House committee assignments come with some surprises
John Dillon, VPR

MONTPELIER, VT

(Host) Legislative leaders have made committee assignments for the
2005 session, and the appointments have a few surprises. In the
House, Democratic Speaker Gaye Symington has named Republicans to
chair two panels. And she picked a Progressive organic farmer to
lead the Agriculture Committee.

VPR's John Dillon reports:

(Dillon) The real work of the Legislature happens in the small
committee rooms away from the House and Senate floor. A choice
committee assignment, especially a chairmanship, can make a
legislative career. A committee that has little action or authority
can mean months of legislative purgatory.

So as Speaker Gaye Symington got ready to make her assignments,
members of the House were on the edge of their seats. Symington
tried to break the tension.

(Symington) "If you are pleased with your committee assignment,
please take the time to thank your leadership. If you are
disappointed, please blame me. (Sound of lawmakers laughing.) I take
full responsibility for these assignments."

(Dillon) Symington's picks held a few surprises. She named
Republican Richard Westman of Cambridge, a veteran lawmaker who
wanted to be speaker, to chair the powerful Transportation
Committee. And she placed David Zuckerman, a member of the
Progressive Party from Burlington, to head the Agriculture Committee.

"Congratulations, Mr. Chairman."
"Thank you."

(Dillon) As Zuckerman walked into his committee room, lobbyists
called out their compliments. Zuckerman is 33, a Massachusetts
native who attended the University of Vermont. His entr e into
politics came in 1992 when he volunteered on Congressman Bernie
Sanders' campaign. He's farmed for 11 years, first working for
others before starting his own 16-acre vegetable farm six years ago
in Burlington. He was elected to the Legislature in 1996.

(Zuckerman) "There are a few things I think I bring to this. One is
an open mind, two is a fair and balanced approach, three is a love
of agriculture - and that's probably in the wrong order. I'd say
love of agriculture is first."

(Dillon) In the Statehouse, Zuckerman has worked on issues dear to
organic farmers. Last year, he pushed successfully for a bill that
required labels on genetically modified seeds. And he wants to pass
legislation that would protect farmers from legal liability from
potential damage caused by gene-altered crops. As chairman, he
promises to work on all aspects of agriculture and rural development.

(Zuckerman) "We really want to focus on making the farm economy
solid again. It's been slipping and slipping for a long time."

(Dillon) Zuckerman at first may seem out of place in a committee
that's always been a bastion of the traditional dairy industry.
Democrat Bobby Starr from North Troy chaired the House Ag committee
for 16 years. Starr now is vice chairman of the Senate Agriculture
Committee. He says dairy accounts for 80 percent of the Vermont farm
economy.

(Starr) "As long as Chairman Zuckerman and the committee doesn't
forget that, we may be able to function well. But if small is
beautiful and big is bad, I think it will be incumbent on the Senate
to take some kind of a lead role in agriculture - more so than they
have in the past."

(Dillon) Zuckerman says he knows how important dairy farming is to
the state. And he promises to work hard on dairy issues. He says he
plans to turn to his vice chairman, Republican Representative Bill
Johnson, a dairy farmer from Canaan, for advice and expertise on
dairy issues.

For Vermont Public Radio, I'm John Dillon in Montpelier.

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE (Room 31)

Representative Zuckerman of Burlington, Chair
Representative Johnson of Canaan, Vice-Chair
Representative Bartlett of Dover
Representative Botzow of Pownal
Representative Copeland-Hanzas of Bradford
Representative Dunsmore of Georgia
Representative Johnson of South Hero
Representative Lawrence of Lyndonville
Representative Malcolm of Pawlet
Representative Orr of Charlotte
Representative Smith of New Haven

[Floyd Nease and Dexter R. are on Natural Resources, C. Partridge is
on Govt. Ops., B. Nuovo is on Ways & Means]

COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (Room 30)

Representative Lippert of Hinesburg, Chair
Representative Grad of Moretown, Vice-Chair
Representative Clarkson of Woodstock
Representative DePoy of Rutland City
Representative Gervais of Enosburg
Representative Hube of Londonderry
Representative Jewett of Ripton
Representative Kainen of Hartford
Representative Kiss of Burlington
Representative Komline of Dorset
Representative Marek of Newfane

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE (Room 7, A.M.)

Senator Kittell of Franklin District, Chair
Senator Starr of Essex-Orleans District, Vice-Chair
Senator Giard of Addison District
Senator White of Windham District
Senator Wilton of Rutland District

[Matt Dunne is on Approps. and Econ. Development, Mark MacDonald is
on Finance and Econ. Devel., C. Ayer is on Finance and Nat.
Resources]

COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (Room 1, A.M.)

Senator Sears of Bennington District, Chair
Senator Campbell of Windsor District, Vice-Chair
Senator Cummings of Washington District
Senator Flanagan of Chittenden District
Senator Leddy of Chittenden District
Senator Wilton of Rutland District