Area Legislators Get
Crucial Assignments

White River Valley legislators received their committee appointments this week, including a couple of leadership posts.

In the House, Randolph Democrat Jim Hutchinson of Randolph accepted a choice appointment to the Appropriations Committee and Republican Phil Winters was placed on Ways & Means. These two "money committees" are considered the most powerful in the House of Representatives.

Newly elected Rep. David Ainsworth of Royalton, a dairy farmer, won a place on the Agriculture Committee and newcomers Margaret Cheney of Norwich and Mark Mitchell of Barnard will join the Natural Resources & Energy Committee.

The Human Services Committee will host Patsy French of Randolph and Sandy Haas of Rochester.

Veteran Rep. Jim Masland, a Thetford Democrat, was given a leadership post as the vice-chairman of the Transportation Committee.

Assignments are the sole responsibility of House Speaker Gaye Symington. They are important because most of a legislator's work is accomplished within his or her committee.

Symington appointed Democratic chairs to 12 of the 14 House committees, but the vice-chairs were split 50-50 between political parties.

Senators

In the Senate, Mark MacDonald of Williamstown became the vice-chair of the Natural Resources and Energy Committee and will serve on the important Finance Committee.

Sen. John Campbell of Woodstock, who is also majority leader, will be vice-chair of Judiciary and serve on Institutions.

Sen. Dick McCormack of Bethel, making a return to the Senate, was appointed to the Finance and Natural Resources Committee.

First-time Senator Alice Nitka of Ludlow received assignments on the Education and Judiciary panels.