Current News

Vermont Business RoundtableThe Roundtable and strategic partnersin the Vermont Talent Pipeline Managementproject (VTPM) are heavily involved in the roll out of two employer collaboratives, one in construction and the other health care, aimed at increasing the availability of and access to skilled workers for the most critical roles in these vital industries. Taken together, over 50 geographically-diverse companies have agreed to engage in a demand planning process that creates short-term projections of job openings based on a set of assumptions chosen by the employers. Those data will be aggregated and talent flows analyzed to determine where their best hires are being produced, then competencies and credentials will be communicated to the education and training provider communities across Vermont with the express goal of closing our workforce gaps. Already, 40+ public/private/not for profit educators and workforce training providers have stepped forward to indicate their strong willingness to partner on VTPM.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business Magazine Better than expected results from the Corporate Income Tax helped push revenues ahead of expectations for both the month of June and the fiscal year as a whole. However, the three largest revenue sources were all down for the period and the year. General Fund revenues collected for the month of June totaled $134.10 million, $1.97 million ahead of the consensus revenue targets adopted by the Emergency Board on January 19, 2017, according to Secretary of Administration Susanne Young. The better than expected performance in June was driven by $3.83 million above target revenues in the Corporate Income Tax and a slight increase in the Property Transfer Tax of $0.69 million. These gains were partially offset by an underperformance across all other revenue types.

Public Assets Institute Washington State is better than Vermont. Well, on one measure anyway: paid family and medical leave. This month Washington became the fifth state to enact a paid family and medical leave program, offering up to 12 weeks of time off to care for a new child or a sick family member, or to take care of personal health issues. The program is paid for through an insurance program funded by both employees and employers.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) issued the following statement Tuesday after Senate Republicans voted to begin debate on a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act: "The vote today to proceed on the health care bill is a step toward passing the most dangerous and destructive piece of legislation in the modern history of our country. If this bill ends up resembling the House bill, 22 million people will lose health insurance, Medicaid will be cut by nearly $800 billion over the next decade, premiums for older Americans will increase and 2.5 million women will lose health care as a result of defunding Planned Parenthood. Make no mistake about it, thousands of Americans every year will die unnecessarily if this legislation is passed.

Vermont Business MagazineSouthern Vermont College (SVC) in Bennington has received a $1.35 million pledge from the James Hand Irene MHunter Charitable Trust as the lead gift to support the construction of a new Center for Student Success and Wellness. The pledge includes a gift of $1 million and a $350,000 challenge grant to match additional gifts of $.50 to the dollar up to $700,000. SVC has begun a fundraising campaign to fully fund the construction costs of the building and will announce a groundbreaking ceremony when targets have been met.

by Timothy McQuiston Vermont Business MagazineThe Canadian owner of one of Vermont’s most recognizable maple syrup bottlers has been sold to one of Canada’s leading food companies. Rogers Sugar Inc announced July 10 the acquisition of L.B. Maple Treat Corporation, the parent company of Highland Sugarworks in Websterville, for $126.35 million (CD $160.3).

by RobRoper Ethan Allen Institute We can all agree that baring someone who is eligible to vote from doing so is a grave injustice. It robs a citizen in our representative republic of their voice in the process of governance. This is unacceptable. However, allowing somebody to vote who is not a legally eligible voter has the exact same effect, and is equally unjust. Allowing an ineligible voter to cast a ballot cancels out the vote of a legal voter, effectually erasing that legal voter’s vote. The outcome is the same as if the legal voter had been physically blocked from entering the polling place. This is also unacceptable.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott issued the following statement today, recognizing Vail Resorts – operator of 11 mountain resorts and three ski areas, including Stowe in Vermont – for its comprehensive sustainability commitment, dubbed the "Epic Promise for a Zero Footprint."

by Governor Phil Scott On my first day in office, I issued anexecutive orderdefining the top goals of my Administration: Growing the economy, making Vermont more affordable, and protecting the most vulnerable. We are laser-focused on these priorities and they guide us in everything we do. That’s why we’ve concentrated on government modernization and efficiency, rethinking and revitalizing our approach to economic development, transitioning to a cradle-to-career education system that is the best in the nation, strengthening our response to the opioid epidemic, and making sure state spending isn’t growing faster than wages or the economy.

Senator Patrick Leahy This was a lockstep vote for Trumpcare, produced through a secretive and shoddy process. These decisions mean health or illness and life or death to countless Americans. And let’s be clear: Republican senators have no idea what they voted for with this motion to proceed. Millions upon millions of Americans’ health is at stake. This cynical vote is intended to lead to a final Trumpcare plan to kick millions of Americans off their insurance.

Vermont Business MagazineA charitable organization supporting Vermont firefighters will receive $20,000 through a settlement negotiated by Attorney General T.J. Donovan; the organization will be named by the Vermont Community Foundation. The settlement stems from alawsuit the State filed last yearagainst FireCo, a paid fundraiser based in Madison, Tennessee. The lawsuit alleged violations of Vermont’s charitable solicitations law, including FireCo’s failure to clearly and concisely disclose to potential donors where they can find information about the percentage of their donation that the paid fundraiser retains. The complaint also alleged misrepresentation and failure to file statements closing a fundraising campaign.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Governor Phil Scott, Attorney General TJ Donovan, and Bennington County legislative members announced a settlement with Saint-Gobain. As part of the settlement, Saint-Gobain will fund water line extension for approximately 200 homes in a portion of Bennington and North Bennington. Construction of municipal water line extensions in both communities will begin this fall, aiming to make significant progress before winter. The estimated costs of the water line project are approximately $20 million. In addition, Saint-Gobain has committed to completing an expedited investigation in the remainder of the impacted area, which will inform a resolution for that area.