Gov. Shumlin's budget address - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-

The screaming and gnashing of teeth by those advocates affected by Governor Shumlin's $83 million budget reductions cannot be far behind his budget speech today.

"The top contributors to the $83 million in reductions are the following:

A $23 million ongoing reduction from the General Fund transfer to the Education Fund. This reduction, which I announced last month, will require continued spending restraint by our hardworking school boards and local communities to hold back property tax increases.

The $19 million in one-time federal funding that I am releasing this year will give our local communities additional time to make further spending reductions, but they must be made.

$12 million in government labor, private contract, health insurance, and retirement savings.

$7.2 million in savings throughout the corrections system.

$5 million from folding the Catamount Health program into the Vermont Health Access program, otherwise known as VHAP, to create one single health care pool for Vermont.

$4.6 million in reduced funding for our regional mental health agencies."