Current News

Vermont Business MagazineThe Annual Vermont Farm Show, a great Vermont tradition, returns to the Champlain Valley Expo Center January 31,February 1and 2. Now in its 87^thyear, the show celebrates the heritage of Vermont farming, while continuing to evolve and grow with our agricultural community. Packed with fun and educational events and displays, the show is sure to impress agricultural enthusiasts of all ages!

Farm Show 2016. Ag Agency photos.

This year’s show will feature more than 150 agricultural exhibits, ranging from tractors to livestock to cutting-edge equipment. For a full list of exhibitors and their respective booth numbers, visithttp://www.vtfarmshow.com/2017-exhibitors.html

by John McClaughry Governor Phil Scott’s budget address promised a balanced General Fund budget lower than last year’s. It reiterated his opposition to any new taxes and fees, and pledged to make the required annual required contributions to keep the two state retirement funds from slipping even further away from long-term solvency. Those features deservedly won applause.

When it came to education financing, however, the governor proposed what he called “incredibly strong measures” that vaulted him well into high-risk territory.

Scott says that the state must mandate “transformative changes” to “stabilize and control local school spending”. Before looking at the specifics, it’s worthwhile to recall what previous governors have done about this. (The quotes are from my commentaries at the time.)

Vermont Business MagazineThe American Lung Association’s“State of Tobacco Control” reporthas found that in 2016 the State of Vermont was a leader in the Northeast in implementing proven-effective policies that save lives, placing it among the top 6 states in the nation with the best overall report. The 15^thannual report grades states and the federal government on policies to prevent and reduce tobacco use. The report shows that most states and the federal government earned poor grades. Vermont was a relative bright spot in an otherwise dismal report, receiving only a failing grade in the Lung Association’s newest category, focused on age of sale legislation.

Vermont Business Magazine Keeping mothers and babies safe in the midst of the opioid crisis in northern New England is the goal of a new online toolkit being tested in eight regional hospitals.The new collaborative program also encourages smoking cessation among this patient population in year two of a three-year, $127,000 grant that Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s Perinatal Addiction Treatment Program received from the March of Dimes in 2016.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Attorney General Donovan joined 16 other Attorneys General to stand up for individual freedoms and to protect the rights of all Vermonters and Americans. The full statement begins:“As the chief legal officers for over 130 million Americans and foreign residents of our states, we condemn President Trump's unconstitutional, un-American and unlawful Executive Order and will work together to ensure the federal government obeys the Constitution, respects our history as a nation of immigrants, and does not unlawfully target anyone because of their national origin or faith."

by Annette Smith The definition of “Kafkaesque”: “Describing something that is horribly complicated for no reason, usually in reference to bureaucracy.” Neighbors of operating and proposed wind projects are watching in disbelief as they witness the Public Service Board (PSB) issue Orders affirming the rights of the wind industry while putting neighbors through expensive, time-consuming legal processes that tramples neighbors’ rights and provide no relief.

Vermont Business Magazine The Burlington Telecom Advisory Board (BTAB) will host a community meeting Tuesday night at the Fletcher Free Library to discuss the timing and process by which Burlington Telecom (BT) will seek a new partner. Mayor Weinberger will not attend this event, but is advising it so that the public and the media are aware of this important discussion regarding the future of BT.

WHAT: Meeting to discuss timeline and process for BT transaction. The criteria by which proposals would be evaluated was previously approved.

WHO: Burlington Telecom Advisory Board (members listed below)

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Mayors Coalition issued a statement Monday that calls on President Donald Trump to rescind the Executive Order signed on January 27, 2017 which suspends the issuance of visas to residents of certain countries, and takes other action to restrict entry into the United States.

University of Vermont UVM is hosting "A Policy Panel Discussion" moderated by Governor Madeleine M Kunin, the Marsh Professor-at-Large Monday afternoon at 4:30 pm in the Silver Maple Ballroom at the UVM Davis Center. A reception immediately follows in the Fireplace Lounge.

Public Assets Institute Governor Phil Scott said this week that property taxes were one of the biggest contributors to what he calls the state’s “affordability crisis,” and he called on local school boards to cut more than $50 million from the budgets they’ve prepared for next year. But if schools make the cuts the governor has asked for, Vermont homeowners won’t see lower taxes. Instead, school budget savings will be used to cover new obligations the governor wants to pay for out of the education funding pot.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), a former chairman and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced on Monday his opposition to the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions to be the next Attorney General of the United States.

by David Coates, KPMG (retired), Colchester There is both good news and bad news in the latest report from the State's Actuary. First the good news.....the Retiree Health Care Benefits (OPEB) unfunded liability for state workers and teachers was reduced by $274 million from 2015 ($2.1 billion) to 2016 ($1.8 billion). This reduction reflects better claims experience than expected and, in fairness, many positive changes for both pensions and retiree health care benefits made by the Treasurer.

Once again, the bad news is the unfunded liability for state workers and teachers pensions, which increased by $90 million from 2015 ($1.7) billion to 2016 ($1.8 billion). In total, the combined unfunded liabilities as of June 30, 2016 is $3.6 billion, or $5,800 for every resident of Vermont. For comparison purposes, the total net tax-supported debt for the state as June 30, 2016 is $637 million or slightly over $1,000 per every Vermont resident.