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Vermont Voters Report Card (2011-2012)
From Ballotpedia
The Ethan Allen Institute, which describes its mission as to promote "the principles of free enterprise, limited, constitutional government, and individual liberty," released its biennial publication, the Vermont Voters' Report Card, for the years 2011 to 2012. The report evaluated how Vermont legislators in the state House and state Senate voted on issues important to the institute.[1][2]
2011-2012 report
The institute characterized its areas of interest in the following way: "Vermont’s economic future," "the fiscal practices and condition of state government," "the improvement of education," "the preservation of free, accountable, democratic government," "the strengthening of Vermont community and family life," and "respect for Vermont’s constitution and opposition to judicial activism." The 2011-2012 report sought to highlight key votes during the legislative session that involved the institute's core values.[3]
| 2011-2012 Vermont House Scorecard | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Party | Town | Health Provider Tax | Green Mountain Care | Education Taxation | Green Mountain Care | Property Rate Tax | Health Exchange | Green Mountain Care | Renewable Portfolio | CVPS Rebate |
| Joe Acinapura |  Republican/ Democratic |
Brandon | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Janet Ancel | Democratic |
Calais | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Margaret Andrews | Democratic |
Rutland | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y |
| William Aswad | Democratic |
Burlington | N | A | N | Y | Y | N | N | A | N |
| Kenneth Atkins | Democratic |
Winooski | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| John Bartholomew | Democratic |
Hartland | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Lynn Batchelor | Republican |
Derby | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Clement Bissonnette | Democratic |
Winooski | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Charles Bohi | Democratic |
Hartford | N | N | N | A | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Bill Botzow | Democratic |
Bennington | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Bob Bouchard | Republican |
Colchester | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Carolyn Whitney Branagan | Republican |
Georgia | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Patrick Brennan | Republican |
Colchester | Y | Y | Y | A | N | Y | Y | N | A |
| Cynthia Browning | Democratic |
Arlington | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Tom Burditt | Republican |
W. Rutland | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | A | Y |
| Mollie Burke | Democratic/ Vermont Progressive Party |
Brattleboro | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Sarah Buxton | Democratic |
Royalton | Y | N | N | Y | Y | A | A | Y | N |
| Brian Campion | Democratic |
Bennington | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| William Canfield | Republican/ Democratic |
Fair Haven | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Margaret Cheney | Democratic |
Norwich | N | N | N | Y | Y | A | A | Y | N |
| Kevin Christie | Democratic |
Hartford | Y | A | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Gregory Clark | Republican |
Vergennes | A | A | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Alison Clarkson | Democratic |
Woodstock | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Jim Condon | Democratic |
Colchester | N | A | A | N | Y | Y | N | N | N |
| Chip Conquest | Democratic |
Newbury | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Michel Consejo | Democratic |
Sheldon | N | N | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y |
| Sarah Copeland-Hanzas | Democratic |
Bradford | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Timothy Corcoran, II | Democratic |
Bennington | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | A |
| Gale Courcelle | Democratic |
Rutland | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Howard Crawford, Jr. | Republican/ Democratic |
Burke | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | N |
| Leigh Dakin | Democratic |
Chester | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Susan Hatch Davis | Vermont Progressive Party/ Democratic |
Washington | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | A | Y |
| David Deen | Democratic |
Westminster | N | N | N | Y | Y | A | A | Y | N |
| Dustin Degree | Republican |
St. Albans | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | N |
| Dennis Devereux | Republican |
Mt. Holly | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Eileen Dickinson | Republican |
St. Albans | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Andrew Donaghy | Republican |
Poultney | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Anne Donahue | Republican |
Northfield | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Johannah Leddy Donovan | Democratic |
Burlington | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y |
| James Eckhardt | Republican |
Chittenden | Y | Y | Y | N | N | A | A | N | Y |
| Sarah Edwards | Vermont Progressive Party/ Democratic |
Brattleboro | N | N | N | Y | Y | A | A | Y | N |
| Rebecca Ellis | Democratic |
Waterbury | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | A | N |
| Alice Emmons | Democratic/ Working Families |
Springfield | N | N | N | Y | Y | A | A | Y | N |
| Debbie Evans | Democratic |
Essex Jct. | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Peter Fagan | Republican |
Rutland | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Michael Fisher | Democratic |
Lincoln | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| William Frank | Democratic |
Underhill | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Eldred French | Democratic |
Shrewsbury | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y |
| Patsy French | Democratic |
Randolph | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Gary Gilbert | Democratic |
Fairfax | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | A |
| Maxine Jo Grad | Democratic |
Moretown | A | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Adam Greshin | Independent | Warren | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Sandy Haas | Vermont Progressive Party/ Democratic |
Rochester | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | A | Y |
| Helen Head | Democratic |
S. Burlington | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Martha Heath | Democratic |
Westford | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Mike Hebert | Republican |
Vernon | A | Y | A | N | A | Y | Y | N | N |
| Robert Helm | Republican/ Democratic |
[[Fair Haven | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Mark Higley | Republican |
Lowell | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | A | Y |
| Mary Hooper | Democratic |
Montpelier | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Adam B. Howard | Republican |
Cambridge | A | A | A | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Richard Howrigan, Sr. | Democratic |
Fairfield | N | A | N | A | A | N | N | N | Y |
| Ronald Hubert | Republican |
Milton | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Tim Jerman | Democratic |
Essex Jct. | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Willem Jewett | Democratic |
Ripton | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Mitzi Johnson | Democratic/ Republican |
S. Hero | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| William Johnson | Republican |
Canaan | Y | Y | A | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Kathleen Keenan | Democratic |
St. Albans | N | N | N | Y | A | N | N | Y | Y |
| Duncan Kilmartin | Republican/ Democratic |
Newport | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Warren Kitzmiller | Democratic |
Montpelier | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Tony Klein | Democratic |
E. Montpelier | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Thomas Koch | Republican/ Democratic |
Barre | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Patti Komline | Republican |
Dorset | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Bob Krebs | Democratic |
S. Hero | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N |
| Jill Krowinski | Democratic |
Burlington | – | – | – | – | – | N | N | Y | N |
| Michele Ferland Kupersmith | Democratic |
S. Burlington | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Diane Lanpher | Democratic |
Vergennes | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Leigh Larocque | Republican |
Barnet | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Richard Lawrence | Republican |
Lyndon | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Joan Lenes | Democratic |
Shelburne | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Lucy Leriche | Democratic |
Hardwick | N | N | A | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Patti Lewis | Republican |
Berlin | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Robert Lewis | Republican |
Derby | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| William Lippert, Jr. | Democratic |
Hinesburg A | N | A | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | |
| Jason Lorber | Democratic |
Burlington | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | A | N |
| Terence Macaig | Democratic |
Williston | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| John Malcolm | Democratic |
Pawlet | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Ann Manwaring | Democratic |
Wilmington | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | Y | N |
| Michael Marcotte | Republican/ Democratic |
Coventry | Y | Y | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N |
| Richard Marek | Democratic |
Newfane | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Cynthia Martin | Democratic/ Working Families |
Springfield | N | N | N | Y | Y | A | A | Y | N |
| Linda Martin | Democratic |
Wolcott | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| James Masland | Democratic |
Thetford | N | A | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Norman McAllister | Republican/ Democratic |
Franklin | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | A | Y |
| Jim McCullough | Democratic |
Williston | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Francis McFaun | Republican/ Democratic |
Barre Town | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | N | Y |
| James McNeil | Republican/ Democratic |
Rutland Town | Y | Y | Y | A | N | Y | Y | N | A |
| Alice Miller | Democratic |
Shaftsbury | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | A | N |
| Anne Lamy Mook | Democratic |
Bennington | N | A | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| John Moran | Democratic |
Wardsboro | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y |
| Mary Morrissey | Republican |
Bennington | Y | Y | N | N | A | Y | Y | A | Y |
| Mike Mrowicki | Democratic |
Putney | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Bert Munger | Democratic |
S. Burlington | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Linda Myers | Republican |
Essex Jct. | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Betty Nuovo | Democratic |
Middlebury | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Anne O'Brien | Democratic |
Richmond | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Jean O'Sullivan | Democratic |
Burlington | – | – | – | – | Y | A | A | Y | N |
| Oliver Olsen | Republican |
Jamaica | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | N |
| Carolyn Partridge | Democratic |
Windham | N | N | A | A | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Albert Pearce | Republican/ Democratic |
Richford | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Christopher Pearson | Vermont Progressive Party |
Burlington | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y |
| Janice Peaslee | Republican |
Guildhall | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Peter Peltz | Democratic |
Woodbury | N | N | A | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Peter Perley | Republican |
Enosburg | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Paul Poirier | Independent | Barre | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y |
| Dave Potter | Democratic |
Clarendon | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Ann Pugh | Democratic |
S. Burlington | N | N | A | Y | Y | A | A | Y | N |
| Paul Ralston | Democratic |
Middlebury | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N |
| Kesha Ram Hinsdale | Democratic |
Burlington | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Gary Reis | Republican |
St. Johnsbury | Y | A | Y | N | N | A | A | N | Y |
| Herb Russell | Democratic |
Rutland | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Brian Savage | Republican |
Swanton | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Heidi Scheuermann | Republican |
Stowe | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Ernest Shand | Democratic |
Weathersfield | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| David Sharpe | Democratic |
Bristol | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Charles Shaw | Republican/ Democratic |
Pittsford | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Harvey Smith | Republican |
New Haven | Y | Y | A | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Shap Smith | Democratic |
Morristown | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Robert South | Democratic |
St. Johnsbury | Y | A | N | Y | N | A | A | N | Y |
| Kristy Kurt Spengler | Democratic |
Colchester | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | A | A |
| Tom Stevens | Democratic |
Waterbury | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Will Stevens | Independent | Shoreham | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Vicki Strong | Republican |
Irasburg | Y | Y | Y | N | N | A | A | N | Y |
| Valerie Stuart | Democratic |
Brattleboro | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Donna Sweaney | Democratic |
Windsor | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Tess Taylor | Democratic |
Barre | A | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| George Till | Democratic |
Jericho | N | N | A | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | A |
| Kitty Toll | Democratic |
Danville | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | A |
| Maida Townsend | Democratic |
Randolph | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Matt Trieber | Democratic |
Rockingham | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | A | N |
| Donald Turner, Jr. | Republican |
Milton | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Linda Waite-Simpson | Democratic |
Essex Jct. | N | Y | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Kate Webb | Democratic |
Shelburne | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Jeff Wilson | Democratic |
Manchester | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Philip Winters | Republican |
Williamstown | A | A | A | A | Y | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Suzi Wizowaty | Democratic |
Burlington | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Mark Woodward | Democratic |
Johnson | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | A | N | A |
| Kurt Wright | Republican |
Burlington | Y | Y | Y | N | A | Y | N | Y | Y |
| Michael Yantachka | Democratic |
Charlotte | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N |
| Sam Young | Democratic |
Glover | N | N | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N |
| Teo Zagar | Democratic |
Barnard | – | – | – | – | Y | N | A | Y | N |
| 2011-2012 Vermont Senate Scorecard | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Party | Town | National Popular Vote | Green Mountain Care | Green Mountain Care | Green Mountain Care | Tax Bill | Free Speech | Health Exchange | CVPS Rebate | Cloud Computing | |
| Timothy Ashe | Democratic/ Vermont Progressive Party |
Chittenden | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Claire Ayer | Democratic |
Addison | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Philip Baruth | Democratic |
Chittenden | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Joe Benning | Republican |
Caledonia | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | |
| Randy Brock | Republican |
Franklin | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | |
| John Campbell | Democratic |
Windsor | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | A | Y | N | |
| Bill Carris | Democratic |
Rutland | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Ann Cummings | Democratic |
Washington | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| William E. Doyle | Republican |
Washington | N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | |
| Peg Flory | Republican |
Rutland | N | Y | Y | N | N | N | N | Y | Y | |
| Sally Fox | Democratic |
Chittenden | Y | N | N | Y | Y | A | Y | Y | N | |
| Peter Galbraith | Democratic |
Windham | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Harold Giard | Democratic |
Addison | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Robert Hartwell | Democratic |
Bennington | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | A | |
| Vincent Illuzzi | Republican |
Essex-Orleans N | Y | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Jane Kitchel | Democratic |
Caledonia | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | A | Y | Y | |
| Sara Branon Kittell | Democratic |
Franklin | Y | N | N | Y | A | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Virginia Lyons | Democratic |
Chittenden | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Mark MacDonald | Democratic |
Orange | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Richard Mazza | Democratic |
Grand Isle | Y | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | |
| Richard McCormack | Democratic |
Windsor | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Hinda Miller | Democratic |
Chittenden | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | |
| Kevin Mullin | Republican |
Rutland | N | N | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Alice Nitka | Democratic |
Windsor | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Anthony Pollina | Vermont Progressive Party/ Democratic |
Washington | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Richard Sears | Democratic |
Bennington | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
| Diane Snelling | Republican |
Chittenden | Y | N | N | N | A | Y | N | N | Y | |
| Robert Starr | Democratic |
Essex-Orleans | Y | Y | Y | N | N | Y | A | Y | Y | |
| Richard Westman | Republican |
Lamoille | N | Y | Y | N | A | Y | N | Y | N | |
| Jeanette White | Democratic |
Windham | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | |
Methodology
The institute chose key votes in the House and Senate to cover issues of public interest during the 2011-2012 biennial session. The report card was not meant to be a representation of the overall performance of any legislator, but only a report on how legislators voted on bills considered to be important in the eyes of the institute.
The House bills chosen by the institute included:
- Health Provider Taxes (H.436): An amendment to block proposed Medicaid tax increases on hospitals, nursing homes, and home health agencies.
- Green Mountain Care (H.202): An amendment to exclude self-insured companies from Green Mountain Care.
- Education Taxation (H.441): An amendment to block the governor’s proposal to reduce a budget transfer to the state's education fund by $27.5 million, which would require increasing education property tax rates.
- Green Mountain Care (H.202): A bill to begin the process of creating a universal and unified taxpayer-financed single-payer health care system.
- Education Property Tax Rate (H.754): Increased education property tax rates by two cents per $100 FMV.
- Health Benefits Exchange (H.559): Higley-Clark amendment to allow small businesses to purchase health insurance outside the government exchange.
- Green Mountain Care (H.559): Fagan amendment to require publication of GMC sustainable financing plan before 2012 election.
- Renewable Portfolio Standard (H.468): Would require the purchase of increasing percentages of renewable electricity for the next 20 years.
- CVPS Rebate (H.718): Browning amendment requiring CVPS/Gaz Metro to pay back ratepayers in the form of cash, as proposed by Gov. Shumlin.
The Senate bills chosen by the institute included:
- National Popular Vote (S.31): Would require Vermont to assign its three electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the largest number of popular votes nationally, regardless of that candidate's performance in Vermont.
- Green Mountain Care (H.202): An amendment to require publication of GMC sustainable financing plan before 2012 election.
- Green Mountain Care (H.202): An amendment to allow small businesses to purchase health insurance outside of the government exchange.
- Green Mountain Care (H.202): A bill to create a universal and unified taxpayer-financed single-payer health care system.
- Tax Bill (H.436): A bill to raise education property tax rates, cigarette and liquor taxes, and health care provider taxes.
- Health Benefits Exchange (H.559): A bill to create a health insurance exchange in 2014 in order to attract federal tax credits, which could then be diverted to financing Green Mountain Care in 2017.
- CVPS Rebate (H.781): An amendment to require the Public Service Board to require repayment of previous bailout funds to utility ratepayers, in event of a merger.
- Cloud Computing Tax (H.782): An amendment exempting downloading of cloud software from 6 percent use tax.
External links
See also
Footnotes
