Current News

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) has announced $40,000 available to agricultural producers and food hubs serving institutional markets through the Local Food Market Development Grant program for 2014.
Any Vermont producers, processers, community food organization, or food hub interested in a Local Food Market Development grant can find more information and download an application athttp://agriculture.vermont.gov under the ‘Grants’ tab on the homepage.
Maximum grant awards will be $7,500 with a 25% cash or in-kind match requirement by producers and 50% match requirement by community groups and food hubs. All applications must be received by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture no later than 4:30 pm on Monday, March 3, 2014.

by Morgan True vtdigger.org
Lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee say they are skeptical of the Shumlin administration’s proposal to double the health care claims tax to fill a $14 million hole in the state’s health care fund.
‘I’m not sure (the claims assessment tax) is the right option,’ said Rep. Carolyn Branagan, R-Georgia.
Branagan and several other committee members said they want to know exactly how much needs to be raised. They question the $14 million figure in Shumlin’s budget and how the claims assessment money will be spent.
The committee rejected the same proposal last year, but did not come up with an alternative revenue source.
As a result, when the Legislature approved a health care spending package, a $14 million deficit was left in the state’s Health Care Resources Fund. The fund pays for Medicaid and other Department of Vermont Health Access programs.

General Fund revenues totaled $149.62 million for January 2014, -$2.14 million or ‘1.41% behind the monthly target, as the vital Personal Income Tax was below expectations. Year to date, General Fund receipts are $773.52 million, -$2.14 million or -0.28% below the cumulative target. Year to date revenue is +$23.03 million (+3.07%) ahead of the same period for the prior fiscal year (FY 2013). Secretary of Administration Jeb Spaulding released the January 2014 General Fund (GF) revenue results Thursday. January is the seventh month of fiscal year (FY) 2014.

MyWebGrocer, based in Winooski, Vermont, announced Wednesday that it has completed the acquisition of Buy4Now Limited, a private eCommerce software and services company based in Dublin, Ireland. This transaction builds upon MWG’s earlier acquisition of Buy4Now’s U.S. subsidiary in 2008, and provides MWG the technology platform, personnel, and client base to replicate its business model in Europe. Financial terms were not disclosed.
With more than a decade operating a successful eCommerce services business in Europe, Buy4Now will accelerate MWG’s global expansion. Buy4Now is a leader in the European grocery industry highlighted by a longstanding relationship with the Musgrave Group, Ireland’s largest grocery retailer. Additionally, Buy4Now’s extensive general merchandise capabilities will expand MWG’s solution offerings.

by Hilary Niles vtdigger.org
Just as IBM is reportedly planning another round of layoffs at its plant in Essex Junction, Labor Commissioner Annie Noonan is calling for better notice and more authority over such ‘workplace actions.’
The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, known as the WARN Act, is not ‘right-sized’ for Vermont, Noonan told the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development on Wednesday afternoon.
She said it only applies to businesses that are relatively large by Vermont’s standards, and even then it doesn’t afford enough time for an effective response.

Results from the October 2013 administration of the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) were released today at Barre City Elementary & Middle School. This is the final year the NECAP will be given for reading, writing, and mathematics as Vermont is transitioning to the Smarter Balanced Assessment system. This spring 27 schools, including all three schools in the Barre Supervisory Union, will participate in the Smarter Balanced field test.

Vermont Student Assistance Corp is being honored with a gold level award for its employee wellness program from the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports and Vermont Department of Health.
Awards will be presented at the Worksite Wellness Conference, March 27, at the Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center in South Burlington. VSAC is one of 99 businesses that applied for the 2013 awards. This is the second year the company is being honored after receiving a bronze recognition last year.
‘I thank the Governor and Department of Health for this award. We place a high value on our employees’ health and wellbeing. It is a cornerstone of how VSAC operates and, in turn, how we take care of Vermont students and their families as they pursue studies after high school,’ said Scott Giles, president and CEO.

Vermont’s Blueprint for Health is working to bend the curve in health care costs, saving up to 19 percent in annual, per-capita costs while delivering better care, according to the Blueprint for Health annual report released today.In 2012, participants in the Blueprint model tended to have lower total health care expenditures compared to those not included in the model. Total annual expenditures were 19 percent lower for each commercially insured Blueprint participant in the 1-17 age group and 11 percent lower for each participant in the 18-64 age group.

The $6.5 million allocated last Legislative session to create lending opportunities that encourage residential energy efficiency projects is already being put to work. State Treasurer Beth Pearce announced Wednesday that significant progress is being made as the financial processes needed to start the initiative are now in place.
‘Construction is currently underway in Shelburne and Rutland on multi-family home projects that will reduce energy costs and provide more comfortable living space for Vermonters,’ said Pearce. ‘We’ve also provided support to enable a home energy loan program to expand statewide. Homeowners have already secured loans through the program and have begun work that will result in lower fuel costs this winter.’

Governor Peter Shumlin has joined the Vermont Student Assistance Corp to announce new, lower program management fees for the state’s 529 college savings plan, potentially saving more than $100,000 annually for account holders.
‘Vermont has one of the most competitive and well-run 529 plans for its size, including strong performance on the investments and the some of the lowest management fee among our peers,’ Shumlin said. ‘Thousands of Vermonters have made long-term, prudent investments for the educational future of loved ones and the state has encouraged millions in these savings with the tax credit ‘ an added incentive to make higher education more affordable.’
Since it started in 1999, VHEIP has grown to 14,000 accounts with more than $225 million in assets, qualifying it for a reduction in program fees of 5 basis points.

by Hilary Niles vtdigger.org Lawmakers are wrestling with how to best spend the state’s limited workforce training money. At issue is whether the money should be used to help people who have jobs increase their skills or to help businesses fill vacancies.
The House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development is proposing to move the Vermont Training Program and the Workforce Education and Training Fund more toward job creation than job retention and wage growth. The consideration comes as part of broader workforce development strategy in H.852.
Currently, some programs are geared toward improving workers’ wages and skill levels, said Rep. Michele Kupersmith, D-South Burlington. Committee members are concerned that the strategy is not solving a problem they’re hearing about from businesses: Unfilled positions.
Kupersmith said the state’s limited resources demand more focus.

by Anne Galloway vtdigger.org Governor Peter Shumlin quietly signed the controversial campaign finance bill, S.82, into law on January 23 (it was the first bill of the session that he has enacted), but it turns out lawmakers will get another bite at the apple.
There was a drafting error ‘ the effective dates were incorrect ‘ and so House Government Operations must address the problem with Act 90 in H.640, a technical corrections bill that will be up for action in the coming days. The bill, however, has not yet been voted out of committee.
Rep. Cynthia Browning, D-Arlington, wants to use this opportunity to propose an amendment that would reinstate lower donation and contribution limits in line with the original bills passed by the House and Senate.
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