News
Some states are making dramatic improvements in their Recovery Act websites but others are still failing to make effective use of online technology to educate taxpayers about the impact of the stimulus. Vermont was cited as fifth worst in the nation.
Vermont families earning less than $48,000 a year may qualify for federal and state tax credits under the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program that could mean thousands of dollars in their pockets. The Vermont State Treasurer’s Office is joining with other state and federal organizations to remind Vermonters about this credit. January 29 is EITC Awareness Day nationwide.
Congressman Peter Welch and 21 members of Congress introduced legislation late last week to close a loophole that allowed Verizon to avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes when it sold its northern New England landline operations to FairPoint Communications.
In a December 30, 2009, article titled “America’s Best And Worst Banks,” Forbes.com ranked NBT Bancorp as the ninth-best bank in the nation. NBT recently opened a branch in Burlington.
Speaker Shap Smith and Senate President Pro Tem Shumlin, today called on the Douglas Administration to institute a transparent, independent process by which Vermonters receive information about the leak at Vermont Yankee.
The federal stimulus plan has helped push Vermont's construction industry for 2009 above levels in 2008, despite reductions in both commercial and residential development. McGraw-Hill Construction today reported on December and year-end contracts for future construction in the state of Vermont. For year-end, overall construction was just over a billion dollars, up 39 percent over 2008.
The Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Vermont Business Magazine are pleased to announce the 2010 winners of the Best Places to Work in Vermont Awards. The rankings will be announced at the Best Places to Work in Vermont event March 29.
This year s award recipients are (alphabetical):
Small/Medium Companies
Edward Jones
King Arthur Flour Company
Mascoma Savings Bank
Industrial employment in Vermont has fallen 5.6 percent since the beginning of the recession, according to Manufacturers' News, Inc. MNI reports Vermont lost 2,894 manufacturing jobs since December 2007, with 1,197 jobs lost between December 2007and December 2008 and 1,697 industrial jobs from 2008 to December of 2009.
Stratton Mountain Resort, best known for its world class skiing and riding during the winter months is gearing up for a summer dedicated to higher learning. This summer, Stratton's Golf University is proud to welcome the David Leadbetter Golf Academy for five day “Junior Summer Swing” camps and two and three day mini-schools for adults.
Average retail gasoline prices in Vermont moved just 2.0 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.80/g today. This compares with the national average that has fallen 2.9 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.70/g, according to gasoline price website VermontGasPrices.com.
The Vermont Unemployment rate rose a half-point in December to a seasonally adjusted 6.9 percent, according to figures released today by the US Department of Labor. This is the highest rate since last spring, when the rate peaked at 7.4 percent last May. The December 2009 rate is exactly one-point higher than the December 2008 rate of 5.9 percent.
TD Bank, through the TD Charitable Foundation, recently donated a total of over $27,200 to local organizations in Chittenden County as part of the bank’s commitment to giving back to the community. The following organizations received a donation from the TD Charitable Foundation: