Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan announced the Burlington Community Justice Center (CJC) has been designated as the new provider of Court Diversion and Pretrial Services in Chittenden County. Court Diversion is a restorative justice alternative to the court system that allows youth and adults, referred by prosecutors, to take responsibility for their unlawful actions and work with community volunteers to repair the harm they caused. Pretrial Services works with defendants who have mental health or substance use treatment needs who are going through the court process. Vermont law directs the Attorney General to administer services in all counties.

Vermont Business Magazine The National Governors Association (NGA) announced Wednesday the launch of the Outdoor Recreation Learning Network to help governors and their staffs leverage their unique natural, cultural and historical resources to advance economic, workforce, health and environmental benefits. The US Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that the outdoors industry employed more than 4.5 million people nationally in 2016, and generated more than $730 billion in economic impact. Vermont outdoor recreation accounts for 34,000 direct jobs and brings $2.5 billion into the economy.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott, the Vermont Department of Taxes, and other State agencies will host meetings in Windsor County on July 30, 2019, as part of the Governor’s Capitol for a Day initiative. After a successful year of touring every county in Vermont, State officials will kick off the second round of Capitol for a Day events in Windsor County.

Vermont Business Magazine With renewable energy expected to be the fastest growing source of US electricity generation for at least the next two years, Burlington-based solar developer Encore Renewable Energy has once again been recognized by Solar Power World magazine for its development and installation business, rising to #19 solar developer nationwide and #1 in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The personal income tax, the state's most important revenue source, once again pushed Vermont's General Fund tax revenues well ahead of economists projections, for both the month and the fiscal year. Revenue collections for the month of June 2019, the final month of Fiscal Year 2019, indicate that General Fund tax revenues collected for the month totaled $130.06 million, or $8.34 million above the June consensus cash flow expectations. For the year, General Fund revenue collections exceeded expectations by $58.37 million, or 4.55%.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is reminding Vermont farmers interested in cover cropping assistance to apply by August 1, 2019. The Agency is offering more than $500K in funding for Vermont farms through the Farm Agronomic Practice (FAP) Program. The FAP Program invests state funds in soil-based agronomic practices to improve soil quality, as well as reduce erosion and surface runoff from agricultural fields. Farms can apply to receive up to $8,000 per farm operation for one of, or a combination of field practices, such as cover cropping or no-till or conservation crop rotation.

Vermont Business Magazine As Vermont prepares to significantly increase the funds available for clean water projects, the state’s Clean Water Board is reaching out to Vermonters, asking them to weigh in on the best way to allocate funds. Public input will help the Clean Water Board make its budget recommendation, representing approximately $33 million of the $50 million anticipated to be available for water quality projects in State Fiscal Year 2021. Clean water funding supports municipalities, farmers, and others implementing priority projects to improve water quality in Vermont’s lakes, rivers, and wetlands.

Vermont Business Magazine At a Congressional hearing this afternoon, Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) asked Special Counsel Robert Mueller a series of questions on collusion and Russian interference in U.S. elections. When asked by Welch if election interference with no consequences was now “the new normal,” Mueller replied, “I hope this is not the new normal, but I fear it is.”

Rep. Welch is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House committee responsible for investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Source: Welch WASHINGTON – 7.24.2019

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will receive a $3 million federal grant from the US Department of Transportation to purchase electric buses and charging stations to be used in Vermont’s Upper Valley. The new federally funded electric bus project will help Vermont reduce local air pollution, improve public transit infrastructure and support the state’s goals to eliminate carbon emissions and combat climate change. The project will also help VTrans expand the benefits of its electric bus fleet into rural communities. The transportation sector is the source of 29 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions nationally, and of roughly 45 percent of carbon emissions in Vermont.

Bill Introduced in the US Senate by Senators Daines, Klobuchar

Vermont Business Magazine Members of Congress led by Representative Peter Welch (Vermont), Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), and Representative Lois Frankel (FL-21) today introduced bipartisan legislation to protect consumers from online booking scams.

Vermont Business Magazine Moody’s Investors Service announced today it has upgraded the credit rating for Burlington two notches from A2 to Aa3. The A2 rating is our sixth-highest rating and connotes an upper-medium grade issuer with low credit risk, while the new Aa3 rating is our fourth-highest rating and translates to an issuer with high quality and very low credit risk. The Aa3 rating applies to the city’s outstanding general obligation unlimited tax (GOULT) bonds. Moody's also upgraded the city’s Series 2016B certificates of participation (COPS) two notches to A1 from A3, and the Series 2016A COPs two notches to A2 from Baa1.

by Jack Hoffman, Public Assets Institute There may be a silver lining to the Legislature’s failure last session to reach agreement on raising Vermont’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. New research published in recent months highlights the benefits of a higher minimum wage, questions the putative negative effects, and strengthens the case for Vermont to act sooner rather than later.