Vermont: Terri Hallenbeck

As you read in today's Free Press, Sen. Ed Flanagan is no longer sure if he's running for lieutenant governor. He says he realized it was too early and he'll make a decision after the next legislative session, which ends in May.

Flanagan, of course, has reasons to reconsider. He has been accused of inappropriate behavior in the men's fitness center of the Burlington YMCA. He denies the allegations, though he says that as a result of the brain injury he suffered in a near-fatal 2005 car accident he has found his "discretionary capabilities" are off-kilter.

I spoke to many of his Senate colleagues yesterday to see whether they thought he could continue as a senator or as a lt.

Republican Chris Roy of Williston announced this morning that his candidacy for secretary of state is no longer exploratory, but is for real.

He also announced he has the endorsement of his former neighbor, Martha Rainville, who will serve as an honorary chair of his campaign. Rainville, former Vermont adjutant general and unsuccessful candidate for U.S. House, won't presumably be able to vote for Roy, however, as last we heard she was down D.C. way.

The Barre native and lawyer has a new campaign Web site: www.roy4sos.com.

He is among those who are presuming that Democrat Deb Markowitz won't be running for re-election. She is exploring a campaign for governor in 2010.

Charles Merriman, a Middlesex lawyer, is running for the office as a Democrat.

- Terri Hallenbeck

Mark your calendars, kids. Gov. Jim Douglas will veto the budget bill and is calling the Legislature back June 2.

"If my only choice is between allowing your fiscal 2010 budget to become
law or a veto, I must choose veto," Douglas' letter says. "I cannot abandon
Vermonters' long-term economic security for short-lived political accord."

Douglas acknowledged in the letter that the Legislature may be able to override his veto.

"If this budget becomes law over my veto _ and despite my repeated attempts to
forge a compromise that puts the public interest over special interests _ I am
prepared to accept that outcome. But understand that what you reap is what
you sow; the adverse effects of your tax and spending choices will ripple
through the Vermont economy for years to come and those consequences will be
your sole responsibility.

The much-in-flux 2010 state budget has about a million, maybe two, pieces to it. One that is kind of unusual is $350,000 to help Sterling College, which you can read about HERE.

Sterling, a 100-student college in the economically beleaguered Northeast Kingdom, says it needs the money to survive.

- Terri Hallenbeck