Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero) today issued the following statement regarding the passing of former Speaker Timothy O’Connor Tuesday at 81. O'Connor was a Democrat from Brattleboro who nonetheless served as Speaker during a Republican majority in the House. He was the first Democrat to hold the post since the 1850s when he took the gavel in 1975. He also has been the long-serving town moderator.

Vermont State Police At approximately 1105 AM troopers from the Vermont State Police and the Montpelier Police Department shot at and killed a male subject identified as Nathaniel Giffin, 32, of Essex, Vermont. The shooting occurred on the athletic field at the Montpelier High School following a bank robbery that Giffin committed at approximately 930 AM.

Vermont State Police Criminal Division detectives responded to investigate and the Crime Scene Search Team to process the scene. Also assisting were detectives from the Barre City Police Department. Preliminary investigation has revealed the following:

[WCAX TV captured the shooting.]

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued the following statement ahead of a vote in the Senate Tuesday to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Natural Resources Council is praising a decision by the Department of Environmental Conservation to withdraw a proposed rule that would have imposed restrictions on the use of non-motorized boats on Great Hosmer Pond in Craftsbury, Vermont. DEC drafted the rule last year and indicated its intention to formally move the proposal through the rulemaking process. VNRC on behalf of its members, including a number people that are part of the group Friends of Great Hosmer Pond (FoGHP), objected to the draft rule in October. VNRC raised concerns about the legality of the rule, and the policy of promoting motorized over non-motorized uses of public waters.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Attorney General TJ Donovan joined a coalition of 22 Attorneys General in filing a multistate lawsuit to block what they say is the Federal Communications Commission’s illegal rollback of net neutrality. The coalition filed a petition for review in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, formally commencing the lawsuit against the FCC and the federal government.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced the appointment of 24 Vermonters to State boards and commissions, made in the month of December. Boards and commissions serve an important role in state government, giving Vermonters numerous opportunities to serve their state and communities. The Governor’s office is currently soliciting applications to fill vacancies and upcoming term expirations. All those interested in serving on a board or commission should visit the Governor’s website at governor.vermont.gov/boards-commissions to apply.

Vermont Business Magazine Norwich University President Richard W. Schneider announced the promotion of Kathleen Murphy-Moriarty to Vice President of Communications beginning Jan. 1, 2018. Murphy-Moriarty has led Norwich University’s Office of Communications since August 2013, when she was hired as Director of Communications and Marketing. She had previously served as Chief Marketing Officer for the State of Vermont.

Kathleen Murphy-Moriarty. Norwich photo.

Vermont Business Magazine Personal Income Tax revenues for last month surged and are running ahead of projections. General Fund revenues collected for the month of December totaled $139.62 million, $8.19 million above the consensus cash flow expectation for the month. The monthly consensus cash flow targets were established by the Emergency Board on July 21, 2017 and reflect the General Fund receipts estimated to be collected each month. December marks the sixth month and the halfway point of fiscal year 2018.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders will join prominent climate activists to kick off a new campaign to take on the Trump Administration and the fossil fuel industry on January 31st. The event, Fossil Free Fast: The Climate Resistance, launches Fossil Free US, a campaign led by 350.org, calling for an immediate halt to all fossil fuel projects and a fast and just transition to 100 percent renewable energy for all.

Vermont Business Magazine Stowe and Whistler are doing their parts, but historically low snow fall in the western United States has resulted in disappointing results, both in skier days but even more so in associated retail sales. Vail Resorts, Inc (NYSE: MTN) has reported certain ski season metrics for the comparative periods from the beginning of the ski season through January 7, 2018, and for the prior year period through January 8, 2017. The reported ski season metrics are for its North American mountain resorts, adjusted as if Stowe was owned in both periods and also adjusted to eliminate the impact of foreign currency by applying current period exchange rates to the prior period for Whistler Blackcomb's results. The metrics exclude results from Perisher and its urban ski areas in both periods.

by Kevin Mullin, GMCB Medical costs in Vermont related to asthma, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease have increased from $1.52 billion in 2010 to $2.04 billion in 2015. According to the Vermont Department of Health, the costs related to chronic diseases are expected to continue increasing by 75 percent from 2010 to 2020. The Vermont Department of Health points to poor diet as one of the three main factors responsible for these diseases.

It shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that the adult obesity rate in Vermont has steadily climbed from 10% in 1990 to over 25% currently. In fact, more than 6 out of 10 Vermonters are now at an unhealthy weight. Our youngest Vermonters are already on the same path as the adult population; almost 30% are overweight or obese. The poor health caused by obesity and the escalating medical costs are an increasing burden on Vermont.

by John McClaughry The House and Senate health care committee chairs in Montpelier are pondering new adventures in health care policy for 2018. High on their list is a Vermont individual insurance mandate. The mandate to purchase government-approved insurance has had a four year run in Washington. It was made a cornerstone of Obamacare because older people are sicker than young people. If health insurance premiums are set according to an age group’s risk of incurring medical expenses, the premiums for sixty-year olds will be as much as five times the premiums for twenty-year olds.