Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Gary S Thulander, president and general manager of the Woodstock Inn & Resort, has announced construction of the new Suicide Six Elemental Bike Park is underway with facilities scheduled to open in July. The Woodstock Inn & Resort, in partnership with Sinuosity: Flowing Trails, is constructing six miles of mountain biking trails that will be accessible via the Suicide Six Ski Area’s quad chairlift. With a variety of progressive terrain the bike park will offer fun for all ages and skill levels.

Vermont Business Magazine Many businesses would benefit from technical assistance and professional consulting services but they cannot afford it on their own. NCIC in St Johnsbury can help these projects come to fruition. Examples of technical assistance include; business coaching, energy efficiency audits/design, education and training, marketing and sales strategies, engineering and architectural reports, permitting assistance, finance and accounting and website development.

To be eligible, small businesses need to have five or fewer full time equivalent employees and a business owner household has to be income eligible. For example, a family of two the business owners household income would need to be less than $45,700. For a family of four, the business owners household income would need to be less than $57,100. If you qualify, please contact NCIC for more information and application materials.

Vermont Business Magazine Late Tuesday, the US House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation authored by Representative Peter Welch (D-VT) and Representative Richard Nolan (D-MN) that extends the North Country National Scenic Trail from Crown Point, NY into Addison County, linking it to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail via Vermont’s Long Trail.

Vermont Business Magazine Fourteen babies born at Vermont hospitals on May 29 will each receive $100 in a 529 college savings account from Vermont Student Assistance Corp. The Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems partners with VSAC, which administers Vermont’s 529 college savings plan, to help educate Vermont families about saving for college for their children.

Northwestern Medical Center and University of Vermont Medical Center both welcomed four babies while two babies were born at Central Vermont Medical Center, and one baby was born at Rutland Regional Medical Center, Porter Medical Center, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and Gifford Medical Center.

Vermont Business Magazine Gifford Health Care’s Menig Nursing Home in Randolph Center earned deficiency-free surveys from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the Department of Health and Human Services after a site visit in May. The results make Menig the first nursing home in Vermont to complete a deficiency-free survey under new federal nursing home requirements.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont PBS had a great night at the New England Emmy Awards, bringing home two of the coveted statuettes- one for environmental programming for Saving our Waters and a second in the interstitial category for MLT375: Cité Mémoire. Saving Our Waters tackles the urgent need to protect our waterways from pollution and climate change through the lens of the Lake Champlain Basin. It explores the intersection of environmental science and behavioral science necessary to make lasting changes that allow the lake to thrive. Producer Vince Franke was the award recipient for Saving Our Waters. Major funding for this production was provided by Vermont EPSCoR.

Vermont Business Magazine Dealer.com, based in Burlington, has been named the Bing Growth Hacker of the Year, recognizing the company's continued investment in engineering initiatives throughout the year to strengthen its connectivity and ability to grow successful advertising campaigns with Bing. Leveraging its powerful advertising platform, built for scalability, Dealer.com included Bing in the media plan for one of its largest OEM partners. As a result, Dealer.com helped bring thousands of new advertisers to the Bing search network and utilized its adverting solution's technological advances to ensure its clients were positioned for optimal success. This campaign effectively helped dealers across the country expand their reach through the exclusive audience they can reach through Bing's search network.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement regarding the tax revenue report issued Tuesday, which shows an increasing surplus of funds. Scott, in the statement, then rails against the budget plan that the House passed also on Tuesday, which is now before the Senate. As it stands now, Scott is expected to veto that budget if it comes to his desk as is. Without a budget, state government will shut down on July 1.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has announced its 2018 award recipients for service and support to Vermont’s Guard and Reserve members. At their annual banquet held recently in South Burlington, Vt., ESGR recognized over 40 employers who provided outstanding support to their citizen warrior employees over the past year. Guest speaker for the event was Major General Steven Cray, Vermont’s Adjutant General. State of Vermont Governor Phil Scott also participated in recognizing employers and providing brief comments. The event, hosted by Jean O’Sullivan, Vermont State ESGR Chair, was attended by several other senior uniformed Guard and Reserve members as well as key business and community leaders.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House today voted 83-40 to pass H13, the state budget, which would ensure Vermont government remains open at the start of the new fiscal year July 1 if signed into law. With 62 votes needed to pass, the final vote was 83-40. The budget now moves to the Senate for consideration. However, the governor appears unwilling to sign the budget as is. The latest tax revenue numbers released today reflect an even greater surplus for the current fiscal year, which could affect the prospects for H13.

Emergency Board to consider a revised official revenue forecast for FY18

Vermont Business Magazine Led by another strong showing by the vital Personal Income tax, General Fund tax revenues have pushed to nearly $64 million ahead of projections for the fiscal year with one month left. Revenue collections for the month of May 2018 totaled $95.87 million, $9.44 million above the consensus cash flow expectation for the month. Most of the surplus revenue collected was Personal Income and Estate Tax, $4.21 million and $4.15 million, respectively. Year to date the General Fund is ahead of target by $63.77 million, most from Personal Income that is over target by $34.56 million and Corporate Income that is over by $17.47 million.

by John McClaughry Governor Phil Scott and the Democratic-controlled legislature are well into crunch time over the FY2019 state general fund budget and the related education finance bill. The governor obviously takes very seriously his 2016 campaign pledge to hold state General Fund spending to a growth of 2.36 percent a year, and to oppose – and veto – any increase in tax rates. However the actual homestead school property tax rates are not set each year by the Legislature and the governor. They are determined district by district based on each district’s spending per equalized pupil. The total tax dollars thus raised, when added to other specified revenue sources, must add up to the sum of all the voter-approved school budgets.