Racine Statement on Dubie Challenge

Statement

Dubie deception is unacceptable

I am challenging Brian Dubie today to fire his out-of-state consultants, who clearly have convinced hiim that he should use deceptive statements in an effort to boost his campaign. Vermonters deserve an honest campaign based on facts and policy disagreements. Brian Dubie's false statements about me and my positions are misinformed at best and deceptive at worst. His "facts" are just plain wrong.

With regard to his challenge for debates, at this time Peter Shumlin is the apparent nominee, and so I will leave it to him to accept the challenge for now, but if I become the nominee, I would accept any debate invitation that my schedule allowed.

To clear up some of Brian Dubie's "facts":

1) I voted against the $26 million tax increase in 2009 because I believed it was the wrong package, and not because it was too small.
2) I have been advocating to use the rainy day fund to maintain critical services for vulnerable Vermonters. I have never advocated using rainy day funds for new programs.
3) I did not oppose the Challenges for Change process. What I opposed was the make-believe numbers that came back from the Douglas administration in the end. I did not believe that the "efficiencies" that were expected to achieve the $38 million in savings would indeed show those savings in FY11. I have consistently said that I support finding more efficiencies in state government, including efficiencies that were recommended by the commission chaired by David Coates and Mary Powell and rejected by the Douglas-Dubie administration.

Brian Dubie's numbers do not add up in his economic development plan, just as Jim Douglas' numbers didn't add up in the budget this year. Brian Dubie's policies will mean bigger deficits for the state of Vermont, while more Vermonters struggle to make ends meet.

It is important to Vermonters that this campaign be based on fair and honest debate.

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