By Senator Alice Nitka, Windsor County, January 13, 2012
The Appropriations Committees in the Senate and House of Representatives are working on the Budget Adjustment Bill which addresses the ups and downs of the State Budget for Fiscal Year 2012. The FY runs from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 and at this mid year budget point there are unexpected budget needs. We left the State House in May, 2011 with a balanced budget and had set aside some money for unexpected needs, but of course not of the magnitude of need that Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene created.
We are receiving detailed reports of what was spent on Irene by some of the state agencies and our own activated VT National Guard for the work they did from August 28 to September 30. Deputy Adjutant General Thomas Drew testified as to equipment and fuel costs incurred by the Guard that were submitted to the federal government for reimbursement. The majority of this equipment was used in Cavendish on Route 131, in West Dover and in Rutland. Many of you saw these big pieces of equipment. I know many people in Cavendish stood along what was left of their roads and cried when they saw them arriving with their soldiers as it was such an emotional event and they were so grateful. Unfortunately one soldier, Shawn Stocker, died while on duty there with his unit and those that met him won’t forget him either. The Deputy Adj. General paid tribute to him in his testimony as well.
You might be interested in what certain pieces “rent” for each day so here is a selection: grader $609; dozer D-7 $1,083; 20 ton dump truck $60; 5 ton dump truck $40; roller vibe $503; 2.5 yard loader $447; 5 yard loader $961; a 916 tractor $68; an HMMWV fueler $109; plus various vans, buses and trucks at different prices. The total rental cost for the Army Guard ground vehicles was $274,501 with fuel costs of $42,271. (I’d like to see the behemoth dozer D-7 at $1,083 per day.)
The Air National Guard which was involved in search and rescue, food and supply drops, reconnaissance, damage assessments, etc. had fuel costs of $107,000. One pick up of fuel cost $13,869 for 3,700 gallons in Portsmouth, NH. There was a $25,000 bill for subsistence (MREs) that also came under equipment. Of the $691,000 Air and Army Guard equipment bill submitted, the hope is to be reimbursed for 75% and the remainder will come out of the state General Fund. These numbers in no way reflect the total cost of the Guard providing disaster response and emergency service to our state following Irene as those costs will be paid by the federal government. VT Emergency Management requested out of state Guard troops and their costs will come under FEMA. Great job by all these people!
Ready for passage is H-461 which will reimburse towns, in certain situations for education property tax abatements that were granted for taxes abated following Irene and other incidents earlier in the year. The deadline to apply for these abatements is April 15, 2012. This is a bill that will really help towns hard hit by the flooding that had homes and businesses destroyed and severely damaged.
Contact me at home at 228-8432, the State House at 1-800-322-5616 or at [email protected] or P.O. Box 136, Ludlow, VT 05149 Find schedules and bills at www.leg.state.vt.us.
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