The Vermont Legislature passed a bill at the end of the legislative session that, if signed by Governor Douglas, would save Vermonters money on their energy bill, create jobs, and take action against global climate change. Unfortunately, Governor Douglas has indicated he will veto the bill because it ends a tax loophole allowing the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant to pay less in property taxes than it did five years ago.

The Governor says Vermont Yankee is being singled out for unfair treatment with this proposal. Yet right now Vermont Yankee is given preferential treatment compared to other Vermont businesses. Entergy Nuclear, the Louisiana-based corporation that owns Vermont Yankee, has been singled out to have their property taxes essentially frozen at 2002 levels. Entergy paid $500,000 less in property taxes in 2006 than it did in 2002, despite the fact that it generates 20 percent more electricity than it did then. While other Vermont businesses and individuals are paying their fair share, Entergy gets a break at the expense of Vermont ratepayers and taxpayers.

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Ask yourself—as an individual or a business owner, are you paying less in taxes than you did five years ago? If you added an addition to your home or business, would you still expect to pay less? That is exactly what is happening with Entergy. That’s not fair, and it’s not right. Affordability should apply to the average Vermont homeowner and business owner, not just Vermont Yankee.

There are two primary reasons I feel so strongly about this bill.

First, every Vermonter knows that we are paying too much—way too much—for our energy bills. This bill expands the award-winning Efficiency Vermont, which has received international acclaim for saving Vermonters money on electric bills, to include all oil, propane, and natural gas. Half of the heat used in our homes and businesses is wasted because of building inefficiency. Through this proven Efficiency Vermont model, homeowners and business owners will have less heat escaping from their buildings and more money to put in their pockets.

The second reason is that the bill will create new economic opportunities for Vermont. Global climate change is real, and it represents the biggest challenge that any of us will face in our lifetime. It also represents an opportunity; the bill will create an estimated 200 new jobs in Vermont’s green technology industry. In the process, we would be doing the right thing by reducing our emission of greenhouse gases.

Here’s the problem—taking action and leading on climate change requires political courage. Without funding to invest in energy efficiency, the bill does very little. As disappointed as we are at the governor’s refusal to join us in taking a bold step, House Speaker Gaye Symington and I hope to persuade our colleagues to override the Governor’s veto.

The bottom line is that we have an opportunity to save Vermonters money, create jobs, and address climate change. Despite the governor’s veto, the bill still has a chance to become law if enough of our colleagues in the legislature agree that lower energy bills and new jobs are more important than a sweetheart deal for an out-of-state corporation who keeps paying less in property taxes as the rest of us pay more.

Peter Shumlin is the President Pro Tempore of the Vermont State Senate. He resides in Putney.