Gov. Dean and Sen. Peter Shumlin opened the press conference by announcing tax credits for financial services companies and high tech businesses.  Reporters' questions, following up on the morning meeting of the Emergency Board, focused primarily on the economy and the budget.  "In order for the 2004 budget to work, we not only have to balance the 2003 budget, we also have to look at where the growth is, and the growth is not a secret...it's mostly in health care and areas like that," Dean said.  "I will not cut one single person off the rolls, but we will not be able to sustain the same benefit level that everybody has," he stated.

Copyright © 2002  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.