Bennington
Amid a standoff between Republican Gov. Phil Scott and Democratic legislative leaders over teacher health insurance contracts and recreational marijuana, the former lawmaker says he’s exploring alternative ways to influence policy.
“It’s an interesting position, because it is quasi-administration, because you are next in line to be governor; and people have called our office a lot with questions on how to navigate state government,” said the Progressive-Democrat from Hinesburg, who was elected lieutenant governor in November after serving 14 years in the Vermont House and four in the Senate.
“But it is a little bit difficult because the governor has not really incorporated me into his administration like many governors do — even in historical instances when they are of different parties,” Zuckerman said.
He said former Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin, who left office in January, had then-Lt. Gov. Scott in his Cabinet meetings.
Zuckerman said his exclusion from administration deliberations has extended to communications among state department heads and other top level officials.
“But that is (Scott’s) choice, or his staff’s choice,” he said.
“Then there is the quasi-legislative side (of his new position),” Zuckerman said. “I preside over the Senate, and while most of the time I don’t vote, I have a voting position when there is a tie. And so, it is a little bit of a no man’s land between the two, with one foot in each at the same time.”
While trying to exert political influence, Zuckerman said he’s had to shift several gears.
“I’m not in committee, I’m not drafting legislation; I’m not negotiating the wording of most bills,” he said. “That is no longer my role. However, unlike — as far as I know — any other lieutenant governor in recent history, we’ve been putting out a newsletter every few weeks that anybody can sign up for. There is no political bias, of you can or you can’t (sign up). And, you know, it’s an update on what is going on, and it’s a reminder on how do you reach your legislator.”
Zuckerman, who was in Bennington on Friday to attend a rally for universal health insurance, said he has always enjoyed working with groups around the state that have contacted him because of his outspoken support for progressive issues. As lieutenant governor, he said, that component of being an elected official has increased exponentially since he was one of 30 senators.
He said his office is receiving many more such calls as his profile has risen. “In that way it is similar,” he said. “It’s just that the numbers are much larger; a lot more people contact the office.”
Zuckerman said he has focused on speaking to the public through the media and his newsletter and by meeting with groups around Vermont, maintaining a much more active travel schedule than as a legislator.
“That’s because, in the long run, the way I think I’ll be influencing legislation is by reaching out to people about issues and giving them information so they can engage in democracy the way people are relearning is part of the process,” he said. “People are recognizing that democracy is not a spectator sport, and it’s not something that you do every two years or every four years. So I’m working to help people have that voice.”
While not having a role in the administration or in legislative committees, Zuckerman feels he does have “a larger soapbox” now than as one lawmaker among many.