Scott backs gun reform efforts

Gov. Phil Scott reiterated his support for stricter gun control laws at the Annual Governor’s Luncheon in Springfield on Monday.


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Scott Backs Gun Reform Efforts By Patrick O’Grady Valley News Correspondent Tuesday, March 27, 2018 Print Gov. Phil Scott Montpelier Vt. Springfield Rotary Springfield Vt Springfield, Vt. — Gov. Phil Scott reiterated his support for stricter gun control laws at the Annual Governor’s Luncheon in Springfield, Vt., on Monday. Speaking at the Hartness House, Scott quickly launched into a discussion about efforts to reform the state’s gun laws, telling the audience his support came from the realization that last month’s deadly shooting in Parkland, Fla., could in fact happen in rural Vermont. Days after the Feb. 14 shooting, police uncovered an alleged plot by a teen in Fair Haven, Vt., to commit a mass shooting. Scott said that awakened him to the reality that Vermont is not immune to such tragedies. “(Fair Haven) was eerily similar to what was unfolding before our eyes in Florida,” Scott said. “The reality of how close we came to real tragedy like Florida forced me to do some real soul-searching. Because I have said our gun laws were adequate. I believed that we were such a small, tight-knit state we were insulated from this type of event. But I was wrong.” As a result of Parkland, Scott said, he worked with his team to seek better ways to protect youth and communities. Scott’s changed outlook enhances the chance that gun legislation being drafted by lawmakers has a better chance of passage, depending on its final language. Scott said he needs to see the final version that hits his desk before he commits to signing the bill. “The details matter,” Scott said after the luncheon. After the Parkland shooting — which left 17 students and educators dead — Scott’s administration ordered an immediate security assessment of all schools in the state. He also requested an appropriation of $5 million to help schools upgrade security infrastructure. “I will also be issuing an executive order the next few days establishing a violence protection task force to examine all aspects of school safety and community protection as well. “As part of my action plan I asked for reforms that do not, and I repeat, do not infringe upon Second Amendment rights, because again, I believe in the Second Amendment,” Scott said. Scott’s gun proposals include a ban on bump stocks, measures to allow the temporary removal of firearms in the face of serious and credible threats of domestic violence, evaluation and improvement in the current background check system to make sure reporting requirements are adequate and being fully enforced. Scott said he would also give consideration to increasing the age limit to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, with certain exceptions, including members of the military and law enforcement. “To be clear, my recommendations do not take away any guns or gun rights from law abiding citizens. But I think most of us agree: No child should be afraid to go to school, and no parent should be afraid to put their kids on the bus,” Scott said. “But unfortunately in this ever-changing world that we have, we find ourselves with both of those scenarios. The time has come for us to be proactive.” Scott said the Vermont House will likely take another vote on a gun control bill that largely matches his proposals, possibly today, and then it will go back to the Senate. Other issues the governor discussed included the economy, education spending, the workforce and taxes. Scott said the tax cut passed by Congress and signed by President Trump late last year may have cut taxes at the federal level but because of the “complexities” of Vermont income tax system, the measure will add $30 million in additional income taxes at the state level, hitting families the hardest. “My administration introduced a state tax reform package to protect Vermont working families from that $30 million tax increase because of changes at the federal level,” Scott said. “My plan protects Vermonters from the increase and also simplifies the system.” The state House Ways and Means Committee took up the proposal, but Scott said he was disappointed that lawmakers tied it to an income tax surcharge for education spending. “I believe that muddies the waters and negates the many positive aspects my proposal would have made,” Scott said. The governor said lawmakers, like everyone else, want to see lower property taxes for education spending, but raising income taxes defeats the goal. “So far the Legislature’s discussion is focused on changes on how we pay for education. They propose lower property taxes but what we wanted was lower education taxes,” Scott said. “So what they have done is raise the income tax to balance that out but done nothing to contain costs. There has got be a way of finding efficiencies in the system.” We must work together to reform a system to contain costs or we will continue face education tax increase year after year. And I don’t believe Vermonters can afford that, and I can’t accept it.” Scott said he also rejects a proposal to raise the minimum wage over the next several years until it reaches $15 an hour. He said the Legislature’s own economists said the proposal would have a negative impact on jobs and have an even worse impact on towns, like Springfield, that border New Hampshire. Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com
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