Thread by @JaneLindholm

Anyone want some live tweets of @GovPhilScott's inaugural address? #vtpoli He's starting now, and immediately opens with the "shocking attack on our democracy" yesterday in Washington. "Make no mistake, Donald Trump is responsible for fanning these flames."

Scott says the challenges we face demand the very best of all of us, and notes that all of this as happening during a global pandemic. He pivots now to when we first began to learn about this virus spreading around the world.

Says he left his seat at a Norwich hockey game the moment he heard of he first case in the state, "and never looked back." Declared a State of Emergency less than a week later.

Notes that Vermont has "built the foundation of a response that would lead the nation." It's been 306 days since that first VT case, he says. And every day has been difficult.

Scot talks about the Vermont Guard's role in the pandemic response, as they also prepared for and transitioned to the F-35 fighter jets. "I'm honored to serve by their side," Scott says.

Now Scott shifts to other Vermonters who "have stepped up," from doctors/nurses/first responders to childcare providers, "grocery and hardware store clerks", and farmers, manufacturers and truckers/delivery drivers.

Teachers and students get praise, alongside bus drivers and others. The sacrifices young people have made are noted.

Scott praises the way Vermonters have come together to support one another but also to protect each other and says "you are saving lives. But we need to keep looking forward, stay focused and committed. Because our work is far from over."

Shifting to the challenges the state faced even before this crisis. "For too long, Montpelier has taken a one-size-fits-all approach," he says, that the state has asked too much of working Vermonters and employers "while the economic foundation of most counties slowly eroded."

Singles out the need to pay attention to VT's smaller counties, towns and villages that struggle while the area around Burlington continues to grow. Celebrates the work his administration was doing to reverse the tide prior to the pandemic.

"Because I refused to let state spending grow faster than a working Vermonter's paycheck, we were finally helping families keep more of what they earned." --Scott

Says the pandemic refocused attention on the challenges that are fundamental to the state, including school inequality, the state college system struggling, businesses closing, economic inequality, and a lack of a qualified workforce.

Scott says Vermont focused on improvements coming out of the Great Recession and Tropical Storm Irene and warns that we can't forget to continue this work once the pandemic is in the rear view mirror.

"As we recover from an emergency that has touched all of us, we must support policy that serves all 14 counties, all 251 towns and every single Vermonter." But says not enough $ will come from Washington for us to do everything we want.

Says his budget (set to be released on 1/21) will focus on getting through COVID-19 and then "laying a foundation to rebuild."

First look at what that budget will address is helping employers and small businesses. "like reducing, not increasing, the cost of unemployment insurance, without impacting the benefits to the unemployed." Says he won't support a payroll tax "on them or their workers."

Scott says he'll push to make Tax Increment Financing available to small towns, not just the larger cities currently able to utilize this program.

On Act 250, he says his priorities are to eliminate duplication and reduce costs, with the aim of streamlining downtown revitalization and the expansion of outdoor recreation and local food systems.

Says his budget will invest in recruiting and retaining working families. Speaking of which, he moves on to schools--again the emphasis on in-person learning. Says he was pleased to hear President-elect Biden talk about reopening the nation's schools.

Scott has asked the Agency of Education and Health dept, working with school districts, to develop a plan to safely get every district back to full-time in-person learning before the end of the school year, "hopefully sometime in April." #vted

But addressing educational inequity still a big problem. Says getting kids off to a good start is one way to start to address this. Notes $ he has directed previously to early childhood ed and says his budget will include a property tax exemption for licensed preschool programs.

Wants to reorganize all the state's child development work into the Agency of Education. "Our providers should know: we'll respect the role of private centers and preschools."

And wants to focus district work on improvements in literacy and ongoing remote learning opportunities

Healthcare now. Says Vermonters have spent less on healthcare of the last year, and has directed the Dept. of Financial Regulation to review insurance premiums and rates for 2020 to determine where rebates might be appropriate. Says that's already happened with dental rebates.

Thinks the state could get Vermonters "an additional $10 million or more in additional rebates."

Longer term, Scott wants to "set a cap on annual increases and continue moving to a system where we pay for quality, not just quantity." And to propose improvements to mental health and on drug education/treatment/prevention. (No specifics on that.)

Scott now adds the lines about working with the legislature--hoping that they'll work well with him, but acknowledges "there will be ideas from me the Legislature may not accept. And I may not agree with some of their ideas," but promises to listen and work together.

Returning, as he concludes the speech, to the pandemic, he acknowledges how hard this current situation is for Vermonters and everyone. There's hope coming with the vaccine, if the federal government can continue a robust supply of doses.

Finishing with a story of Vermont in the flu pandemic of 1918 and 1919, when nearly 2000 Vermonters died and more than 40,000 were infected statewide. "No one was ready for that pandemic." But Vermonters were asked to step up, care for each other, and they did, Scott says.

Says we face the same challenge now. And we will "rise to meet this challenge and seize the opportunities ahead." Stay with us for analysis and then the Democratic response, from Jill Krowinski and Becca Balint. @vprnet coverage continues! (I'm going on air for a few minutes.)

@vprnet New House Speaker Jill Krowinski speaking now, from the Lincoln Hallway at the Statehouse with the first of two Democratic responses to the Governor's inaugural address. The audio is freezing, so I'm not capturing all of it, but she begins with the events in Washington yesterday.

@vprnet Krowinksi says she agrees with Gov. Scott calling for the removal or resignation of President Trump. Says state leaders have come together to "condemn this threat against our democracy."

Krowinsky moves to the pandemic now, and the state's response to it. Again, the audio is continually freezing, so we're not getting it all. (ME: This is frustrating to us, as it must be to all of you listening!! We'll try to get a transcript of the speech ASAP!)

In an (unintentional?) echo of the Governor's remarks, Krowinski also says we must emerge from the pandemic with the fortitude to build up stronger, and includes broadband and affordable housing.

Childcare a key issue for the Dems as well. Speaker Krowinski specifically notes the departure of so many women from the workforce during the pandemic because of a lack of childcare. So childcare a key piece of keeping women in the workforce moving forward.

Broadband accessibility also a key issue this session, Krowinski says. And lifting up the voices of marginalized Vermonters whose voices have not always been fully heard. Black, Indigenous, and Vermonters of color need to be elevated.

New Senate President Pro Tem Becca Balint now. "The last 36 hours have shaken us." Says she watched things unfold in DC w/ "alarm & disgust" just hours after the VT legislature came together to be sworn in to work for all Vermonters, and to support the VT and US Constitutions.

Balint notes that each of the lawmakers come from different backgrounds and carry their own stories as well as the lives, perspectives, and stories of their constituents. Says she sees the relationship between the legislative and executive branches as a "conversation."

The first work in that conversation, and for the legislature in particular, is to get through the pandemic and support those struggling with food insecurity, lack of childcare, lack of broadband etc. And to pay special attention to those more at risk.

Balint also touches on education from birth through higher education, as well as environmental stewardship. Says these and other issues can be done while keeping equity top of mind. And this will be something they can do WITH the executive branch in this ongoing conversation.

"Here in Vermont, we still have a healthy democracy," Balint says, and says Vermont can show the rest of the country how to have a challenging but productive relationship w/in state government that prioritizes the needs of constituents to the benefit of all.

That concludes our special coverage of Governor Phil Scott's inaugural address and the response from Democratic leaders: House Speaker Jill Krowinski and Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint.

VT House Minority Leader Pattie McCoy just emailed a reaction to Governor Scott’s message.