Phil Scott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Phil Scott
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Scott in 2019
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| 82nd Governor of Vermont | |
| Assumed office January 5, 2017 |
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| Lieutenant |
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| Preceded by | Peter Shumlin |
| 81st Lieutenant Governor of Vermont | |
| In office January 6, 2011 – January 5, 2017 |
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| Governor | Peter Shumlin |
| Preceded by | Brian Dubie |
| Succeeded by | David Zuckerman |
| Member of the Vermont Senate from the Washington district |
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| In office January 5, 2001 – January 5, 2011 Serving with Bill Doyle, Ann Cummings
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| Preceded by | Jeb Spaulding |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Pollina |
| Personal details | |
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Philip Brian Scott
August 4, 1958 Barre, Vermont, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Diana McTeague |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Vermont (BS) |
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Philip Brian Scott (born August 4, 1958) is an American politician and businessman. He is also a stock car racer. Since 2017, he has been the 82nd governor of Vermont. He is a member of the Republican Party. Before becoming governor, he served in the Vermont Senate from 2001 to 2011. He was also the 81st lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2017.
Scott was first elected governor in 2016. He won with 53% of the votes. He was reelected in 2018, 2020, and 2022. In 2022, he won with 70.9% of the votes. This was the largest win for a Republican governor in Vermont since 1950.
Many people see Governor Scott as one of the most popular governors in the country. He is known as a "moderate" Republican. This means his political views are often in the middle, not too far left or right. He is currently the only Republican holding a statewide office in Vermont. In 2024, he supported Nikki Haley for president.
On May 11, 2024, Governor Scott announced he would run for a fifth term. He believes there is still important work to do for Vermont. He also wants to help balance the power in the legislature. The legislature currently has a large number of Democratic members. Scott often vetoes bills he thinks would make Vermont's cost-of-living crisis worse.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Phil Scott was born on August 4, 1958, in Barre, Vermont. His parents were Marian and Howard Scott. He went to Spaulding High School in Barre and graduated in 1976.
After high school, he attended the University of Vermont. In 1980, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. His studies focused on industrial education.
Business Career
After high school, Scott started working at DuBois Construction. This company was located in Middlesex. After college, he owned a motorcycle shop in Morrisville. He also worked as a construction manager for another company. Scott has also been involved in other businesses, like owning a restaurant and a nightclub.
In 1986, Scott became a co-owner of DuBois Construction. He was also the past president of the Associated General Contractors of Vermont. In 2012, a fire caused a lot of damage to DuBois Construction. However, the owners rebuilt the business and kept it running.
After he was elected governor, Scott sold his part of DuBois Construction. He did this to avoid any possible conflicts of interest. This was important because DuBois Construction does business with the State of Vermont. He sold his 50% share for $2.5 million. He chose to be paid over 15 years. This helped the company keep its ability to get important business loans.
In 2018, a state ethics group said Scott might still have a conflict of interest. This was because of his ongoing connection to the company. But in 2019, the group changed its mind. They said the process for their first opinion was not correct. In 2022, DuBois Construction was sold to another company.
Political Journey
Serving in the Vermont Senate
Phil Scott, a Republican, was first elected to the Vermont Senate in 2000. He represented the Washington County district. He was reelected four times, serving from 2001 to 2011.
During his time in the Senate, he was the vice chair of the Transportation Committee. He also led the Institutions Committee. He helped redesign the Vermont State House cafeteria to make it more efficient. Scott also served on special committees, like the Judicial Nominating Board.
Becoming Lieutenant Governor
On November 2, 2010, Scott was elected the 81st lieutenant governor of Vermont. He started his term on January 6, 2011. He was reelected twice, in 2012 and 2014.
As lieutenant governor, Scott led the Vermont Senate when it was in session. He also helped decide which senators would be on which committees. If there was a tie vote in the Senate, Scott would cast the deciding vote. He also acted as governor when the governor was out of the state.
Scott was involved in many community service projects. In 2005, he started "Wheels for Warmth." This program buys used car tires and resells safe ones. The money earned helps Vermonters pay for heating fuel.
How Popular Was He?
In September 2015, a poll showed that most Vermonters knew who Phil Scott was. Of those who knew him, 70% had a positive view of him. Even many Democrats viewed him favorably. This showed he was very popular across different political groups.
National Lieutenant Governors Association
Scott was an active member of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA). He was on their executive and finance committees. He worked with other lieutenant governors from across the country. They wrote letters to oppose cuts to the Army National Guard.
Scott also helped create a plan for future transportation in the U.S. He supported resolutions to recognize the importance of arts and culture for tourism. He also supported Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. He worked to support programs to end homelessness among U.S. veterans.
Governor of Vermont
Running for Governor in 2016
In September 2015, Phil Scott announced he would run for Vermont governor. Early polls showed he was the favorite among Republican candidates. In May 2016, most Republican lawmakers in Vermont supported him. He did not support Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
On August 9, Scott won the primary election. He then defeated Sue Minter, the Democratic candidate, in the general election in November.
What He Did as Governor
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Fraud Case Settlement
In April 2017, Governor Scott announced a $150 million agreement. This was to settle fraud claims related to the Jay Peak and Burke Mountain developments.
How Popular Was He as Governor?
In October 2017, a poll showed Scott's approval rating was 60%. This made him the 7th most popular governor in the country. By April 2018, his approval rating rose to 65%, making him the 4th most popular. His popularity dropped a bit by July 2018. However, by April 2019, his approval rating went back up to 59%.
Political Views
Scott is known as a "liberal Republican." This means he often supports policies that are moderate or even liberal. People describe his views as being careful with money but open-minded on social issues.
Scott supported the investigation into Donald Trump that started in 2019. In the 2020 U.S. presidential election, he voted for Democratic candidate Joe Biden. After the attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021, he asked for Trump to leave office.
Money and Budget
Scott promised to veto any state budget that grew too fast. He also opposed increasing statewide property taxes. He has worked to pay down Vermont's pension debt.
Taxes and Fees
The budget Scott signed in 2017 did not add any new taxes or fees. He has said he is against new taxes. He also refused to sign a bill that would have raised property taxes. Scott vetoed the 2018 budget twice.
He has called for removing the tax on Social Security benefits for many retirees. His tax reforms also lowered state income tax rates slightly. They also increased a tax credit for low-income workers. Scott's administration has also lowered taxes for workers' compensation and unemployment insurance.
Growing the Economy
In 2016, Scott aimed to grow Vermont's economy. He wanted to increase the state's population to 700,000 in 10 years. He hoped to encourage young people who study in Vermont to stay after graduation.
His plan focuses on helping people find jobs and giving businesses reasons to grow. He has supported tax credits for development and help for small businesses. He also wants to make it easier to get permits for new projects. Scott has made expanding the number of workers a top goal.
Health Care
Scott signed a bill that requires Vermonters to have health insurance. Vermont was one of the few states to do this after a federal rule changed. He wants to change the health care system to focus more on the quality of care.
In April 2021, Scott faced criticism for a plan to prioritize certain groups for COVID-19 vaccination. He responded by saying he condemned any "racist response" to the plan.
Education
Scott wants to improve a law called Act 46. He wants to control costs, lower property taxes, and keep local control over schools. He supports flexible learning plans and new technologies in education.
His 2018 budget increased funding for Vermont State Colleges. It also added money for child care assistance. In 2020, he worked to remove tuition fees for members of the Vermont National Guard. As a state senator, Scott voted to reduce education property taxes.
Gun Laws
Scott has signed several laws about guns. These laws banned certain gun parts and expanded background checks. They also raised the age to buy firearms to 21. Limits were placed on high-capacity magazines. Laws were also made stronger to keep guns away from people accused of domestic abuse. He also created a task force to prevent violence. He ordered security checks for all Vermont schools.
Government Improvements
Scott supports limiting Vermont's yearly legislative session to 90 days. He believes this would encourage more everyday Vermonters to run for office. He thinks it would also make the legislature focus on important money and operations issues.
As governor, Scott created a team to make government more efficient. He also started an initiative called PIVOT. This program asks state employees for ideas to make government systems better. He combined different state departments to save money.
Transportation
In 2016, Scott shared his transportation goals as governor. He wants to connect economic growth with Vermont's roads and bridges. He opposes new transportation taxes. He also wants to protect the state's transportation fund. This fund should only be used for transportation projects. He aims to update the Agency of Transportation's long-term plan.
Civil Rights
Scott supports same-sex marriage. He signed a law for gender-neutral bathrooms. This law helps recognize the rights of transgender people. He said Vermont is known for being fair and welcoming to everyone.
Immigration
Scott disagreed with the Trump administration's immigration policies. In 2017, he signed a bill that limits how much Vermont police work with the federal government on immigration. He also opposed the policy of separating families at the border.
Environmental Issues
In 2017, Scott approved $48 million for clean water projects. He created the Vermont Climate Action Commission. He also announced a settlement to fix water quality problems in Bennington County.
In June 2017, Scott joined the United States Climate Alliance. This happened after President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement. Scott promised that Vermont would get 90% of its energy from renewable sources by 2050. In 2019, he signed laws about water quality. These included testing for lead in schools and regulating certain chemicals in drinking water. In 2020, he vetoed a climate change bill. However, the legislature voted to pass it anyway.
Racing Career
Phil Scott is a champion stock car racer. He won championships at Thunder Road in 1996 and 1998. He also won the Thunder Road Milk Bowls in 1997 and 1999. The Milk Bowl is Thunder Road's big race at the end of the season.
In 2002, he became a three-time champion. He won championships at Thunder Road and Airborne Late Model Series. He also won the American Canadian Tour championship. Airborne Park Speedway is a stock car track in Plattsburgh, New York.
On July 6, 2017, Scott won a feature race at Thunder Road. It was his first win there since 2013. He raced in a few events in 2019 and won a race on June 27, 2019. In July 2022, Scott competed in the Governor's Cup 150 race. As of July 2019, he has 31 career wins at Thunder Road. This puts him third all-time in that racing division.
Personal Life
Phil Scott lives in Berlin, Vermont, with his wife, Diana McTeague Scott. He has two adult daughters.
Images for kids
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Scott in 2019
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Scott in 2016
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Scott in 2017
See also
In Spanish: Phil Scott para niños
