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by Paul Cillo publicassets.org It was an easy vote in the Vermont House on Friday. Fifteen years ago, it would not have been so.
Without a single nay, the House voted to use future budget surpluses to restore General Fund support for education. For the last three years, the Legislature has cut the annual transfer from the General Fund to the Education Fund, which covers all pre-K to 12 education costs in Vermont. The effect has been to push up property taxes even though local school boards have held the line on spending. Now the House wants to reverse that trend and dedicate half of any future budget surpluses to restore the transfer to pre-recession levels (with an adjustment for inflation).
Why the change of heart all of a sudden? And why was the vote so easy? Two reasons.

Broadway headliners Alexander Gemignani (Les Miz, Sweeney Todd) and Sherie Rene Scott (Aida, The Little Mermaid) and award-winning composersStephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Seussical) and Polly Pen (Bed and Sofa, Goblin Market)are among the artists to appear in ‘Celebrating the American Musical,’ a 90-minute concert benefitting Vermont’s esteemed Weston Playhouse Theatre Company at New World Stages on Tuesday, February 28 at 7:30pm.

By Alan Panebaker vtdigger.orgVermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell has been meeting with the governor, the Department of Public Service and legislative leaders as he weighs whether to appeal Judge J Garvan Murtha’s decision to rule against the state in a lawsuit involving the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant.

You might not realize that Mocha Joe’s Cafe, down a short flight of stairs off of Main Street in Brattleboro, is one of the most serious coffee roasters and cafes in the state.
Open for 20 years, the café, owned by Pierre Capy, is a mainstay in Brattleboro and a gathering spot for locals. It is a cozy, well-lit shop perfect for catching up with friends or hosting a relaxed, any-time-of-the-day coffee with work colleagues. There is plenty of space, and even a couch, along with free Wi-Fi and delicious baked goods made by the owner's sister, Beth Ann Ortiz, to make your stay all that much more pleasant.
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All Bob Stiller wanted was a good cup of coffee. And he wanted it whether he was on the Village Green in Waitsfield, in a gas station’s convenience store, or even at home.
Thirty years ago that simple desire for consistently high quality coffee led him to found Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The company has since become one of Vermont’s greatest success stories and has revolutionized how people brew and drink coffee ‘ one cup at a time.
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Green Mountain Coffee Roasters
All Bob Stiller wanted was a good cup of coffee. And he wanted it whether he was on the Village Green in Waitsfield, in a gas station’s convenience store, or even at home. Thirty years ago that simple desire for consistently high quality coffee led him to found Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The company has since become one of Vermont’s greatest success stories and has revolutionized how people brew and drink coffee ‘ one cup at a time.
Three Forks: Mocha Joe’s

Casella Waste Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CWST), a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company based in Rutland, has announced that it has priced the previously announced conversion and remarketing of $21.4 million aggregate principal amount of Finance Authority of Maine Solid Waste Disposal Revenue Bonds (Casella Waste Systems, Inc. Project) Series 2005 (the "Bonds"). The Bonds will bear interest at 6.25% until January 31, 2017 and be subject to mandatory tender on February 1, 2017. The Bonds have a final maturity of January 1, 2025 and will include additional covenants and credit support for the bene fit of holders, including guarantees by certain subsidiaries of Casella. The Bonds will not be secured by a letter of credit.

Today, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released its 17thReport Card on American Education: Ranking State K-12 Performance, Progress, and Reform. The comprehensive report grades all 50 states and theDistrict of Columbiaaccording to data from national test scores, state education policy, charter school regulation, and other benchmarks of quality. Additionally, the report discusses what resources are being wasted, what students are being left behind, and what administrators, parents, and teachers can do make a difference in education. This year,Massachusettsbeat out all other states whileWest Virginiaplaced last.
Authors Dr.Matthew Ladner,Dan LipsandDavid J. Myslinskirank states based on two factors. The first is student performance and their progress on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exams.

Student Performance (NAEP Scores)

Top Five

Bottom Five

1. Massachusetts

47. Missouri

Today the City of Burlington kicks-off a week-long planning and design charrette focused on the future vitality of Burlington’s downtown and waterfront.
In the Fall 2010, the City of Burlington was awarded a Sustainable Communities Challenge Grant by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop a land use and development master plan for the downtown and waterfront area. This project (a.k.a. ‘planBTV’) provides a unique opportunity to invest in Burlington's future, and advance the city’s place as one of America's most livable and sustainable communities. While many other planning efforts involving the downtown or waterfront have taken place over the years, none have been as comprehensive in scope and strategic in design. More information about this project can be found at: http://www.burlingtonvt.gov/PlanBTV/

The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for December 2011 was 5.1 percent, a decrease of two-tenths of a percent from the November rate. At 5.1 percent, Vermont’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is the lowest the statewide average has recorded since October 2008. The current comparable national rate is 8.5 percent which reflects a decrease of two-tenths of a percent from the previous month post revision.

Vermont Labor Force Statistics (Seasonally Adjusted)

Changes From

December
2011

November
2011

December
2010

November
2011

December
2010

Total Labor Force

362,100

363,200

361,200

-1,100

900

Employment

343,800

344,200

340,200

-400

3,600

Unemployment

The Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA) has approved$13.4 million in financing to support economic development projects throughout Vermont.
‘VEDA is pleased to help stimulate economic activity and job creation in Vermont by approving financing for these business and farm projects,’ said Jo Bradley, VEDA’s Chief Executive Officer.
The projects approved for VEDA financing are:

KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) today announced fourth quarter net income from continuing operations attributable to Key common shareholders of $201 million, or $.21 per common share. Key's fourth quarter 2011 results compare to net income from continuing operations attributable to Key common shareholders of $292 million, or $.33 per common share, for the fourth quarter of 2010. The results for the fourth quarter of 2011 were negatively impacted by a $24 million charge resulting from VISA's late fourth quarter announcement of a planned litigation escrow deposit. In addition, Key recorded a $28 million gain on the sale of Tuition Management Systems during the fourth quarter of 2010. Fourth quarter 2011 net income attributable to Key common shareholders was $194 million compared to net income attributable to Key common shareholders of $279 million for the same quarter one year ago.