Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont is the number 30 growth state in America, according to the U-Haul Growth Index analyzing customer moves during 2022. Vermont slipped 18 spots from its No. 12 ranking among growth states in 2021. People arriving in Vermont in one-way U-Haul trucks rose 4% from 2021, while departures increased 6%. Overall moving traffic slowed throughout most of the US but remained busy in the Green Mountain State in 2022. Despite a greater year-over-year jump in departures, do-it-yourself movers arriving in Vermont still accounted for 50.1% of all one-way U-Haul truck traffic in and out of the state (49.9% departures).

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott will be sworn in to his fourth term as governor in a ceremony on Thursday, January 5, in the House Chamber. After being sworn in by the Chief Justice, the Governor will administer the oaths of office to the newly elected Treasurer, Secretary of State, Auditor of Accounts and Attorney General. The Governor will then deliver his fourth Inaugural Address to a joint session of the General Assembly.

Vermont Business Magazine On December 21, 2022, Community National Bank (CNB) released a video featuring President and CEO Kathy Austin delivering a message to the general public warning against fraudulent activity and scams created to steal money from unsuspecting consumers. Unfortunately, fraudulent activity and financial scams have been around for a very long time. The problem that we are facing today is the dramatic increase in frequency of this activity and the complexity and sophistication of the scams. Although the financial industry has many safeguards in place to help detect fraud, the scammers have changed the game and they are targeting the general public directly by delivering messages through phone calls, email and text messages.

Vermont Business Magazine In the spirit of growing the strength of the communities it serves, Jim Brown, President of The Bank of Bennington, announced last week that the Bank has completed its 2022 annual giving to community food cupboards and fuel funds. In 2022, The Bank of Bennington donated more than $30,000 to over 20 area organizations in 11 towns.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Patrick Leahy’s last day as a US Senator is today. But in the runup to this moment there has been no going quietly into the good night. Since the election in November and the choosing of his successor, Peter Welch, there has been important work to do. Most notably was the surprising passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, which recognizes “the sanctity of marriage between two individuals, regardless of gender or race.”

by Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer As 2022 ends, I wanted to take stock of the work my office has done over the course of the year. The mission of my office is to hold State government accountable by making sure programs are working effectively and that State government is operating efficiently. I’m happy to provide this brief summary of our efforts this year on your behalf.

by Michael Del Trecco, CEO, VAHHS This is such an exciting week for our state. As I reflect on the year to come, it’s overwhelming just how much things will change right out of the starting gate in 2023. In just a few days, the legislature will convene and swear in dozens of new lawmakers—the most turnover in our history—and welcome back those who were reelected.

by C.B. Hall, Vermont Business Magazine Williston-based Garnet Healthcare is all about finding the niches. Amid the almost incomprehensible complexity of the US health care system — and what commentator Bill Schubart recently called the “sprawl of free-market businesses” in the sector, the interstices are many. Those gaps present challenges for people needing medical care, but also offer opportunities for entrepreneurs — a seedbed for enterprises such as Garnet.

Vermont Business Magazine Representative-Elect Becca Balint, (D-VT) has announced key hires in her congressional office. Last month Balint announced that Megan Garcia would be Chief of Staff, and David Scherr would be State Director. Balint will continue to build out her Washington staff in the coming weeks.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Historical Society will receive $210,000 as part of the FY23 omnibus spending bill that passed the Senate on December 22nd, 2022. This funding is part of a total of $42 million secured by Sen. Sanders through the Congressionally Directed Spending process for 51 Vermont projects that will benefit communities across the state. The congressionally directed funds will go toward implementing an open storage and research gallery at the Vermont History Center in Barre, Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Beginning on January 1, 2023, Vermont’s minimum wage will become $13.18 per hour. This is an increase of $0.63 from the current minimum wage of $12.55. This annual adjustment also impacts the minimum wage for tipped employees. The Basic Tipped Wage Rate for service, or “tipped employees,” equals 50% of the full minimum wage. On January 1, 2023, the tipped minimum wage will increase from $6.28 to $6.59 per hour.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced December 29, 2022, $3.9 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding awards through the Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP). The funding will support 12 projects throughout Vermont, including accessibility modifications to community facilities, renovations to create new mixed-income housing, and affordable home repair financing for low- and moderate-income homeowners. This updates the announcement from November.