be property taxes or education or affordable housing,” noted Zuckerman. “But also it’s really the job of the legislature to make the laws and it’s the job of the governor to either implement the laws or suggest his changes. What I’ve done over the years is I’ve offered ideas to the general public through my Lieutenant Governor newsletter to get into deeper subject matter on those issues to help shape the conversation and find that ground where they can come together.”
Rodgers was asked, considering his change of party, if he would be able to find common ground between the administration and a potential Democratic majority in the Legislature.
“Where I grew up Democrats were fiscally conservative and after the last two years of out-of-control spending by the party in charge I decided I could no longer be part of that party. And when I looked at Governor Scott and the other moderate Republicans, they were the only ones standing up for affordability,” Rodgers said. “But I have a history of working across the aisle throughout my career and I’ve never been hitched to partisan politics. And I think that’s what we need more of in the Statehouse to provide balance.”
The state faces high property taxes and health care costs, concerns about public safety and a housing crisis. Both candidates have spent years in the state legislature and were asked what they did to stem some of the issues and why their efforts didn’t work.
Both focused on property taxes. Zuckerman noted that the taxes are based on school budget votes.
“This is a product of the aggregate votes all across the state to support our schools and support our kids and the Yield Bill and the tax rate is based on that overall vote,” explained Zuckerman. “But I’ve proposed numerous proposals including expanding income sensitivity so that wealthy people pay the same share instead of less than working people. I’ve have proposed ideas like taxing second homes.”
Rodgers said the legislature has been too focused on studies rather than taking action.
“Over the last 20 years we’ve had 38 studies and the Legislature’s failed to implement any of the findings and now we’re going through another study which I don’t think will give us anything new,” Rodgers contends. “When I was in the Senate I actually introduced a bill to deal with high spending schools, but the Legislature didn’t want to take that up. We really need to restructure our entire education system. We have to provide an education that Vermonters can afford.”
What is the future of farming in Vermont? Zuckerman is an organic farmer.
“I think the future for agriculture is still quite bright in Vermont,” Zuckerman enthusiastically said. “We have to feed people in Vermont but we’re also quite close to the most populated, one of the most populated places on the planet between Boston and New York and down to Washington D.C. We need to keep investing in Vermont, Vermont farmers, and there’s no doubt we can rise to the challenge.”
Rodgers grew up on a dairy farm.
“The ag community brings so much money into the state and I think a lot of people in the Statehouse don’t recognize how much money dairy still brings into the state.”
On Wednesday former Governor Jim Douglas endorsed Rodgers. The Republican told WAMC that Rodgers is a middle-of-the-road candidate who would help push back against a Democratic supermajority to try to make the state more affordable. Rodgers also touted backing from Republican Governor Phil Scott and former Democratic Governor Peter Shumlin.
