Nick Biddle is a retired professor of Latin American history who lives in Brattleboro and works with nonprofits in Vermont and Ecuador.
BRATTLEBORO-For the health of Vermont and the Democratic Party, Treasurer Mike Pieciak needs to declare his intentions.
While I am not thrilled with the Democratic Party and its tepid response to either Gov. Scott or President Trump, I urgently call for there to be a strong opponent to the governor in the next election.
Scott's recent actions show that his goal is not property tax relief so much as the destruction of public education. The foundation formula that he promotes will increase taxes for town residents affected by low property values, decrease funding, and force program cuts for parts of the state that have chosen to invest more in their kids.
Scott is not interested in Vermont tackling the climate crisis with job-creating and money-saving solutions that would improve affordability. He is not interested in reducing the crippling costs of health care; moreover, he helped kill a bill that would have invested $100 million a year in affordable housing for 10 years!
If Scott does not have a strong opponent in his next race for governor, he will use his time and money to further decimate the Legislature and thwart any attempt to address these critical issues, and we will all pay the price.
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The July 1 campaign finance report reminds us that in the current political environment of endless campaigning it is time to take stock of those who could forcefully challenge Scott.
Based upon the report's numbers, Pieciak is in the leading financial position to run for governor. Clearly, he has been fundraising, networking, and otherwise preparing for years for a gubernatorial campaign.
If that is his intention, now is the time to make it known.
The fact is that in the last two cycles, no candidate with sufficient experience, connections, or party backing ran against Phil Scott. That allowed him to use his campaign time, money, and apparatus to go on the offensive while Democrats sat on their heels.
For instance, in the last election, Democratic leadership in the House or the Senate did not hold a single press conference to either lay out an agenda on what their party stands for, or to counter the governor's lies about the cause of the Education Fund property tax increase.
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Critical issues hang in the balance. There is no time to lose.
In the current trajectory, taxes on working people will increase, public education will suffer, the climate crisis will worsen, Vermont will become less affordable, and the authoritarian march of the Republican Party will continue.
More than a few leaders in the state are ready and able to challenge Scott effectively. Pieciak is a strong candidate who has built a compelling campaign apparatus, but to continue hedging on announcing his intentions is to damage the Democratic Party, the Progressive Party, and the people of Vermont.
Run, Mike, run - and announce it loudly, stand up for our kids and our public schools, our climate, and our working Vermonters. Or step aside now, so that another strong candidate can ready a powerful campaign.
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