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Leonine: Paid leave, min wage, fuel tax, gun waiting period?

Sun, 04/21/2019 - 4:55pm -- tim

Leonine Public Affairs This is the point in the session when questions start to percolate about which high profile bills will reach the finish line this year. Two priority bills for Democrats - paid family leave and minimum wage -  have passed one chamber, but are lingering in policy committees as May approaches. Additionally, there are two other bills that seem to have run into roadblocks after easily passing their chamber of origin. A proposal to increase the heating fuel tax by two percent to pay for weatherization passed the House, but the Senate has balked, citing concerns that the tax adversely affects those it is trying to help. In the House, a proposal to put a 24-hour waiting period on the purchase of handguns has stalled, despite passing the Senate with overwhelming support.

ANR to host community meeting on status of Vermont’s wetlands

Sun, 04/21/2019 - 4:37am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) Secretary Julie Moore invites the public to join her on April 30 from 4:00-5:00 pm to discuss a variety of environmental topics, including the status of Vermont’s wetlands. The Secretary will engage attendees in a conversation about the role of wetlands, wetlands legislation, and the Agency’s role in regulatory and restoration work.   

PAI: As joblessness drops, women of high-earning age drop out

Sat, 04/20/2019 - 11:18am -- tim

Public Asset Institute The labor market continued its strong streak, as unemployment fell another notch in March, to 2.3 percent. But the trend is different for women 45 to 54 years old, who were less likely to be working in 2018 than five years earlier. Preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that 77.5 percent of women ages 45 to 54—often a worker’s highest-earning years—were on the job last year, the lowest rate in 20 years. Meanwhile, women 25 to 34 years old were more likely to be working.

Vermont news in brief for March 2019

Sat, 04/20/2019 - 10:25am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Steve Gagner, owner and founder of 14th Star Brewing Company in St Albans is being recognized by the US Small Business Administration for employment growth, financial success, expansion and community involvement. One month after reaching a historic low, Vermont's unemployment rate fell again to a record low 2.4 percent in February, according to the Vermont Department of Labor report, tied for lowest in the nation. General Fund tax revenues fell below expectations for February and are now behind targets for the fiscal year. The vital personal income tax, after a strong January, was off by -11.25 percent, or -$3.02 million. A whopping increase in the corporate tax was undermined by a poor month in the insurance premium tax. February marks the eighth month of Fiscal Year 2019. The City of Burlington has closed on the transfer of Burlington Telecom to Schurz Communications, marking the final step in the resolution of the city’s years-long financial crisis. AND MORE...

Survey: Young professionals DO want to stay in Vermont

Fri, 04/19/2019 - 11:13am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine In a just-released survey, young professionals in the Burlington area defied stereotypes and said they want to stay in Vermont and even buy a single-family home. In both cases, however, circumstances and opportunity are limiting their opportunities. Completed by 500 young professionals in the region between January and March of this year, the State of the Greater Burlington Young Professional Community Survey covered housing, employment, and civic engagement topics as a means to understand what young professionals want and need to continue to live and work in the greater Burlington area.

Burlington School Board ratifies paraeducator contract

Fri, 04/19/2019 - 10:01am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine On the evening of April 18th, the Burlington Board of School Commissioners unanimously ratified a contract agreement with Paraeducators in the District for the 2019-2020 school year. "We are glad to see the continued collaboration between the para's BEA bargaining team, the board, and the District has resulted in the collective bargaining process resolving much sooner than in previous years," said Superintendent Obeng and Board Chair Clare Wool in a joint statement.

Union Bankshares presents 1Q 2019 earnings and dividend

Fri, 04/19/2019 - 7:59am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Union Bankshares, Inc (NASDAQ - UNB), the parent company of Union Bank based in Morrisville, on Wednesday announced results for the three months ended March 31, 2019, and declared a regular quarterly cash dividend. Consolidated net income for the first quarter of 2019 was $2.6 million, or $0.59 per share, compared to $2.7 million, or $0.62 per share, for the same period in 2018. Consolidated net income for the first quarter of 2018 included onetime increases to income that did not occur in 2019.

Green Mountain Glove gets Workforce Training grant

Fri, 04/19/2019 - 7:55am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Glove (GMG) of Randolph has been granted $6,330 from the State of Vermont, Vermont Training Program (VTP). This grant will allow GMG to train skilled leather sewers and meet increasing demand. More specifically, the company will develop and implement their own workforce processes congruent with robust quality assurance programs. The training will also position them to obtain ISO 9001 certification (International Standards Organization), which will enable them to break into new markets.

Julie Moore: This is why we are here

Fri, 04/19/2019 - 3:08am -- tim

by Julie Moore The Blue Marble is an image of planet Earth made in December 1972 by the crew of the Apollo 17 at a distance of about 18,000 miles from the earth’s surface. It is one of the most reproduced images in human history. It is also the image my dad gave me when he and my mom dropped me off for my first semester of college, saying, “This is why you are here.” This charge felt a bit overwhelming. 

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