Racine Continues to Connect With Community

GLBTQ voters could swing a 4-way race.

By Euan Bear

Lt. Governor Doug Racine (right) meets with Outright Outright Vermont's B.J. Rogers in Montpelier in January.

    In his third recent meeting with members and representatives of the GLBTQ community, Lieutenant Governor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Douglas Racine cautioned that there were limits to what he or any governor could do to make things better for this constituency. But, he added, leadership makes a difference.
      He was speaking in late January to the usual suspects from Chittenden County gay organizations at the R.U.1.2? Community Center space on the waterfront in Burlington, including representatives from Safe Space, R.U.1.2?, Mountain Pride Media, the Vermont Pride Committee, and Outright Vermont.
      Racine reiterated that his mission was to learn as much as he could about our community’s concerns and needs that weren’t currently being met. He cited specifically the Education Department as being slow to recognize and meet the needs of gay youth for safety in schools, and the Department of Health. “I have yet to hear anything good about the Health Department,” he said.
      Hirees under his administration, he continued, would “have to show a greater sensitivity” to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people’s issues.
      He was in “learning mode,” he said, so he could raise issues during the campaign and help educate the public. He recognized that the backlash to civil unions has put a number of community issues on the back burner.
      Racine urged the attendees to “be political” in this time of backlash politics: “This is a different Republican Party – not the party of Dick Snelling and Jim Jeffords. This is the party of Nancy Sheltra and Duncan Kilmartin. It’s a very scary time.”
      The candidate also urged the attendees to “pay attention to local races,” such as school board, town offices, and state legislative senators and representatives. “The make up of the legislature has the most influence on what laws get passed. As governor, I will be able to propose legislation, but if the legislature won’t pass it …”.
      Both Jane Van Buren, director of the nonprofit association VANPO, and Barbara Dozetos, National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Board member and former OITM editor, spoke of concerns for the safety of children – both gay, lesbian or questioning youth and children of gay and lesbian parents – in schools.
      Racine asked what the policy issues might be. VanBuren suggested mandatory training for all school personnel, citing an incident in which her son was given detention for protesting when a substitute teacher called two boys “faggots.” Kara Deleonardis, of Safe Space, pointed out that laws against discrimination might exist but are not enforced.
      Racine repeated his plea that parents should be active politically in local school board races. “The Christian Right has been both aggressive and successful in electing school board members. Some of these issues don’t come under the direct influence of the governor. What would you have state government do?”
      “Well, for one thing,” replied Dozetos, “We could have an Education Commissioner that backs Outright Vermont.” Dozetos was referring to the decision by past Commissioner David Wolk to suspend a contract with Outright Vermont for inservice training, apparently due to political pressure from anti-civil union forces. Racine reminded Dozetos that the governor does not pick the Education Commissioner, the State Board of Education does, although he admitted that the governor has some influence.
      B.J. Rogers, executive director of Outright Vermont, suggested that the state needs a comprehensive health and sexuality education curriculum. “There’s currently no standard model, no place for kids to talk openly. Under George Bush,” he continued, “we have a big increase in abstinence-only education funding. But that leaves out queer youth and their concerns.”
      Tim Palmer, former director of VT CARES and Co-coordinator of the Racine 2002 campaign in Chittenden County, cited the existence of federal grants for HIV education but said that the state education department showed no interest in applying. “Your education commissioner,” he told Racine, “should make it clear that there is a zero tolerance for prejudice. The Department should provide training so teachers don’t assume that every kid has a mother and a father at home. They need cultural competence training.”
      Racine agreed that attitude is as important as resources. “The resources are often there, it’s how they’re used that makes a difference.”
      “The other thing that’s important,” added Palmer, “is making sure that the people affected by the policies are at the table when decisions are made. The future of gay youth being decided by straight people is offensive and wrong.”
      “Diversity belongs at the table in every area,” Racine responded. “Bill Lippert told me that and I listen to Bill.”
       The governor does pick the Health Commissioner, and Deleonardis suggested that the Health Department needs to pay attention to other health issues affecting the GLBTQ communities beyond HIV/AIDS. One such issue is domestic violence within this constituency. Deleonardis, part of the Safe Space initiative creating a hotline and support for victims of domestic violence in same-gender relationships, said it was difficult for gay men and lesbians to acknowledge a battering situation, especially after the passage of civil union legislation. “Everyone’s kind of looking at each other wondering who is going to be the first to get a C.U. divorce.”
      Palmer questioned why current Governor Howard Dean made no clear request to raise the cigarette tax. “The rate of smoking in our community is higher than among the general population. Tobacco is a major health issue,” he said. In the general discussion of raising taxes and cutting budgets that followed, Palmer hoped that Racine would support uncoupling the Vermont income tax from the federal income tax and change it back to the tiered system that was in place under Republican Richard Snelling.
      Racine said that he would support some steps to neutralize the effects on Vermont of the Bush tax cuts, which, he noted, were overwhelmingly weighted toward the rich.
      During the hour and a half discussion, other issues brought up included the need for affordable housing, access for nonprofits to state health care programs geared for small businesses, living wage legislation, parity of pay between state workers and nonprofit workers doing the same jobs – often under contract with the same state agency, and adding “transgender” to nondiscrimination statutes.
      In a phone interview initiated by OITM, potential third-party candidate Anthony Pollina said that he would “without a doubt” be meeting with members of the GLBT community. “I’m not out there actively campaigning yet is the only reason such meetings have not yet taken place,” he said. “If people wanted to meet with me, I’m available at any time, and maybe they could help me make up my mind” about whether to run as a candidate for governor.
      Asked if he recognized the GLBT community as potential swing voters in a 3-way race, Pollina agreed, while noting that it has become a 4-way race with Con Hogan’s decision to run as an independent. “I know that some voters in that community were nervous about voting for me in the last election, and I don’t fault them for that. But given that I made such a strong showing and I’ve generally been very supportive of the issues important to gays and lesbians, I think there are a lot of folks who might vote for me if I decide to run.”