Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan today announced that he is joining a coalition of 21 Attorneys General in filing an amicus brief urging the US Supreme Court to uphold existing precedent that permits “fair share” provisions in public sector union contracts. The “fair share” provisions allow a union to collect a fee from all represented employees to solely cover the costs of collective-bargaining related activities. These costs are related to collective bargaining functions such as contract negotiations and processing grievances.

Public Assets Institute Since the start of the Great Recession 10 years ago, Vermont’s labor force has shrunk. The nation has endured five recessions in the last 40 years, and Vermont’s workforce recovered after four of them. But in December 2017 there were 6,500 fewer Vermonters working or actively looking for work than in December 2007.

Vermont Business Magazine The list of legislative priorities the leaders of the state's cities has is long and pretty much the same as the last few years, including opioid use assistance, clean water, and money to refurbish downtowns. The Vermont Mayors Coalition (VMC) today announced its 2018 legislative session goals and its commitment to collaborate on and advocate for these areas of common interest for their cities and towns. At a news conference in the State House Cedar Creek Room, the Coalition released its legislative policy summary for the 2018 legislative session.

Vermont Business Magazine Burlington residents will have a school budget to approve on March 6. At a special board meeting on Tuesday, January 23, the Burlington School Board passed a budget recommendation. The recommended budget will increase education spending to $15,111.81 per equalized pupil, an increase of less than one percent (0.8 percent) over the last fiscal year. While the increase per child is very small, the state’s education funding formula means that the proposed budget could raise property taxes by 7.99 percent.

by Anson Tebbetts, Secretary of Agriculture Food & Markets As you go about your day, it’s likely you pass a farm – or two or more – along the way. Hidden in hamlets and stretched out in the valleys, Vermont’s farms are part of our daily lives. And although farmers have worked the land for over a century, there may be something unexpected, yet rooted in Vermont, happening behind the scenes. Something innovative. Something progressive. Something that’s making a difference, over time, in our land, waterways, farms, and in our communities.

Vermont Business Magazine Following the Greater Burlington Industrial Corp sounding the alarm on workforce development in early Spring of 2017, the Vermont Legislature passed S135, directing the Commissioner of Labor and the Chair of the State Workforce Development Board to convene a working group on the state’s workforce development system. Through GBIC President Frank Cioffi's role as Chair of the State Workforce Development Board, GBIC took an active and leading role in this effort, dedicating hundreds of hours of staff time researching, compiling data, and collaborating with our partners in the region and throughout the state to help formulate this report. GBIC Vice President Seth Bowden served as a lead staff person, drafting and developing significant components of this report.

Vermont Business Magazine The American Lung Association’s 2018 “State of Tobacco Control” shows Vermont earned mixed grades on its tobacco policies. The Lung Association suggests the state should put another $3.8 million into fighting the problem and raise the smoking age to 21. The 16th annual report grades states and the federal government on policies proven to prevent and reduce tobacco use, and finds that Vermont was unable to move the ball on tobacco policy in 2017, and that elected officials must do more to save lives and ensure all Vermont residents benefit.

Vermont Business Magazine A new survey from Champlain College Online says that while most adults see the value in higher education to prepare them for advancement in the workplace, ongoing concerns over incurring student debt and affordability are the major barriers to returning to school to complete a certificate, associate degree or bachelor’s degree.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced a new cybersecurity training partnership between the State and the SANS Institute. GirlsGoCyberStart, a free online game of discovery, provides Vermont high school girls interested in a cybersecurity career, with a tool to learn basic cybersecurity skills and test their cyber aptitude. An introductory practice version of GirlsGoCyberStart will be available January 29–February 16 and the full-scale program will run from February 20–25.

by TJ Donovan,Vermont Attorney General As a teenager in the south end of Burlington, I spent summers and weekends stocking shelves, sorting bottles, and sweeping up at Longe Brothers Market. It was Longe’s owner, Phil Verkoni, who was my first mentor. I learned many life lessons at Longe’s, including the importance of “the customer is always right,” and the grace of giving back to your own community. I may be Attorney General now, but the lessons I learned at a small business have stuck with me.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott delivered his budget address Tuesday afternoon. He started out by mentioning the Patriots victory in the AFC Championship game on Sunday, which received some applause and a few laughs. He mentioned the game, he said, so that lawmakers would have something to applaud as he stood before the joint session of the Legislature. But he did get more applause during his remarks, including for a plan to phase out the tax on Social Security, which came early in the speech, and another when he began speaking about public education cost containment, which came relatively late. Generally, Scott reaffirmed his commitment to no new taxes and fees and a budget constrained by the average growth in the economy.

Public Assets Institute Gov. Phil Scott laid out an ambitious agenda for state government in his second budget address. He outlined many problems facing Vermonters today, and for the most part his assessment was accurate. The state does need to address drug addiction, retirement security, environmental protection, mental illness, affordable housing, energy efficiency, job creation, equal educational opportunities, and the many other issues he cited.

It is hard to see how he can achieve all this with a spending formula that ties the growth in the state budget to Vermonters’ wages. And while we applaud his proposal to try to recruit young families to settle in here, we have to wonder how many young parents are eager to move to a state where the governor says we’re spending too much on education and wants to reduce staffing in schools.