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Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott Monday announced that six Rutland County businesses have received a total of $696,797 in Vermont Training Program Grants from the Vermont Department of Economic Development to train 470 employees. The grants, which range from $12,800 to $281,889, will be used to provide training for employees specific to each company’s specialty and future growth goals.

“Strengthening and expanding Vermont’s workforce is a top priority for my Administration,” said Gov. Scott. “As we work to grow our economy and create greater opportunity for Vermonters, this grant program provides valuable training for Vermont workers and supports strong businesses.”

The companies receiving the grants are:

Vermont Business Magazine With cryptocurrencies continuing to attract headlines, the Department of Financial Regulation reminds Vermont investors to be cautious about investments involving cryptocurrencies. “The recent success of cryptocurrencies has drawn considerable interest from the investing public and the media, however, Vermonters should educate themselves about the risks associated with cryptocurrencies, including high volatility and limited oversight, before deciding to invest,” said DFR Commissioner Michael Pieciak.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Keurig is getting back into the soft drink business and changing its name as part of a new world order for consumer beverages. Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc (NYSE: DPS) and Waterbury, Vermont-based Keurig Green Mountain, Inc today announced that Keurig will take control of the diversified beverage company for $18.7 billion in cash to create the new Keurig Dr Pepper. Dr Pepper is the latest acquisition by European consumer products giant JAB Holdings, which bought Keurig two years ago. The new KDP will boast a portfolio of iconic consumer brands and unrivaled distribution capability to reach virtually every point-of-sale in North America.

For now, operations and staffing will remain as is, but Keurig will once again be a publicly traded company.

by Representative Janet Ancel (D-Calais), Chair of the House Ways & Means Committee Vermont has a unique system of funding education. We can be proud of the fact that it is progressive and that it meets the requirements of the Vermont Supreme Court’s decision in Brigham, which says that it is a state responsibility to ensure access to substantially equal educational opportunity for every Vermont child.

But over the years our system of paying for education (known as Act 60/68) has grown more complex and hard to explain or understand. Household income, circuit breakers, income sensitivity, CLA, excess spending, income yields, the look back — these all contribute to a loss of faith in the basic fairness of the system.

At the same time, there have been continuing efforts to reduce reliance on the property tax and depend more heavily on an income tax, which better reflects ability to pay.

Vermont Business Magazine Tapping 145,000 Front Porch Forum members across Vermont, a recent independent, large-scale survey revealed that FPF members know and trust their neighbors at double national averages. They also have more hope for the future of their local communities. More than 15,000 FPF members across Vermont responded to the survey. The survey was conducted by Network Impact and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

• 78% of survey respondents say that their neighbors trust each other vs 38% of Americans that say they trust their neighbors. (See chart below.)

John Viskup of Panton, Vermont, said in the survey, "It makes you proud to live in a place with such a strong sense of community."

Vermont Business Magazine For the second year in a row, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) will deliver a response to President Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday night. Sanders' response will be live streamed across several social media platforms.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) has set an ambitious goal for carbon reduction in 2018 and beyond. The goal is to partner with customers to drive down costs and eliminate more than 8,000 metric tons of carbon emissions per year using clean energy for the next two decades. This will result in eliminating more than 160,000 metric tons of carbon emissions and combined with past reductions is the equivalent of removing nearly 3,000 cars from our roads each year for the next 20 years.

Vermont Business Magazine Last Friday, Vermont This Week revealed its new look and sound, and Vermont’s best journalists will share a new stage, led by veteran host Stewart Ledbetter. Vermont PBS invested in its flagship news digest by taking it on the road, developing an enriched format, and giving it a new, more technical set. Even the theme music has been overhauled by musicians from the Vermont Symphony Orchestra.

“Vermont This Week is must-watch news analysis for engaged politicos and those in the know. As part of our 50th anniversary celebration we invested in our delivery of insightful analysis of trustworthy local news,” said Holly Groschner, President of Vermont PBS. “The new look, constructed by Vermont craftsmen, reflects the brand’s integrity. Let us know how you like it!”

by Mike Smith Governor Phil Scott said in his budget speech that “it’s not bold to spend more than Vermonters can afford, or to experiment with policies our economy cannot sustain.” Often politicians tout new initiatives as bold. And often they come with a hefty price tag. By hewing to a path of fiscal restraint and frugality rather than spending more money on new proposals, Scott is trying to redefine the concept of political courage. He is also deviating from what voters typically hear from politicians in Montpelier.

Phil Scott, State of the State address, January 4, 2018. VBM photo.

Leonone Public Affairs Governor Phil Scott presented his budget address as the legislature entered a fourth week of intense activity. January tends to be the slowest month for the legislature, as committees and lawmakers get up to speed on issues and await the budget proposal from the governor. This has not been the case in 2018 as January has been defined by a flurry of committee activity and floor action. In addition there have been significant moments like the governor’s approval of the legalization of recreational cannabis and the unveiling of a proposal by the Governor to construct a large, 925-bed correctional facility in Franklin County. Already elevated political tensions increased this week as Democrats scrutinized and in some cases criticized the governor’s proposed budget while Republicans praised it.

by Marilyn Cargill VSAC For Vermont students to be prepared for tomorrow’s jobs, all pathways must lead to a credential with labor market value, such as a certificate, associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree. Good jobs that once only required a high school education have mostly disappeared and that trend is likely to continue. The jobs that have taken their place are in fields like health care, information technology, business services – and yes, manufacturing and construction. And, according to Vermont employers all require more than a high school education.

It is estimated that by 2025 almost 70 percent of all new jobs in Vermont will require education and training beyond high school. Students continuing their education is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Four out of five jobs lost during the Great Recession were held by Vermonters with a high school education or less.

Vermont Business Magazine With an eye toward the evolving needs of today's industrial computer users, Logic Supply (www.logicsupply.com) has unveiled the small form factor, fanless ML350 (www.logicsupply.com/ml350). Powered by Intel® Apollo Lake processing, the ML350 is a highly customizable computing platform, purpose-built from board to chassis for applications ranging from digital signage and machine automation, to industrial IoT and edge computing.