Modern Vermont Governors THOMAS SALMON
Wholly Subjective Ratings & Evaluations & Brief Comments on Their Respective Contributions According to
MICHAEL J. BADAMO
i can't think of a single significant accomplishment to credit the Salmon administration. He was, and remains, however, a great tap dancer. He got elected on style points and governed that way. A Democrat and a so-called moderate, Tom Salmon can give a stem winder of a political speech at a rubber chicken dinner, but when it comes to substance, there is no there, there.
Salmon's two terms were lackluster, to say the least. His most notable accomplishment, in my view, was his enthusiastic, if somewhat subtle, protection of the interests of the private electric utilities, then under populist attack. He was afterward well-rewarded for this service with the top job at Green Mountain Power. Salmon, as a Democrat, paid lip service to organized labor but then did nothing to advance labor issues. State government continued to grow incrementally even though new services did not.
Tom Salmon has done well for himself -- he must be well into his second million. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for what he did for Vermont. |
