Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gaye Symington (D-Jericho) attacked her Republican opponent, Gov. Jim Douglas, Wednesday after the Joint Fiscal Committee reached an agreement with the administration on state budget cuts.

“It’s astounding that Governor Douglas is fighting to keep his million-dollar PR operation while sacrificing services vital to Vermonters,” House Speaker Symington said in a statement. “The Governor has repeatedly been asked by legislators to reduce spending on public relations and each time he has stubbornly refused.”

Symington criticized the governor for preserving at least seven tax-payer funded public relations positions in the state budget.

Douglas spokesman Jason Gibbs said the administration put progress ahead of partisanship and it was a collaborative effort with the Democratic chairwoman of the House and Senate money committees.

 “The Speaker is clearly out of touch with her own majority,” Gibbs said.  “Her reaction is a slap in the face of responsible Democratic leaders -- including her own appropriation chair in the House -- who worked closely with the administration to reach an agreement.  Apparently she's too busy running away from her record of advocating for higher taxes and no-growth policies that stifle economic growth to actually do her job of running the House of Representatives.”

In light of a sagging economic forecast the Douglas administration made efforts to trim $32 million from the state budget last week.

The only exceptions to Douglas’ recommendations were not to reduce funding for more than $400,000 in cuts to child-care subsidies that helps low-income families pay for day care. The Joint Fiscal Committee also did not approve a reduction of $165,000 to the Assisted Community Care Services rate within the Medicaid program.

“He obviously has the wrong priorities,” Symington said. “He would rather promote himself and his administration than fund the affordable housing, college scholarships, job training and other critical programs Vermonters need.”