Bill in Legislature
Would Restructure
County Budgeting
By M. D. Drysdale

Rep. Philip Winters, a Republican state representative from Williamstown, is one of five sponsors of a bill amending the county budget approval process by providing oversight of the side judges’ budget.

Randolph State Rep. and Selectman Jim Hutchinson said he and Bradford Rep. Harvey Otterman also are looking into a similar change. Hutchinson said he has scheduled a session with an expert from the Legislative Council.

It’s not clear to him, he said, whether the changes he wants could be accomplished by statute or whether the state constitution would have to be amended.

Rep. Winters said this week he was asked to sign on by the chief sponsor of H-738, Rep. Heidi Scheuermann of Stowe.

"In view of what we have recently gone through in Orange County, it would be a good time to take a look," he said.

The budget approval in Orange County this year has been delayed because the two side judges, who are authorized to write the budget, couldn’t agree. Judges Prudence Pease and Maurice "Moe" Brown at one time presented two entirely different budgets and only were able to compromise on a proposal though the use of an intermediary.

The rancorous hearings on the budget also spotlighted the fact that there is no provision for any review of whatever budget the side judges do approve.

H-738 establishes a county budget committee, made up of a member of the legislative body of each municipality in the county, that will have the ultimate authority for approving the county budget.

The two side judges would be directed to present a detailed report of the preliminary proposed county budget to the members of the committee at a budget meeting. The bill spells out the specific information to be included in the report.

The major change in the current process is the amendment of 24 VSA section 133. Currently, after the side judges "review the proposed budget of the county in light of any discussion thereon," they can simply approve the budget themselves. Then they deliver an order to the county treasurer to collect taxes from the various towns in the county.  

If the proposed bill passes, however, the county budget committee will vote to approve or reject the proposed budget at the annual meeting.

The bill also moves up the budget hearing a month.

Other sponsors represent Arlington, Ripton, and Wilmington.

The bill is currently in the Government Operations Committee; it received its first read on Jan. 29. Rep. Winters cautioned that it is a little late in the legislative session to introduce totally new legislation, but he hopes it at least gets a good look by the committee.