Phillip Scott (politician)

For other people named Phillip Scott, see Phillip Scott (disambiguation).
Phil Scott
79th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
Assumed office
January 6, 2011
Governor Peter Shumlin
Preceded by Brian Dubie
Personal details
Born (1958-08-04) August 4, 1958
Barre, Vermont, U.S.
Political party Republican
Alma mater University of Vermont

Phillip "Phil" Scott (born August 4, 1958) is an American politician who is the current Lieutenant Governor of Vermont, an office he has held since 2011. Previously, he was a Vermont State Senator representing the Washington County Senate District from 2001 through 2011. He is the co-owner of DuBois Construction, a small construction business located in Middlesex, Vermont.[1]

Early life

Scott was born in Barre, Vermont on August 4, 1958. He graduated from Barre's Spaulding High School in 1976, and is a 1980 graduate of the University of Vermont, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Education.

Business career

Scott began working as a summer construction laborer at DuBois Construction in Middlesex after his high school graduation. In 1986 he became a co-owner. Scott is past President of the Associated General Contractors of Vermont.[2]

Racing career

Scott is a champion stock car racer. He won the 1996 and 1998 Thunder Road Late Model Series championships and the 1997 and 1999 Thunder Road Milk Bowls.

In 2002, he became a three-time champion, winning both the Thunder Road and Airborne LMS track championships and the coveted American Canadian Tour championship. To date, he is the most winning driver at Thunder Road in the modern era with 26 career wins in the track's weekly series. He also competed in the 2005 BRISCA Formula One Championship of the World where he did not finish.[3]

Political career

Vermont Senate

A Republican, Scott was elected to the Vermont Senate in 2000, representing the Washington County Senate District. He was reelected four times, and served from 2001 to 2011. During his Senate career, he was the Vice-Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and Chair of the Senate Institutions Committee. He previously served as a member of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee.[4] As Chair of the Senate Institutions Committee, Scott changed the practices for guiding the state's capital construction budget by establishing an affordable threshold of expenditures, ensuring that expenditures are allocated to long-term investments in infrastructure, and creating a fair process for distributing grants.[5]

During his time in the Senate, Scott served on several special committees, including the Judicial Nominating Board, the Legislative Advisory Committee on the State House, the Joint Oversight Corrections Committee, and the Legislative Council Committee, among others.[6]

Lieutenant Governor

On November 2, 2010, Scott was elected the 79th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont,[7] assuming office January 6, 2011. He was reelected in 2012, defeating Cassandra Gekas, and elected for a third term in 2014, defeating Dean Corren.

As Lieutenant Governor, Scott presides over the Vermont Senate when it is in session. In addition, he serves as a member of the committee on committees, the three-member panel which determines Senate committee assignments and appoints committee chairpersons and vice chairpersons. In the event of a tie vote in the Vermont Senate, Scott is tasked with casting a tie-breaking vote. Scott also serves as acting governor when the governor is out of state.[8]

Scott's office maintains an open door policy, where his State House office door is always open.[9]

Scott also serves as Chair of the Emergency Preparedness Council, where he works with the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, as well as other agencies and departments, on security matters impacting Vermont.[10]

In his capacity as Lieutenant Governor, Scott started a "Vermont Everyday Jobs" initiative, where he spends time working in different jobs throughout the state in order to gain a better understanding of what state government can do to help Vermont businesses work.[11]

As Lieutenant Governor, Scott has been a strong proponent of Vermont's "Buy Local" initiative.[12]

In both electives offices, Scott has been active with a number of community service projects. In 2005, Scott founded the Wheels for Warmth program, which has raised more than $309,000 for heating fuel assistance programs in Vermont.[13] In 2011, Scott relied on his experience in and contacts with the construction industry to organize the removal and disposal of mobile homes destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene, an effort which was completed at no cost to the homeowners, and without requiring an expenditure of state funds.[14]

Job Approval

As of September 2015, Scott maintains both high name recognition and favorability among Vermont residents. A poll conducted by the Castleton University Polling Institute found that more than three-quarters of Vermonters knew who Scott was, and that among those who were able to identify him, 70% viewed him favorably.[15] Despite being a Republican himself, the same poll found that 59% of self-identified Democrats held a favorable view of Scott, while only 15% held an unfavorable view of him.[15]

National Lieutenant Governor's Association Activities

Scott has been an active member of the National Lieutenant Governor's Association (NLGA). He is currently a member of the NLGA Executive Committee and the NLGA Finance Committee.[16][17] As a member of the NLGA, Scott joined fellow Lieutenant Governors across the country in two bi-partisan letters opposing proposed cuts to the Army National Guard in both 2014 and 2015.[18][19] Scott was a lead sponsor on a NLGA resolution to develop a long-term vision for surface transportation in the United States.[20] Scott was also a co-sponsor on resolutions to recognize the importance of arts and culture in tourism to the United States economy, to support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, to support designating a National Arts in Education Week, and to support a comprehensive system to end homelessness among veterans in the United States.[21][22][23][24]

Political Positions

Fiscal and Budgetary Issues

If elected, Scott has pledged to order an independent audit of all Vermont agencies, departments and systems.[25] Scott has called for holding the line on any additional taxes and fees, and has pledged to veto any budget that grows faster than the growth rate of the underlying economy or wages in the previous year, if elected.[25][26] Scott has also expressed his intent to avoid using one-time funds to plug recurring budget deficits and to establish bonding practices that emphasize a longer-term outlook.[25]

Economic Development

Streamlining Business Permits

As a Senator, Scott introduced legislation to streamline the business permitting process in order to mitigate barriers to economic development. The legislation would have consolidated existing routes of permit appeals, simplified the district environmental commission permit review process, and made other miscellaneous changes to permitting law.[27] Scott also voted for similar legislation to consolidate permitting routes, streamline permit appeals, and make other changes to existing law with the intent of enhancing economic development.[28] This legislation was ultimately signed into law as Act 115 of 2003.[29]

Downtown Growth Incentives

Scott was a co-sponsor of bi-partisan legislation that intended to promote economic development in downtown areas by expanding economic incentives and benefits to town centers, and creating Act 250-exempt downtown zones.[30] Scott voted for similar legislation (which was implemented as part of Act 183 of 2006) to designate downtown growth centers and create a downtown tax credit program.[31][32]

Job Creation, Economic Incentives, and Demographics

Scott co-sponsored legislation that intended to stimulated job creation through expanding financing to small businesses, creating an income tax credit for certain capital investments in Vermont businesses, creating a partnership organization to invest funds in commercial and agricultural enterprises that enhance economic development, authorizing Vermont agencies to offer loans through agricultural and small business programs, creating a sales tax holiday for certain types of purchases, and enacting other miscellaneous economic development incentives.[33] Scott voted for similar legislation which passed (Act 67 of 2003) and also included a research and development tax credit, as well as a sustainable technology export tax credit.[34][35]

Scott voted to direct American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 resources toward the Vermont Entrepreneurs' Seed Capital Fund, the Vermont Economic Development Authority, the Job Start Loan Fund, the Agricultural Debt Consolidation Program, the Vermont Jobs Fund, the Micro-Business Development Program, and various other economic development related funds.[36][37] This proposal was ultimately enacted in Act 78 of 2010.[37] If elected, Scott has set a goal to boost the state's economy by increasing the state's population to 700,000 in 10 years, specifically in key working-age demographic groups.[38]

Health Care

Scott has called for transitioning away from Vermont Health Connect and onto a different model, either the federal health exchange or a multi-state partnership.[39][40] Scott supports eliminating the small business mandate for enrolling in health insurance plans through Vermont Health Connect.[41]

As a Senator, Scott voted for Act 191 of 2006, a comprehensive health care reform bill.[42] The legislation expanded access to health care by providing subsidies to uninsured Vermont residents to purchase private insurance on a sliding scale basis.[43][44] The act was also designed to cut health care costs through providing healthy lifestyle insurance discounts to those who participated in programs that improved wellness and prevented disease.[43][44] Within two years of the law's implementation, Vermont's uninsured rate declined by 25%.[44]

Education

Scott has called for modifying Act 46 to improve cost containment measures, incorporate property tax reduction, preserve local control and school choice, and allow communities to keep the funds that they save through school district mergers.[45] Scott has expressed support for flexible learning plans and the utilization of new technologies in the classroom in order to improve educational outcomes.[25] Scott has indicated that as Governor, he would increase investments in early education, job training, higher education, and technical education programs.[46]

As a Senator, Scott voted for legislation to reduce education property tax rates.[47][48]

Violent and Sex Crimes

Scott was a co-sponsor of Act 83 of 2005 (also known as "The Safe Communities Act"), which increased the scope of stalking laws, increased penalties for stalking with a deadly weapon, designated and made information publicly available regarding high-risk sex offenders, authorized special investigation units for sex crimes, domestic abuse, and violent crimes, affirmed the right of law enforcement to engage in community notification if law enforcement believed a sex offender posed a risk to the community, and made publicly available certain pre-1996 sex offense convictions.[49][50] Scott also voted for Act 192 of 2006 (also known as "The Sexual Violence Prevention Act"), which increased penalties for sexual assault, as well as lewd and lascivious conduct with a child, expanded special investigation units which specialize in investigating sex crimes, increased public access to the sex offender registry, and made other miscellaneous changes to existing criminal law.[51][49] Scott voted for Act 58 of 2009, which expanded the sex offender registry and improved the prosecution of sex offenders.[52][53]

Social Issues

Scott is both pro-choice and supports marriage equality.[54]

Personal life

He lives in Berlin, Vermont with his wife Diana McTeague Scott, and has two grown daughters, Erica and Rachael.[55]

On January 6, 2012, a fire at Dubois Construction caused substantial damage to the business Scott co-owns.[56][57]

Campaign for Governor

In September 2015, Scott announced his candidacy for Governor of Vermont.[58]

An early 2016 poll commissioned by Vermont Public Radio and conducted by the Castleton University Polling Institute indicated that among the two candidates for the Republican nomination for governor, Scott was preferred by 42% of respondents compared to 4% for candidate Bruce Lisman.[59] Among those who were certain of who they hoped to see elected governor in 2016, Scott was the top choice among the four major candidates in the race at that time, with 66% of respondents indicating they hoped to see Scott elected, 15% indicating they hoped to see Democratic candidate Matt Dunne elected, 12% indicating they hoped to see Democratic candidate Sue Minter elected, and 3% indicating they hoped to see Republican candidate Bruce Lisman elected.[60]

On May 8, 2016, Scott received the endorsements of nearly all of the Vermont Republican legislators.[61]

Electoral History

2014 Vermont Lieutenant Governor General Election[62]

Party Candidate Votes % Winner
Republican Phil Scott 118,949 62.2 ✓
Progressive Dean Corren 69,005 36.1
Liberty Union Marina Brown 3,347 1.7

2012 Vermont Lieutenant Governor General Election[63]

Party Candidate Votes % Winner
Republican Phil Scott 162,608 57.2 ✓
Democratic Cassandra Gekas 114,885 40.4
Liberty Union Ben Mitchell 6,964 2.4

2010 Vermont Lieutenant Governor General Election[64]

Party Candidate Votes % Winner
Republican Phil Scott 116,198 49.4 ✓
Democratic Steve Howard 99,843 42.5
Independent Peter Garritano 8,627 3.7
Progressive Marjorie Power 8,287 3.5
Liberty Union Boots Wardinski 2,228 0.9

2010 Vermont Lieutenant Governor Republican Primary Election[65]

Party Candidate Votes % Winner
Republican Phil Scott 15,981 56.1 ✓
Republican Mark Snelling 12,389 43.5

2008 Washington County Senate District General Election[66]

Party Candidate Votes Winners
Republican Phil Scott 15,763 ✓
Democratic Ann Cummings 15,291 ✓
Republican William "Bill" Doyle 15,089 ✓
Democratic Kimberly B. Cheney 11,673
Democratic Laura Day Moore 10,847
Republican John R. Gilligan 5,660

2006 Washington County Senate District General Election[67]

Party Candidate Votes Winners
Democratic Ann Cummings 14,416 ✓
Republican William "Bill" Doyle 12,994 ✓
Republican Phil Scott 12,595 ✓
Democratic Kimberly B. Cheney 11,685
Democratic Donny Osman 11,154
Republican Jim Parker 7,573

2004 Washington County Senate District General Election[68]

Party Candidate Votes Winners
Republican William "Bill" Doyle 16,274 ✓
Democratic Ann Cummings 16,134 ✓
Republican Phil Scott 13,294 ✓
Democratic Kimberly B. Cheney 13,064
Democratic Michael Roche 9,242
Republican J. Paul Giuliani 9,194

2002 Washington County Senate District General Election[69]

Party Candidate Votes Winners
Republican William "Bill" Doyle 13,017 ✓
Democratic Ann Cummings 11,213 ✓
Republican Phil Scott 10,849 ✓
Republican J. Paul Giuliani 8,982
Democratic Kimberly B. Cheney 8,450
Democratic Charles Phillips 6,822

2000 Washington County Senate District General Election[70]

Party Candidate Votes Winners
Republican William "Bill" Doyle 15,298 ✓
Republican Phil Scott 13,412 ✓
Democratic Ann Cummings 12,220 ✓
Republican J. Paul Giuliani 11,997
Democratic Warren F. Kitzmiller 11,378
Democratic Paul N. Porier 10,276

References

  1. ↑ "About Phil Scott - Early Years, Personal History & More". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  2. ↑ {http://www.agcvt.org/page/8/}
  3. ↑ "Phil Scott scores wire-to-wire victory". Barre-Montpelier (Vt.) Times-Argus. June 14, 2010.
  4. ↑ "JOURNAL OF THE VERMONT SENATE". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  5. ↑ "Responsible Budgeting - Phil Scott For Governor". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  6. ↑ "Senator Phil Scott". legislature.vermont.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  7. ↑ "Phil Scott elected Vermont Lieutenant Governor". The Burlington Free Press. Associated Press. November 3, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  8. ↑ "About Vermont Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott | Lieutenant Governor". ltgov.vermont.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  9. ↑ "Open Door Policy - Phil Scott For Governor". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  10. ↑ "Public Safety and Our Youth - Phil Scott For Governor". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  11. ↑ "Vermont Everyday Jobs | Lieutenant Governor". ltgov.vermont.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  12. ↑ "Buy Local | Lieutenant Governor". ltgov.vermont.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  13. ↑ "About Phil Scott - Early Years, Personal History & More". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  14. ↑ "About Vermont Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott | Lieutenant Governor". ltgov.vermont.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  15. 1 2 Hirschfeld, Peter. "Castleton Poll Gives An Early Look At Vermont Gubernatorial Race". digital.vpr.net. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  16. ↑ "Officers & Executive Committee | National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA)". www.nlga.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  17. ↑ "Operational Committees | National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA)". www.nlga.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  18. ↑ "National Lieutenant Governors Association April 2014" (PDF).
  19. ↑ "National Lieutenant Governors Association April 2015" (PDF).
  20. ↑ "RESOLUTION TO DEVELOP A SHARED, LONG TERM VISION FOR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION" (PDF).
  21. ↑ "Recognizing the Importance of Arts and Culture in Tourism to the Economy of the United States" (PDF).
  22. ↑ "RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF STEM EDUCATION INITIATIVE" (PDF).
  23. ↑ "Resolution in Support of Designating the Week of September 13-19, 2015 as National Arts in Education Week" (PDF).
  24. ↑ "A Resolution In Support Of Comprehensive, Coordinated Systems to End Homelessness Among Veterans" (PDF).
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Making Vermont More Affordable - Phil Scott For Governor". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  26. ↑ "It's not too late to do the right thing for Vermont now. - Phil Scott For Governor". Phil Scott For Governor. 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  27. ↑ "Legislative Documents". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  28. ↑ "The Vermont Legislative Bill Tracking System". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  29. ↑ "Legislative Documents". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  30. ↑ "BILL AS INTRODUCED". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  31. ↑ "The Vermont Legislative Bill Tracking System". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  32. ↑ "Legislative Documents". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  33. ↑ "Legislative Documents". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  34. ↑ "Legislative Documents". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  35. ↑ "The Vermont Legislative Bill Tracking System". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  36. ↑ "Roll Call S.288 (Act 78)". legislature.vermont.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  37. 1 2 "Act No. 78 of 2010".
  38. ↑ "Margolis: VT's slow population growth might be the norm". VTDigger. 2016-02-21. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  39. ↑ "Making Vermont More Affordable - Phil Scott For Governor". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  40. ↑ Midura, Kyle. "Vermont Health Connect down for repairs". www.wcax.com. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  41. ↑ "Making Vermont More Affordable - Phil Scott For Governor". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  42. ↑ "The Vermont Legislative Bill Tracking System". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  43. 1 2 "Legislative Documents". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  44. 1 2 3 Douglas, James (2011). The Douglas Years. pp. 40, 77, 193.
  45. ↑ "Making Vermont More Affordable - Phil Scott For Governor". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  46. ↑ "Phil's remarks from the The Vermont Early Childhood Alliance Forum #ECDL - Phil Scott For Governor". Phil Scott For Governor. 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  47. ↑ "The Vermont Legislative Bill Tracking System". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  48. ↑ "Legislative Documents". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  49. 1 2 "2004 -2007 Legislative Acts Regarding Sex Offenses" (PDF).
  50. ↑ "The Vermont Legislative Bill Tracking System". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  51. ↑ "The Vermont Legislative Bill Tracking System". www.leg.state.vt.us. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  52. ↑ "Roll Call S.125 (Act 58)". legislature.vermont.gov. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  53. ↑ "Summary of Act No. 58".
  54. ↑ Thurston, Jack. "In liberal Vt., Republican Lt. Gov. manages win". WPTZ. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  55. ↑ "About Phil Scott - Early Years, Personal History & More". Phil Scott For Governor. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  56. ↑ Newspaper article, Building of Construction Firm Owned by Vermont Lieutenant Governor Burns in Middlesex, burlingtonfreepress.com, January 6, 2012.
  57. ↑ "Fire Engulfs DuBois Construction Headquarters", Barre-Montpelier Times Argus, January 6, 2012
  58. ↑ Phil Scott to run for Governor, wcax.com; accessed September 13, 2015.
  59. ↑ Butler, Taylor Dobbs, Jonathan. "The VPR Poll: The Races, The Issues And The Full Results". digital.vpr.net. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  60. ↑ Butler, Taylor Dobbs, Jonathan. "The VPR Poll: The Races, The Issues And The Full Results". digital.vpr.net. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  61. ↑ "Republican legislators endorse Phil Scott for governor | Vermont Business Magazine". www.vermontbiz.com. Retrieved 2016-05-05.
  62. ↑ "VT Elections Database » 2014 Lieutenant Governor General Election". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  63. ↑ "VT Elections Database » 2012 Lieutenant Governor General Election". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  64. ↑ "VT Elections Database » 2010 Lieutenant Governor General Election". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  65. ↑ "VT Elections Database » 2010 Lieutenant Governor Republican Primary". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  66. ↑ "VT Elections Database » 2008 State Senator General Election Washington District". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  67. ↑ "VT Elections Database » 2006 State Senator General Election Washington District". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  68. ↑ "VT Elections Database » 2004 State Senator General Election Washington District". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  69. ↑ "VT Elections Database » 2002 State Senator General Election Washington District". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  70. ↑ "VT Elections Database » 2000 State Senator General Election Washington District". VT Elections Database. Retrieved 2016-04-29.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Brian Dubie		 Lieutenant Governor of Vermont
2011–present 		Incumbent
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