Inaugural Address of Peter Shumlin  As it appears in the  Journal of the Joint Assembly  January 6, 2011 Inaugural Address Governor Shumlin then presented the following remarks.  “Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, Members of the General Assembly, distinguished guests, fellow Vermonters:  “Thank  you.  It  is  an  honor  to  stand  before  you  today.  Thank  you,  Governor Douglas, for 38 years of exemplary public service to the Green Mountain state.  We are grateful for your hard work and sacrifice on our behalf and  to Dorothy and your family for sharing so much of your life with us.  “Thank  you  to  Brian  Dubie  for  your  service  as  Lieutenant  Governor  for  the  past eight years. While Brian  and  I had  a  spirited  campaign  this  fall,  I  am proud  to  call Brian  my  friend;  we  are  united  in  our  love  for  our  state  and  the  constituents  we serve.  “Since  my  election  in  November,  I  have  had  the  honor  of  joining  Governor Douglas  and  our  Congressional  delegation  in  welcoming  home  our  soldiers  from Afghanistan  after  the  biggest  deployment  of  National  Guard  troops  since  World War II. We are so proud of you and thrilled to have you home. Our hearts go out to our  Gold  Star  families  who  have  made  the  ultimate  sacrifice  to  our  state  and nation. Today,  joining Adjutant General Michael Dubie  in  the  gallery  are  veterans of  the  wars  in  Afghanistan  and  Iraq:  Brigadier  General  Jonathan  Farnham, Lieutenant  Colonel  Carol  Hitchcock,  and  Chief  Master  Sergeant  Steven  Zappi. Also  joining  them  is  Command  Sergeant  Major  Michael  Datillio,  who  is  retiring after 44 years of service  to his state and his country. Please  join me  in  recognizing these  brave  women  and  men  –  and  all  the  Vermonters  who  have  served  in  our armed services in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere abroad.  “I am grateful to my loving family and friends for your faith and support; and to all who  worked  so  hard  to  make  this  moment  possible.  Above  all,  thank  you Vermonters  for  giving  me  this  opportunity  to  serve  you  as  Governor;  I  am  both honored and humbled.  “That  I  stand  before  you  today  as  Vermont's  81st  Governor  was  improbable,  and no  one  can  attest  to  that  better  than  my  mom  and  dad,  who  are  here  today.  My mom  reminded me  again  on  election  night  that  it  often  seemed more  likely  in my grade  school  years  that  I  would  struggle  to  find  a  job  than  to  run  for  office.  As  a kid who  learned differently,  I  remember well  in second grade being called  into  the principal’s  office  with  my  parents  to  have  them  be  told  what  I  already  knew,  but hoped beyond hope that they would never find out: that with all the good efforts of my  teachers  they could not  teach me how  to  read;  that  the prospects of my being a successful  student  and  going  onto  college  were  unlikely,  but  they  would  do  the best they could. That was not a great day.  “I  had  a  single  teacher  who  believed  in  me.  Her  name  was  Claire  Ogelsby;  she later became Vermont's  teacher of  the year. Her husband Mac  and daughter Molly are  here  today.  Claire  would  be  here  too  had  she  not  lost  her  battle  with  cancer  a year  and  a  half  ago. After  her  long  day  at  school,  Claire  loaded me  in  her Willy's Jeep  and  took  me  to  her  log  cabin  deep  in  the  woods  on  Windmill  Hill  Road  in Westminster  West.  In  the  warm  weather  we  sat  on  her  lawn;  in  the  cold  weather we  huddled  around  the wood  stove;  and  slowly  and  creatively  she  taught me  how to  read.  What  I  remember  best  about  Claire  was  no  matter  how  difficult  the challenge;  no  matter  how  innovative  she  had  to  be  or  how  hard  she  had  to  work, she never gave up on me and therefore neither did I.   “I  share  that  part  of my  life  today  because  we  are  living  in  difficult  times  and  we need  to  be  creative  to  overcome  our  challenges.  Let  me  be  clear  about  the  fiscal reality  that  our  great  state  faces  at  this  moment.  After  several  years  of  making necessary  but  painful  spending  cuts,  we  are  still  confronted  with  a  $150  million shortfall  in  the  next  fiscal  year.  Our  economic  challenges  are  real,  and  so  is  my firm  commitment  to  address  them  responsibly  and  swiftly  – with  hard,  sometimes painful but sustainable choices. There is no easy or popular path ahead.  “While  I am bound and determined  to put Vermont on a sustainable spending path this  year,  balancing  the  budget  is  not  our  biggest  challenge.  All  across  our  state, too  many  Vermonters  are  living  in  fear:  fear  that  they  might  lose  their  jobs,  face another  pay  cut,  fail  to  keep  their  home,  send  their  children  to  college,  afford health  insurance  or  a  secure  retirement.  That  fear  knows  no  political  party;  it  has lost  patience  in  finding  solace  in  political  slogans  and  false  promises,  it  takes  no more  comfort  from  a  tea  party  rally  in  Tallahassee  than  it  does  from  a  bickering government  in  Washington,  DC.  Vermonters  wonder:  is  anyone  in  government listening? Can we  let go of  the political speak, stop playing pretend, face  the  facts, and arrive at a common purpose?  “From Bennington  to Burlington, Guilford  to Guildhall  and  Stamford  to  Swanton, our  state  is  uniquely  united  in  what  we  wish  for.  Vermonters  want  jobs  and  a brighter economic future for themselves and their children.  “The  guiding  principle  for  my  administration’s  work  is  simple:  we  will  commit ourselves  every day  to making  the  lives  of Vermonters more  economically  secure. With  the  same  fortitude  and  creative  determination  that  Claire  showed  in  her  zeal to teach me and other students who learned like me, one student at a time, I believe in Vermont’s  opportunity  to  replace  fear with  a  bright  economic  future,  one  job  at a  time. A  clear  vision  for  job growth  and  a bold plan  to deliver  that  vision  is what Vermont needs right now.   “The  last Putney  boy  to  become Governor,  almost  three  quarters  of  a  century  ago, was  George  D.  Aiken,  whose  wife  Lola  joins  us  here  today.  Governor Aiken  also had a bold vision for Vermont's job growth that he shared with this Joint Assembly as  he  bid  farewell  as Governor.  He  said,  “Vermont  is  one  of  a  few  states  that  can sell four feet of snow and twenty below at a profit.”  “Aiken  delivered  those words  at  the  dawn  of  the Vermont  snow  rush,  as  chainsaw toting men carved ski trails and second home sites into Green Mountains as rugged and majestic as Vermonters themselves. From Killington to Jay; Stratton to Stowe; Mount  Snow  to  Mad  River  Glen;  Aiken  articulated  a  plan  that  remains  a  potent economic force almost 75 years later.   “As we  close out  the  first decade of  the  21st  century, Aiken's world  of  predictable winters,  with  twenty  below  and  four  feet  of  snow  has  been  slowly  but  certainly melting  away  from  us.  It's  at  Aiken's  home  at  Vermont's  southern  border;  at  the soil  he  tilled;  the  maple  trees  he  nurtured;  the  ponds  he  adored;  that  his horticulturalist’s  eyes would  gaze  in  stark  amazement  at  the magnitude  of  change. The  Elm  and  Butternut  are  all  but  gone,  the  buckthorn  is  choking  out  the  young hardwood  saplings,  and  many  of  the  ponds  that  once  bubbled  with  life  are  now empty waterways.   “While  leaders  across  America,  influenced  by  the  extraordinary  economic  power of  oil,  coal  and  automobile  companies,  equivocate  about  climate  change, we must not.  That  our  planet  is  warming  at  an  alarming  rate  is  undeniable.  But  I  raise  this not  to  engage  in  an  abstract  discussion  of  climate  science.  I  raise  it  because  I believe Vermont’s  economic  future will  be  determined  by  how we  respond  to  this challenge.  We  will  provide  the  brainpower,  make  the  products,  and  seize  the  job opportunities a lower carbon economy requires.  “Vermont’s  diversified  jobs  future  is  bright.  Manufacturing,  deployment  and production  of  renewable  energy  and  efficiency,  tourism,  technology,  and agriculture are all sectors of our economy with potential for unlimited growth.  “As we work  to  put Vermonters  back  to work,  one  job  at  a  time,  let  us  always  be mindful  that government does not create  jobs; entrepreneurs do. What government must  do  is  to  make  the  necessary  infrastructure  choices  that  are  essential  to  job growth for this new era.   “This  agenda  consists  of  five  goals:  expanding  broadband,  containing  healthcare costs,  educating  our  work  force,  providing  tax  fairness  and  credit  for  emerging businesses,  and  supporting  a  renaissance  in  Vermont  agriculture.  It  is  big,  it  is ambitious, and it is achievable if we view it as our common purpose.   “Today I am launching Connect VT, an initiative to deliver by 2013 my promise of high-speed  Internet  access  and  cell  service  to  every  corner  of  our  state.  If  not confronted,  our  connectivity  deficit  will  relegate  us  to  an  economic  backwater. Vermont  lags behind  the developing world and  ranks 46th among  the  fifty  states  in connectivity.  Governor  Aiken,  when  facing  an  equally  daunting  challenge  of bringing  electricity  to  every  last  mile  of  this  rural  state,  in  the  1930's,  launched  a strategy he called “Initiative and Cooperation.”  “Listen  for  a moment  to  the words  he wrote  in August  1939,  about  that  effort:  “A few  weeks  ago  I  pulled  the  switch  that  started  the  current  flowing  through  a cooperative  electric  line  that  is  bringing  the  blessings  of  light  and  power  to hundreds of farms and homes  in another Vermont community-homes which,  in  the past, had been almost completely isolated from urban civilization.”  “Seventy-two  years  after  Aiken  wrote  those  words  about  the  need  to  bring Vermont  out  of  its  isolation,  we  must  display  the  same  foresight  to  confront  an equally  daunting  isolation.  The  spirit  that  led  Aiken  to  bring  Vermont  out  of  the darkness  is  the  same  innovative  cooperation  that  is  called  upon  today  from  our private  sector  telecommunications  providers,  the  Vermont  utilities,  regulators  and our  citizens,  if  we  are  to  deliver  the  new  electric  current  of  the  modern  world  to Vermont.   “We  have  $410  million  in  private,  federal,  and  bonded  capital  to  be  strategically deployed.  These  resources  present  Vermonters  with  a  once  in  a  life-time opportunity  to  “initiate  and  cooperate”  by  completing  the  build  out  of  the  Smart Grid,  broadband  and  mobile  phone  service  in  a  collaborative  marriage  of  the telecommunications  and  electrical  utility  sectors  to  create  one  shared  broadband infrastructure for Vermont.  “We  will  not  and  cannot  compete  and  prosper  in  the  global  economy  until  and unless  we  deliver  on  this  promise.  We  all  know  success  won't  be  easy,  but Vermonters  elected  me  on  my  pledge  to  get  tough  things  done,  and  we  will. Indeed, we are too small to fail.   “The  rising  cost  of  healthcare  for  Vermont's  middle  class  and  small  businesses provides  an  equally  daunting  threat  to  economic  prosperity.  Just  ten  years  ago  our little  state  was  spending  $2.5  billion  a  year  to  stay  healthy.  Today  we  spend  over $5  billion.  That  increase  represents  an  enormous  hidden  tax  on  families  and  small businesses  across  our  state.  If  left  untethered,  the  rising  cost  of  health  insurance will cripple us.   “That's  why  we  must  create  a  single-payer  healthcare  system  that  provides universal,  affordable  health  insurance  for  all  Vermonters  that  brings  these skyrocketing  costs  under  control.  Let  Vermont  be  the  first  state  in  the  nation  to treat  healthcare  as  a  right  and  not  a  privilege;  removing  the  burden  of  coverage from our business community and using  technology and outcomes-based medicine to  contain  costs. By  doing  so, we will  save money  and  improve  the  quality  of  our care.  “Some  will  say  it  can't  be  done.  The  special  interests;  insurance  companies, pharmaceutical  industry, medical  equipment makers;  the  same  lobbyists  that  spent hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars  to  make  sure  that  real  reform  withered  in Washington can be expected to exercise their will to protect their enormous profits. “Others  will  say  reform  will  destroy  our  existing  healthcare  system.  But  logic suggests – and our experience shows - that our current system is unsustainable; that underfunded  reimbursements  starve  our  doctors  and  hospitals;  that  duplication, waste,  inefficiencies  and  rising  costs  will  drive  more  rural  providers  into bankruptcy and destroy our quality of care, which is the very best in the land. I ask the defenders of the current system to explain how small businesses, municipalities and taxpayers can sustain double digit premium increases year after year.  “Shortly  we  will  receive  plans  from  Dr. William  Hsiao  to  help  us  design  a  health care  system  that Vermonters can afford.  I've assembled a healthcare  team  that will invite  providers,  consumers,  businesses,  municipalities, insurers,  and  our congressional  delegation  to  the  table  to  help  Vermont  build  a  sensible  healthcare system.  I  call upon  single payer  supporters  to  resist  the  temptation  to oversimplify the challenge.  I call upon  skeptics  to challenge us, but  to  join us at  the  table.  I call upon Vermonters to join together with the common purpose of our state once again leading  where  others  dare  not  go;  universal,  affordable,  quality  healthcare  that follows the individual and is not tied to employment.  “In  a  democratic  society,  educating  our  citizens  is  our  single  greatest  obligation.  I hereby  call  for  an  end  to  the  war  of  words  launched  from  Montpelier  that  pits property  tax  payers  against  our  children,  teachers,  principals,  and  school  board members,  and  invite  instead  a  respectful  conversation  on  how  to  create  the  best education  system  for  our  future;  how  to  produce  the  best  workforce  for  the  jobs we’ve  just  discussed. We  take  pride  in  Vermont's  quality  education  system  that  is the  envy  of  the  rest  of  the  country.  Let’s  build  upon  our  success  by  doing  even better.  The  objective  is  simple:  every  Vermonter  must  have  the  same  opportunity for  success  that Claire Ogelsby made  possible  for me;  economically,  intellectually and socially.   “Part  of  achieving  that  success  is  ensuring  that  our  children  don’t  grow  up  in poverty.  Almost  one  in  three  Vermont  children  live  in  low-income  households. Without  proper  nutrition,  quality  early  education,  or  a  stable  home,  these  children too  often  enter  kindergarten  far  behind  their  peers,  and  the  spiral  begins. They  are more  likely  to  drop  out  of  school,  abuse  substances,  and  become  statistics  later  in life. We can make a difference in their lives, and we will.   “We  can  also  do  better  at  ensuring  the  success  of  all  of  our  students  in  school. While  we  are  rightfully  proud  of  our  outstanding  education  system,  we  are  not delivering what is required for every student. Time spent in class does not measure acquisition  of  skills.  For  those  who  quickly  demonstrate  clear  levels  of achievement,  let's  accelerate  their  path  to  enriched  programs  in  that  area  of  study. For students who do not learn in traditional ways, let’s support creative approaches that may be outside the four walls of our classrooms.   “From  early  education  to  higher  education;  from  dual  enrollment  to  technical school;  we  have  the  most  innovative  offerings  in  the  country.  Our  challenge  is  to break  down  the  silos  into  a  seamless  system  that  allows  each  individual  learner  to integrate the array of programs that inspire lifelong learning.  “Of  course,  education  extends  beyond  our  schools  and  to  our  workforce.  Herein lies  a  great  challenge.  At  a  time  when  Vermonters  are  facing  unemployment  and underemployment,  many  of  our  jobs  creators  can't  find  qualified  employees,  and it’s  government’s  responsibility  to  help  fix  this  problem.  Let me  be  specific:  right here  in  the  chamber  today  we  have  representatives  of  businesses  who  are  looking for  qualified  employees.  IBM  in  Essex  is  looking;  GE  in  Rutland  is  looking; Vermont Circuits in Brattleboro is looking; Sonnax in Rockingham is looking. Our job is to have a pool of applicants trained and ready to work.   “It  should be  the policy of  the  state of Vermont  that  learning never  ends. Working together  in  a  partnership  with  our  educational  community  we  will  close  the  gap between  those Vermonters who want work  and  our  job  creators who  have work  to do.  “At  no  time  in my memory  has  the  future  of  agriculture  in  our  state  had more potential  to  grow  and  make  money,  despite  the  extraordinarily  difficult  times facing our dairy farmers. Vermont still produce over 60 percent of the milk in New England, and our dairy community  is as unified and focused as I have ever seen  it. Working together with our Congressional delegation – the best in the country – we will continue the fight for fair prices for our dairy farmers.  “The  renaissance  in  Vermont  agriculture  is  rooted  in  the  growing  concern  by consumers  across  America  about  where  and  how  their  food  is  produced. Consumers  are  increasingly  demanding  locally  grown,  chemical-free,  high  quality food.  We  must  take  Vermont’s  strengths  –  buy  local,  farmers  markets,  farm  to plate,  Vermont  Fresh  Network  restaurants  –  and  expand  our  view  of  local  to everything  within  200  miles  of  Vermont,  which  includes  Manhattan,  Boston,  and Montreal.  Investing  in processing and bottling  facilities, combined with a dynamic marketing effort for Vermont quality foods, will bring our farmers the value-added price that they deserve for a hard day’s work, and they will prosper.  “Finally,  my  jobs  agenda  will  expand  the  ability  of  emerging  enterprises  and businesses  to  access  capital  and  credit  when  they  need  it  the  most.  If  our  Green Mountain State can be  recognized by young entrepreneurs as  the  innovative  leader in  financing  and  venture  capital  for micro-businesses  when  banks  say  “no,”  small businesses  will  thrive.  “Let  me  give  you  an  exciting  example  of  what  I  mean  by innovation  in  financing  and  venture  capital.  The  EB-5  program,  championed  in Congress  by  Senator  Leahy,  is  an  established  means  of  generating  capital  that  is creating  jobs.  Thousands  of  them,  right  here  in  Vermont.  We  must  take  this program  to  levels not  imagined by  its creators. EB-5 gives us a vehicle not only  to raise essential capital, but also to spread Vermont’s stellar reputation from one end of the globe to another.  “We  have  a  pioneer  in  this  effort, Bill  Stenger,  of  Jay  Peak,  deep  in  the Northeast Kingdom,  who  joins  us  today.  Bill  has  plumbed  this  federal  program  to  its  fullest potential.  Through  this  initiative  he  has  created  over  a  thousand  new  jobs  in  the highest unemployment area of the state that would not otherwise exist.  “Let  me  say  one  last  word  on  my  economic  priorities.  Our  choices  about  taxes directly  impact  job  growth.  Vermont's  tax  challenge  is  not  that  our  burden  is  not high  enough;  it  is  that  our  tax  burden  is  too  high.  We  must  develop  a  tax  policy that grows our customer base and grows wealth. The upcoming report from our tax commission will help us in this task. Our patchwork of broad based taxes that have accumulated  over  the  years,  combined  with  overburdened  property  taxes,  require our  attention. But  let me be  clear:  as we  tackle  the difficult  challenge of balancing our budget, we must not and cannot  succumb  to  the  idea  that Vermonters have  the capacity  to  pay  higher  taxes  right  now.  In  order  to  grow  jobs  and  be  more competitive  with  neighboring  states,  we  must  resist  the  temptation  to  raise  broad-based taxes.   “I  am  the  first  to  acknowledge  that  this  action  plan  is  ambitious,  and  I  have  not mentioned  many  of  my  administration’s  other  priorities:  reducing  recidivism  for non-violent  offenders;  rebuilding  our  roads  and  bridges;  reforming  our  campaign finance  laws; and making government more  transparent. You will be hearing more about these and other initiatives in the near future.  “Our  obstacles  are  many,  and  our  challenges  are  daunting.  The  change  we  are proposing  this afternoon  is  transformative and systemic. It will not happen quickly or easily. Yet as I stand here today to begin a new era of government in Vermont, I remember  Claire  Oglesby  and  the  many  Vermonters  who  embody  her  belief  that we can overcome adversity with courage and creativity.   “Vermonters are a rugged people with an abundance of spirit and toughness.  “Each day is another day in which we can excel.  “We  must  intensify  our  individual  efforts  to  nurture  the  health  and  well  being  of our state and its people.   “Together we can be bold.  “Together we must be bold.  “Let’s begin now.  “Thank you.”   Benediction The  Benediction  was  pronounced  by  Sister  Janice  Elizabeth  Ryan,  RSM,  of  the Sisters of Mercy.  Dissolution The  Governor,  having  completed  his  inaugural  message,  was  escorted  from  the Hall  by  the  Committee.  The  Supreme  Court  was  escorted  from  the  Hall  by  the Sergeant at Arms. There being no further business,  the President declared  the Joint Assembly to be dissolved.  JOHN H. BLOOMER, JR. Secretary of the Senate Clerk of the Joint Assembly