Smith poised to become speaker as Adams bows out
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By Louis Porter Vermont Press Bureau - Published: January 7, 2009
MONTPELIER — When members of the Vermont House of Representatives arrive in town today and vote to choose their new speaker, there will apparently be only one candidate, Rep. Shap Smith of Morrisville, a Democrat.
A former leader of the House Republicans, Rep. Steve Adams of Hartland, had been planning on running against Smith. But as the first vote of the first day of the new legislative biennium drew closer, Adams said he realized he did not have the votes, with a mere 48 Republicans in the 150 member House.
"Shap has indicated that he will consider some of the requests and some of the concerns I had and incorporate them into his speakership," Adams said.
Among those concerns are a worry about a decline in House decorum in how party discipline is maintained, Adams said.
Smith's willingness to listen to some ideas, and the likelihood he would not win the speaker's office, contributed to his decision not to challenge Smith for the leadership post, Adams said.
"It is a numbers game," he said. And, he added, "I think Shap will do a good job."
For his part, Smith, who had been a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he is looking forward to the job.
"I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Republican caucus, in the Progressive caucus and with the independents to address Vermont's problems," he said. "I am happy that our first vote will not be a partisan one."
There is one idea some Republican lawmakers have suggested, including Adams and Rep. Heidi Scheuermann of Stowe, that Smith said he does not believe is necessary — a proposal to create a special committee to work on issues of economic development and recovery.
A few years ago when the state Senate added economic development explicitly to the work of one of its committees, "the House did not follow suit," Scheuermann said. "This is an opportunity, I think, to take a hard look at structural reforms of our entire state government."
But Smith said Monday he does not believe such a change in House structure is necessary and that the House Commerce Committee will be largely taken up with that work.
"We have a Commerce Committee that will be focused on economic development issues," Smith said. "That is the committee I am going to task with those issues. I don't think it is necessary to set up another committee."
And, if he is elected speaker today as expected, that will ultimately be Smith's decision.
Contact Louis Porter at louis.porter@rutlandherald.com.