Note: This is a repost of a piece originally posted a couple days ago. The original had some technical glitches; the easiest way to get rid of them was to start from scratch.
Looks like the Shumlin administration is seriously worried about the future of the Enterprise Fund. After getting quite a bit of blowback over this month’s $1 million thank-you card to GlobalFoundries, the Governor has come out fighting.
Fighting, need I say, a straw man of his own devising.
On Monday, he batted around his own version of what the Fund’s critics have been saying. And three days later, the administration pushed out a report claiming that the Fund more than pays for itself in additional tax revenues.
We’ll see about that. But let’s go back to Shumlin’s inaccurately-aimed remarks from Monday. From Paul Heintz’ Fair Game column:
… the gov balked at his critics’ concerns, saying that state government “better do everything we can” to keep the Essex Junction plant competitive.
“You know, I got a letter from I don’t know how many legislators saying, ‘Nah, you know, don’t do this. It’s a bad idea. You know, we’ve got budget problems,'” Shumlin told the audience, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’m like, ‘Really?'”
Noting the fiscal impact GlobalFoundries’ departure would have on the state, Shumlin said, “You think a million bucks is a budget challenge? You know, get your head out of the sand!”
There’s a few problems here. I mean, aside from the impolitic move of verbally tossing a letter from 50 lawmakers into the dumpster. Yes, 50 — not “I don’t know how many.”
F-I-F-T-Y.
The Vermont Political Observer. 