Let’s Take a Cue From Gov. Kunin

Imagine a governor of California proposing creation of an environmental trust fund that is about half the size of the state’s annual budget, or something over $20 billion. Or picture a California governor telling voters that the state’s environmental agenda will make large financial demands on them. Or saying, “I make these proposals knowing that they will require sacrifice from each one of us.”

Those are the words of Vermont Gov. Madeleine M. Kunin, who continues to push her state’s environmental agenda ahead of that of virtually every other state, and certainly of the federal government. Vermont is busy implementing an advanced state land-use planning law adopted several years ago, and Kunin now has moved on to global warming issues. She talked about what her state is doing while on a recent visit to California. We hope Californians were listening carefully.

California certainly is not Vermont. Vermont is about half the size of San Bernardino County, both in area and in population. But how many Californians would claim that the Golden State’s environment is any less worthy of saving than is Vermont’s? As for affordability, California ranks well above Vermont in per-capita income.

Kunin said her programs will further strain Vermont’s strained budget, but she has concluded that it would be reckless to do nothing. Both Vermont and California have only one chance to save the environment for future generations. The opportunity is now.