Montpelier
Representatives are set to return to Montpelier on Wednesday. For senators, a return date is yet to be determined. House leadership hopes the substantial remaining issues between the House, Senate and Gov. Phil Scott can be resolved by the end of the week.
Shortly after noon on Monday, the Statehouse cafeteria was empty but for two occupied tables.
The handful of people in the building were strategizing behind closed doors about what steps to take next to resolve the deadlock, caused largely over the administration’s efforts to change how teachers’ health care benefits are negotiated.
Scott says his plan would net up to $26 million in savings, and he has threatened to veto the state budget bill if lawmakers do not find a satisfactory way to secure the education savings.
The Legislature bucked at the proposal over concerns Scott’s plan would undermine collective bargaining. Failure to find resolution on the issue has twice caused the Legislature to miss a target for adjournment. Now lawmakers are coming back for an unbudgeted 19th week.
A few key House Democrats huddled on Monday in the office of House Speaker Mitzi Johnson, D-South Hero. They met with legislative fiscal analysts and developed options, including the legislation the Senate sent over Friday.
Last week, Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe, D/P-Chittenden, put forward a response to the governor’s proposal that would reduce school spending by $13 million. The Senate then passed the proposal on a vote of 20 to 9 and sent it over to the House.
House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, said Monday that House leadership continued to be in communication with the Senate and the governor. The only item on Scott’s public schedule was a National Peace Officers Memorial Day flag ceremony at the Statehouse.
“We all share the goal of wrapping things up and going home,” she said.
In addition to the teachers’ health care issue, the Legislature must resolve the fiscal year 2018 state budget. The House and Senate have not finished reconciling the differences between their two versions. The final major sticking point is how to pay a teachers retirement contribution from the general fund. On that issue, the difference between the House and Senate versions is less than $8 million.
Lawmakers also continue to work on bills related to economic development and a $35 million housing bond.
House leadership asked representatives to return to the Statehouse on Wednesday and to keep Thursday free as well. Krowinski hopes they will be done before Friday.
The Senate’s plans are not so definite. Ashe said the Senate will not have a full session until there is a reason to bring the members back to complete work on the remaining bills. That date is to be determined, Ashe said.
In Ashe’s office, Sens. Jane Kitchel, D-Caledonia, and Philip Baruth, D-Chittenden, chatted breezily Monday about books and snack foods before a meeting with legislative fiscal analysts. Kitchel chairs the Appropriations Committee; Baruth chairs Education.
Lawmakers now will be paid by the day, according to Ashe and Krowinski.
So far, legislators have failed to win Scott over to any of their counterproposals. If the three parties are unable to reach agreement, the Legislature could be back next month for a special session to deal with a budget veto.
If Scott does veto the budget, the Legislature would have an opportunity to override — which would require support from two-thirds of the membership of each chamber.
However, it’s unlikely Democratic House leadership would be able to drum up enough support. House Republicans have 53 seats, enough to sustain a veto if they vote together, which they have vowed to do should Scott go that route. House Minority Leader Don Turner, R-Milton, confirmed Monday that they still hold that position.
Also, a House vote on Scott’s health care proposal showed Democrats are not aligned in opposition to the governor and some could vote to sustain a Scott veto. Several independents and at least 16 Democrats defected and voted for the amendment, prompting the speaker to cast an unusual vote to kill the proposal.
Turner, for his part, said there is a long way to go to get to a “point of compromise.”
“I think that we will likely get done this week,” Turner said.