We look at the two sides of the campaign finance reform issue, hear about how the state’s surplus will be used and listen back to voices in the week’s news.
We hear both sides of the debate over how CVPS should return $21 million to its ratepayers as part of its merger with Green Mountain Power and Congressman Peter Welch discusses campaign finance reform.
Officials
in charge of overseeing Vermont’s
elections say lawmakers should consider changes to the state’s campaign finance
laws, including increasing the penalty for violations.
Congressman
Peter Welch says it’s critical for Congress to pass a campaign finance
reform
bill that will regulate this year’s elections. Welch
voted for a bill, adopted by the U.S. House, that contains new
disclosure
requirements for corporations and labor unions.
Democratic
leaders vowed to pass a bill in response to the U.S. Supreme Court
decision
that allows corporations and labor unions to spend an unlimited amount
of money on a political campaign. But
gaining support in an election year has been a challenge.
VPR’s Bob Kinzel talks with Bennington Senator Dick Sears and Franklin Senator Randy Brock about a recent Supreme Court ruling that drastically changes campaign finance laws.
Congressman
Peter Welch is supporting a proposed constitutional amendment to overturn the
U.S. Supreme Court decision on campaign finance reform, as well as short term measures that he says will lessen the
impact of the ruling on this year’s elections.
Supporters
of a campaign finance reform bill are pushing to have their plan go into effect
for the 2010 election. But Governor Jim Douglas argues the bill shouldn’t apply to this year’s campaign.
The Legislature is eager to pass new campaign finance rules in time for
the 2008 elections. Bob Kinzel’s guests look at the bill’s prospects. Also in the program, news analysis from VPR’s John Dillon, and we hear
from NPR’s Juan Williams. Williams was in Vermont this week to speak
to teachers for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Last month, the United States Supreme Court struck down Vermont’s Campaign Finance Law. Commentator Cheryl Hanna shares her thoughts on what’s next for Vermont’s political landscape.