Primary, he got enough writein votes to be the nominee for the democratic and progressive parties. Prior to becoming Lieutenant Governor, he served in the vermont house and senate for a combined 14 years. He runs an organic farm with his wife. Welcome to you both. Its a pleasure to have you on this debate with us today. Thanks for being here. Thank you for having us. Thank you. Were going to have a round of questions that i ask to start off and then youll be able to ask questions of one another. In the last third of this debate, well have questions from listeners including some from local High School Students. Well throw in lightning round questions if we have time and i will give you a chance to offer final thoughts when i lets get started. You will have one minute to answer these questions and if i ask you a followup you will have a minute to answer that. In january the governor will be dealing with significant unemployment and an uncertain Economic Future including the potential for shutdowns in hospitality, skiing industry, schools and businesses as we see what happens with covid19 infections. The budget process was aided by major influx of federal funds that could be used for covid19 relief. Given the uncertainty that significantly more federal funds will be forthcoming to the state how are you thinking about balancing the budget without further harming the most vulnerable . Scott we have already done that. We went through the last quarter of this budget, the legislature is voting to vote on that and working with their conference committees so we are able to balance the budget without reducing any of those benefits for those in need by using surpluses from last years budget. We were fortunate to come to a place where we have surpluses available which is incredible, this past fiscal year being with the pandemic but we still have surpluses for the third or fourth year so we are very fortunate to have that by our side. 22 will be a different story, that will be very challenging and we have to get back to fiscal fundamentals. Moderator what will happen in fiscal 22, what is the strategy knowing the uncertainty of the economic picture and federal funds . Scott we can note the same playbook weve been using the last few years that get us to a point that brings taxes or fees of significance and we will continue to do that. The legislature usually takes a major reaction when money is tight so that is the easy way out. This is a time to get back to the fundamentals and make sure we apply for those in need but also focus on we have an opportunity to do so. Moderator how would you think about the right way to balance the budget while protecting those who probably need more money . Zuckerman it is important to remember before we knew we had the surplus revenue from last year the governor, cutting 5 acrosstheboard, thats not going to care for the most vulnerable. When we cut 5 the majority of that is in Human Services, the programs that support vulnerable people. The rainy day fund, we have one of the most robust in the country to help us get through. I would look to Governor Dick snellen who when times are tight said we can lean on the wealth system to say lets get through these difficult times. We need to make sure we do not do an austerity budget the cut support for our most vulnerable, Cutting Services we need, cut the future out from our children, this governor was ready to cut the funding or not provide the funding to bridge the gap for State Colleges. We cannot go into the january budget thinking we can cut our way out of the problem. We need to find efficiencies and use our money well but not for vulnerable citizens. Moderator areas where you see increasing taxes, weve been hearing a lot, hearing about buying houses, moving in from other places, is that an area you would look to . As i referenced a moment ago we could look to new folks who move here. We need to make sure when they move here they recognize the prices and Affordable Housing. Struggling vermonters are forced out of the housing market. We need to do a budget that supports hardworking struggling vermonters to get through this pandemic. We are doing very well with respect to our health and this moment and covid19 rates. We need to keep it that way and make sure vermonters dont suffer due to the economic struggle by way of cuts the governor proposed this spring that he carried forward next year as well from the sound of it. Moderator the second question. We have entered the fifth week of protesters occupying battery park, the firing of three Burlington PoliceDepartment Officers among other things. This week they secured the departure of one officer, a sergeant. You call that particular situation a totally local issue but the issue of Racial Justice and policing is far from a growing issue as you know. Protesters around the country want Police Department that are structured, so much money goes to fund them and what their role is in society with a name toward addressing racial inequality in the Justice System and beyond and disproportionate racial inequality of black americans who are killed at the hands of police. Even for those who dont align themselves with the black lies matter movement, many believe changes need to be played in society particularly when it comes to how to deal with people experiencing Mental Health issues and how Police Officers are trained. What is your vision for policing in the 21stcentury . Zuckerman we have to look at policing more as Public Safety and community service. We need to look at reverend out sharptons remarks with respect to the Funding Police where we reprioritize funding in a way legislature started to do this year indicating we should have Mental Health workers with Law Enforcement officers when they approach these situations, we can the escalate those situations with different expertise than that brought forth with Law Enforcement. We need to work handinhand to make sure Law Enforcement is trained well with respect to implicit bias and deescalation techniques so we dont end up with situations like we had in burlington and other parts of the state where folks end up feeling like the police are not there any cooperative protective approach. We have to honor our Law Enforcement officers, they are going into situations never knowing what the situation might be, what harm might befall them or others. There is a balance in the training of Law Enforcement and respect to them and making sure we support our communities with Public Safety. Moderator would you reduce funds to state police . Zuckerman it is not about reducing funds but it is not reprioritizing, making sure to use them as they are now legislature shifting those resources to add Mental Health professionals, social workers and others. Moderator social workers and Mental Health workers embedded in the Police Department, not the poorly funded and separate from the Police Department . We need both as we saw in the Franklin County and grand isle barracks when experts went with Law Enforcement as part of the Law Enforcement team and Public Safety team. Theyve seen Great Results reducing the number of people arrested and put in jail, looking at some folks for the needs they have with Mental Health issues and a Public Health issue or realizing this person is strained because Housing Needs or economic stress and making sure they get connected to issues, the support in Human Services arena and they face huge issues with addiction and substance abuse, we need to help them, not put them in jail. Moderator what is your vision . Scott im glad to hear the Lieutenant Governor agreeing with my Budget Proposal as he sat behind me in the budget address in january with my Budget Proposal that would have been Mental Health professionals in the barracks. We have the project we have been utilizing the last 2 or 3 years that has been successful in Franklin County, we wanted to expand through all barracks, very happy that they are agreeing with that. This is what we have been advocating for, with the state police, expanding on that, we need to Work Together, Law Enforcement, communities of color, we need both sides, black lives do that and i believe again we are making significant progress in that regard but we cant stop. This is an ongoing effort, not a won and done approach. This is going to take everyone working together to make significant change. Moderator state legislature has overridden governor scotts veto of the Global Warming solution act, the mandate to aggressively reduce Carbon Emissions or it can face legal battles. The governor and legislature have limited say in how the state meets those standards. Much of that power falls to a 23 person panel but many of the Panel Members are officials in the government administration. That is in some ways your real influence in shaping our Emission Reduction strategy. How does that affect who you choose to have in these key positions in your administration . Scott let me remind everyone, i dont like unaccountable counsel of 23 members appointed by the legislature by the administration, only takes a course of 12. We dont need the administration to do that but that wasnt what was unconstitutional from my perspective. They can advocate their authority, give it to anybody they want but they cant circumvent the administrations executive branch and that is what they did. They dont have to come back to the legislature for approval and what they do, the majority of members to debate this. This is why it is unconstitutional. The bill is flawed. Climate change is real and we need to reduce Carbon Emissions to eliminate and address Carbon Emissions as well as address Climate Change. From my perspective this is political to check the box like the easy button for staples, you just press it, we saw Climate Change. Nonetheless presumably, there are lawsuits who change the course of what happens, you put people onto the panel, would you change if you are reelected. They are pretty prescriptive so they have to be Administration Officials and secretaries and cabinet members. We will play the bill. It is a bad bill. Moderator in thinking about who you put in these administrative seats and what our admission strategy is. Zuckerman the Climate Crisis is real, i get it every day, farmers are digging deeper, we have fires in the mountains, this issue has been mounting for years and there has been in action at the governors level. He created his own commission and didnt follow the vast majority of those recommendations. The legislature is saying it is no longer okay to just put forward goals that are ambiguous. Government as a whole needs to be held accountable. When it comes to my administration i have been talking for a long time about breaking down the silos. The secretary of Human Services thinking about the whole global picture from economic struggles, housing struggles and how the Environmental Issues impact them, that is the case with all my secretaries. I welcome this bill, my administration is looking at all the issues from the differences, i will appoint people who will look at the environment as well as their specific focus in their agency. Steny hoyer are you concerned about the state being suited if not meeting its standards . Zuckerman the attorney general reviewed the bill and said it is constitutional regardless of those that arent lawyers claiming that it is not and when you look at the Legal Framework the legislature restricted where and how those suits can be done with respect to damages or expert witnesses and the cost that come into it. The ideas to give citizens the power because we as elected officials have not done the job. Lets look at the impact of the maple industry, the ski industry, tourism industry, waterways, agriculture, we have opportunities to build a climate economy for the future looking at sequestering carbon in our soil through agriculture and forest 3, weatherizing peoples homes and saving them money on their bills, need to be looking forward and adjusting the Climate Crisis and this will stand up to legal scrutiny. Moderator this is the vermont pbs 2020 debate series, we are hearing from davids a come in and fill scott. When we come back, you can question one another on their policies and priorities, stay with us. This is the vpr vermont pbs 2020 debate series. Today we are hearing from two candidates for governor, incumbent governor phil scott, republican nominee, and current Lieutenant GovernorDavid Letterman, the progressive and democratic nominee. In this round they get a chance to ask you to other questions and this is often the most kind of interesting part of the debate, the questions they push one another on. The questions should be short and make sure you have a question mark at the end, no declarative sentences, answers can be a minute. David zuckerman, go with your first question. The gun bill would require a 24 hour waiting period for background checks with handgun purchases or transfers pass the legislation was sent you last year. 85 of gun deaths in vermont are suicides, Public Health scientists have concluded there be fewer homicides and suicides if there was a waiting period for gun purchases. In your veto statement you said we must now prioritize strategies that address the underlying causes of violence and suicides, what programs have you implemented to reduce gun deaths in vermont and why wont you follow the advice of Public Health scientists on this critical issue . Scott as you are aware of the only governor in history that signed major Gun Legislation in vermont. It was a major step forward the drew a lot of controversy throughout those many months and i think we have an opportunity with all we did during that time to protect the bill, the red flag provisions in the bill that needs further work, the background checks work great and significant but there are improvements to make their. We need to temper, to govern, to look at what we are doing in order to provide more Mental Health funding and so forth, protect what we did to do it better. Prevention in that bill were very isolated, 24 hour waiting period for handguns in particular, most of the suicides we see are those more of age and when you look at that they typically got this available at this point. Hour waiting period, i would like to give things to some but dont believe it would be that practical in some respects and would disrupt what we are doing. Moderator follow up. Zuckerman im concerned that we can prevent youth gun deaths, we can prevent individuals from committing suicide, we can protect women from Domestic Violence in spur of the moment purchases and ask people to cool off for 24 hours and to me i believe that is why we need to support, follow the science, follow the research and protect vermonters. I know vermonters across the board greatly appreciate your courage and your shift two years ago, there is no doubt about it and thank you for doing that there is more we can do to protect vermonters while preserving our hunters and other citizens rights, further section. Moderator will you respond to that . Scott we raise the age to 21 so there is that, those changes in our gun laws, we take a proactive stance in that respect. Being governor isnt about a kneejerk reaction to every single issue. It is about timbering. Moderator do you have a response . Scott Lieutenant Governor, you made it very clear your lack of support in the National Guard, especially the air guard with a lot of comments over the years. The governor serves as commanderinchief, and watch what they are doing. I am wondering, how do you intend to amend that sense that was vastly destroyed, knocked down in some of the comments you made. Zuckerman my concerns were about placing f 35s here, the impact of noise on our communities and im hearing from people who are concerned, they are here. I have many times visited the guard base and spoken very positively about our citizen guard folks wh