Current News

Surrounded by supporters at the locally owned Red Hen Bakery in Middlesex, Governor Peter Shumlin today signed into law legislation phasing in an increase in the state’s minimum wage from the current $8.73 per hour to $10.50 per hour by 2018. Shumlin and other New England Governors appeared with President Obama earlier this year in Connecticut to call for a national increase in the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10. However, noting congressional inaction on that proposal, Shumlin said, “States like Vermont realize that working people can’t support their families on the current minimum wage, and we’re moving ahead to do the right thing on our own.”

Vermont is one of at least 26 states and the District of Columbia that either currently have a minimum wage higher than the national minimum, or have approved a higher rate that is scheduled to take effect on a date certain.

Randy Brock, who ran for governor against Peter Shumlin in 2012, will not run for governor this year. He said, "I believe that this is the right decision for me and my family." The former state senator from Franklin County was the highest profile name being floated as a possible opponent to Governor Shumlin, who will seek a third term in November.

President Barack Obama signed an executive order today to limit student loan payments to no more than 10 percent of a borrower’s monthly income. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today welcomed the news, saying, “Millions of American families are struggling to repay student loans. Capping payments at no more than 10 percent of income is one way to help,” said Sanders, a member of the Senate education committee. He also endorsed Obama’s proposal to help students make better-informed choices about which student loan repayment options are best for them.

Obama expands program to lower student loan payments

Merchants Bank was listed in the “Top 200” for the third year in a row on American Banker Magazine’s annual list of best performers. Merchants Bank’s performance put them in the top 4% of the Top 200 among a peer group of 851 community banks across the country with less than $2 billion of assets.

“Merchants Bank is in a great position to serve our customers; large enough to be financially sound and offer sophisticated banking technology, while remaining focused on our local commitment to community,” stated Mike Tuttle, President and CEO of Merchants Bank. “Every employee at Merchants Bank feels great pride in knowing we are one of the finest
banks in America.”

by Morgan True vtdigger.org Developers of Vermont Health Connect will miss a revised deadline for website functionality that allows users to make changes to their coverage, a state official said Friday. A revised contract with CGI, the tech firm that is building the state’s health care exchange website, set a May 21 deadline for the upgrade, then the date was pushed back to June 8. Now there is no deadline in place for the basic website functionality. Since the website was launched October 1, 2013, users have not been able to adjust their coverage for life events such as a divorce, marriage, birth or job loss. In insurance lingo, this is known as a “change of circumstance.”

FairPoint Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRP) has announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2014. "I am pleased with the continuing trends in the business — our Adjusted EBITDA and Unlevered Free Cash Flow continue to be on track although quarterly revenue was somewhat lower than expected," said Paul H. Sunu, Chief Executive Officer. "We saw a renewal of the trend of broadband subscriber growth and continued strength in our Ethernet products in the quarter, which provide momentum for the balance of the year."

Operating Highlights

-- Unlevered Free Cash Flow of $28.1 million

-- Adjusted EBITDA1 of $64.2 million

-- Capital expenditures of $28.1 million

-- Net loss of $32.2 million

Only in Washington, DC, does a visit by the Ben & Jerry's free ice cream truck illicit this kind of response. When Ben & Jerry's announced they were bringing free ice cream to DC, the digital ad makers at Revolution Messaging launched a barrage of tweets requesting a visit from the truck. The team was dismayed to learn they had been passed over and instead the truck went to MD, well outside the District, to visit the Redskins, the most controversial team in the NFL.

Not one to take the loss quietly, Revolution Messaging responded the way DC political consultants do best: with an attack ad.

by Deb Markowitz, Secretary, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources The United States is finally poised to take an important step to curb carbon pollution that is contributing to climate disruption across the globe after decades of denial, hand-wringing, foot-dragging and lawsuits. The EPA's newly announced regulations will prevent our country's largest carbon polluters – coal burning power plants - from polluting our air with impunity.

Members of Rising Tide Vermont, 350-Vermont and supporting Addison county residents held a press conference Friday to denounce the attempt by Vermont Gas to criminalize activists involved in nonviolent protest against the fracked gas pipeline. Demonstrators on May 27 hung a banner from the Vermont Gas Systems headquarters roof in South Burlington and chained a member to the front door to protest the natural gas pipeline planned to run through Addison and into Rutland counties. Vermont Gas claimed those who placed the banner were trespassing and also that during the action of chaining the door, a VGS employee was assaulted and injured by a demonstrator.

With the crucial personal income tax off nearly 11 percent, Vermont General Fund revenues totaled $70.31 million for May 2014, -$5.47 million or -7.22 percent below the monthly target. The personal income tax receipts were off nearly 15 percent in April. Secretary of Administration Jeb Spaulding released the May 2014 General Fund (GF) revenue results today. May is the eleventh month of fiscal year (FY) 2014. Year to date, General Fund receipts are now $1,202.86 million, -$5.38 million or -0.44 percent behind the cumulative target. Year-to-date revenue is $26.64 million (2.26 percent) ahead of the same period for the prior fiscal year (FY 2013).

In a report released Thursday, Human Resources Commissioner Kate Duffy announced that the investigation into alleged misconduct by Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor John Howe has been closed, as has the Department’s related review of retaliation against Howe. Howe had publicly disclosed the investigation into his practice of permitting non-authorized personnel to sign his name to dispense state funds through the Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living (DAIL), which had referred the matter to the Department of Human Resources. Howe had claimed that the investigation constituted retaliation for Howe testifying at the Vermont Legislature and engaging in union activity. In response to this case, DAIL will clarify its policy on how funds are authorized.

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) reached a bipartisan agreement Thursday to improve veterans’ access to health care and address serious problems facing the Department of Veterans Affairs. Embattled Veterans Administration Secretary Eric Shinseki resigned last week over several problems within the agency, including long wait times at VA hospitals. There is a VA hospital in White River Junction, but it was not cited as one with such problems.

“While this is not the bill that I would have written, we have taken a significant step forward with this agreement,” said Sanders.

RELATED STORY: Bernie Sanders issues statement over resignation of VA Secretary Shinseki