Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Four Vermont economic development organizations received grant awards totaling $4.45 million from the US Department of Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) late last month. The Flexible Capital Fund, Housing Vermont, NeighborWorks of Western Vermont and the Vermont Community Loan Fund will use the awards to provide services to Vermonters who lack access to financial services and resources.

“This is great news for economically distressed communities in Vermont that lack adequate access to capital and affordable financing,” said Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont). “Because of these targeted funds, individuals, businesses, and projects in the areas of our state that need it most will get capital to create jobs, fund housing projects, stimulate business development, and invest further in our communities.”

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is awarding $3.5 million in construction and planning grants for municipalities to improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Cities and towns throughout the state are responding to ongoing interest in making downtowns and village centers walkable, bike-friendly, and more accessible for all modes of transportation.

“In addition to the economic impacts of better access to city centers, these projects help improve Vermonter’s health by providing safe infrastructure for commuting and recreating,” said Governor Peter Shumlin.

by Chris Kolmar www.zippia.com Back in high school I had the best job you could have in high school, I worked at the local movie theater for minimum wage plus free popcorn and movies. I was happy to make minimum wage back then, but now I couldn’t imagine living on the $5.86/hr I was making. All of this reminiscing got me wondering, who gets paid the least in Vermont? So to piggy-back on our research into the highest paying jobs in Vermont, we decided to use data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify the lowest paying jobs.

Vermont Business Magazine At its October 4 meeting, the South Burlington Business Association’s (SBBA’s) Board of Directors voted in support of the November ballot question authorizing the expenditure of up to $5 million funds in the Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District in support of the redevelopment of Market Street and Dumont Park. In 2015, the SBBA adopted a position statement supporting the vision of City Center “as a mixed use urban environment, including commercial, residential, public, and recreational uses. The SBBA also supports the use of TIF (Tax Increment Financing) in order to drive the development of the City Center vision.”

Public Assets Institute, Montpelier The state’s economy would be stronger, and Vermonters would feel more secure financially, if we all had retirement nest eggs. According to a 2012 report by the National Institute for Retirement Security, “[l]ess than half of Vermont workers participate in a retirement plan at work.” And those who have defined contribution accounts, the Institute found, the average balance is the lowest in the country—just $19,768.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) on Tuesday in Middlebury announced that Vermont will receive $9.3 million from the US Department of Justice to support victims of crime throughout the state, including survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The funding includes 12 separate federal grants that will address a wide range of needs.  Leahy, a former prosecutor, has long been the Senate’s leading champion for crime victims. As the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Justice Department, Leahy was instrumental two years ago in raising the cap on the Crime Victims Fund, which supports several victim assistance programs.  Leahy’s success in raising the cap has led to a three-fold annual increase in funding, totaling $4.7 million this year.  The Fund is supported through federal fines and penalties, and not with taxpayer dollars.

by Emma Lamberton Vermont Watchdog Over 50 people gathered at the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich on Monday to hear from the governor and the Green Mountain Care Board about the draft of the administration’s all-payer waiver, approved last week. The waiver allows for the distribution of Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance funds through one giant Affordable Care Organization, which will operate under the payment model of reimbursing pro

Vermont Business Magazine USDA will invest $26.6 million in 45 new, national projects to spur agricultural innovation in rural and urban communities through its Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) in 2016, said Vicky Drew, State Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Vermont. One of these projects is located in Vermont and will help reduce greenhouse gases and nutrient loading by providing another option for how dairy farms manage manure. In Vermont, a $1.2 million Conservation Innovation Grant was awarded to NativeEnergy, Inc to implement a mobile manure solids separation project.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont House Republican PAC (“VHR PAC”) will pay a civil penalty of $2,000 for failing to register as a legislative leadership PAC and for soliciting contributions from lobbyist employers, according to Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell. In January 2014, the Legislature passed a law requiring legislative leadership PACs to register with the Secretary of State’s Office and prohibiting them from soliciting contributions from lobbyists or lobbyist employers. The Vermont House Republican PAC acknowledged violations of both provisions.

Vermont Business Magazine Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Sue Minter has announced that her campaign raised $374,000 for the October 1 filing period, which spanned from August 30 to September 28, with over $200,000 cash-on-hand. The new numbers bring Minter’s total raised to just over $1.5 million for the cycle.

“Vermonters know that if we come together we can get Vermont’s economy moving again by investing in our downtowns, working to attract and grow innovative businesses, and supporting the next generation of Vermonters with investment in early childhood education, livable wage jobs, paid family leave and two-years tuition free community or technical college," said Minter. "Across the state, I've met thousands of Vermonters who are excited about our vision for the future and they're getting involved in this campaign by contributing, volunteering and early voting."

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Planned Parenthood Vermont Action Fund Independent Expenditure PAC (PPVTAF IE PAC) released their complete list of statewide candidate endorsements. At the top of the ticket, the PPVTAF IE PAC Board endorsed Sue Minter for Governor.  Rounding out the statewide slate, the Board endorsed David Zuckerman for Lieutenant Governor, Beth Pearce for State Treasurer, Doug Hoffer for Auditor of Accounts, TJ Donovan for Attorney General, and Jim Condos for Secretary of State.

Vermont Business Magazine Today the Vermont Sheriff’s Association, representing Vermont’s 14 elected Sheriff’s, voted overwhelmingly to endorse TJ Donovan’s campaign to become Vermont’s next Attorney General. Current President of the Association Orange County Sheriff Bill Bohnyak commented on the endorsement stating: “Throughout his ten years as Chittenden County State’s Attorney TJ has always had an open door to law enforcement and an open mind on how to best collaborate on public safety issues. We look forward to working closely with TJ to tackle Vermont’s number one public safety concern: Vermont’s opiate crisis.  We know that TJ has the knowledge, experience, vision and determination to solve this problem and that is why we endorsed him to be Vermont’s next Attorney General.”