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Weinberger proposes revenue-neutral Vermont carbon pollution fee and rebate, cut emissions, create jobs, and boost Vermont’s economy

Fri, 10/11/2019 - 12:52pm -- katie

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Miro Weinberger, joined by a coalition of environmental and business leaders, proposed a statewide carbon pollution fee that would cut emissions by 37 percent by 2040 when combined with existing clean energy policies, create new jobs, and boost state economic growth. The Mayor’s proposal is based on a newly-completed component of the City’s Net Zero Energy Roadmap, first released publicly last month, and demonstrates that putting a price on carbon would have broad economic and environmental benefits for Vermonters. Further, Mayor Weinberger also announced that Burlington will continue to lead by example by becoming one of the first cities in the nation to apply an internal carbon price when evaluating future decisions about investment in the City’s fleet and building heating systems.

Smith: Building community by closing the opportunity gap

Fri, 10/11/2019 - 11:44am -- tim

by Dan Smith The heart of community is a sense of common experience. We build vital connections around those shared experiences. We experience community when we walk down the sidewalk, along a stone wall, on a dirt road, or up to the front doors of a local school. And we believe those experiences are held in common with those who walk alongside us, before us, and after us.

And yet, there is something increasingly fragile about that. We can no longer assume that our neighbors see and feel the same things when they take those steps.

Mountain biking brings new boost to Vermont tourism economy

Fri, 10/11/2019 - 11:42am -- tim

by Joy Choquette When the phrase “Vermont revenue sources,” come up, most often a few things come to mind: the ski industry, maple syrup production, and tourism, particularly in the summer months. But another revenue source has quietly entered the scene in the state: mountain biking. Vermont’s mountainous terrain is the perfect pairing for the sport, which can be performed on downhill ski trails in the off-season months. Riders and their bikes are taken up the mountain by lifts and then bikers ride the trails down.

Welch unveils bipartisan legislation to boost international visits to Vermont

Fri, 10/11/2019 - 10:59am -- katie

Vermont Business Magazine With the bustling Stowe Foliage Arts Festival as a backdrop, Rep. Peter Welch today unveiled legislation he is championing in Congress to boost international tourism to Vermont. Welch made the announcement at Top Notch during a roundtable discussion with leaders of Vermont’s travel and tourism industry.

Q&A: Governor Phil Scott

Fri, 10/11/2019 - 7:58am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott spoke about the economy, taxes, the good and bad of revenues, the troubling suicide and opioid use rates, the tight workforce, tourism, the environment, education and other issues in a conversation with VBM.

Statewide meetings on legal needs assessment in Oct and Nov

Fri, 10/11/2019 - 2:12am -- tim

Vermont Business Magazine Legal Services Vermont and Vermont Legal Aid want to meet with you. The nonprofit law firms want to know more about the civil legal problems facing low-income and vulnerable Vermonters. They are holding seven meetings around the state to hear from Vermonters, their community partners and supporters. “We want to hear from as wide a cross section of Vermonters as possible. Everyone is encouraged to participate in this process,” said Sam Abel-Palmer, executive director of Legal Services Vermont.

Vermont PBS and Vermont Public Radio team up for This Land: The Changing Story Of Rural Vermont

Fri, 10/11/2019 - 12:00am -- katie

Vermont Business Magazine Our state's rural communities are critical to its identity, but will the next generation of Vermonters be able to live, work and thrive here? This fall, Vermont PBS and VPR are collaborating to present This Land: The Changing Story of Rural Vermont. The project explores the realities and rewards of living in rural Vermont through a statewide poll, news and analysis, a storytelling event and other special programming. “Vermont PBS is proud to team up with our friends at VPR to combine our professional expertise to give voice to the daily experience of rural Vermonters,” says Holly Groschner, president and CEO of Vermont PBS. “Throughout the fall we will use the full power of our combined public media to explore the story of contemporary rural life and to spark conversation with you. Together we seek to explain the issues faced by rural communities and highlight grassroots solutions that show promise for the future.”​

City Market’s Rally for Change program hits $1 Million

Fri, 10/11/2019 - 12:00am -- katie

City Market is excited to share that in September, they surpassed $1 Million in donations through the Rally for Change program since it launched in October, 2014. Rally for Change allows members and customers to “round up” to the nearest dollar when they check-out at City Market. At the end of each month, 50% of those funds get donated to Feeding Chittenden (previously Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf), 40% to an organization that aligns with their Global Ends, and 10% to a local non-profit. 77 individual non-profit partners have benefited from these funds over the past five years helping to support the growth of community gardens, increase access to healthy food, preserve farmland, and so much more.

Sanders office holds roundtable with Vermonters on agriculture and the Green New Deal

Fri, 10/11/2019 - 12:00am -- katie

This week, the Burlington office of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) hosted farmers, environmental advocates, and community members across Vermont to share recommendations with his staff on how agriculture can help mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects.

“Farmers in Vermont and around the country know that the debate about the reality of climate change is over,” said Sanders.  “They want—and deserve—to be part of the solution in addressing this global threat. We need to hear from them and get their ideas on how to move forward.”

Discussion with the Senator’s staff focused on ways to position farmers to address climate change while improving the financial stability of their farms. Farmers highlighted the importance of rewarding measurable improvements to land, pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as well as providing financial incentives for farmers to develop sustainable farming practices.

Leahy and others urge greater discipline, transparency from Trump administration regarding ICE funds

Thu, 10/10/2019 - 4:10pm -- katie

Leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and Subcommittees on Homeland Security on Thursday wrote to the Trump administration urging “increased discipline and transparency” related to any exception to the automatic apportionment of funds for enforcement and removal operations (ERO) at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In a letter to Acting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought and Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Director Kevin McAleenan, the lawmakers noted that while the Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, “For the past three years, exception apportionments have been used to increase funding for enforcement and removal operations above the level commensurate with the prior year appropriation, with little apparent justification or transparency.”

OneCare Vermont selected for National Multi-Site Demonstration for Advancing Integrated Care Models

Thu, 10/10/2019 - 3:30pm -- katie

OneCare Vermont (OneCare) is one of eight organizations chosen to participate in Advancing Integrated Models, a multi-site demonstration promoting innovative, person-centered strategies to improve care for adults and children with complex health and social needs. Made possible with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and led by CHCS, AIM will assist health system and provider organizations in designing and piloting new approaches to integrate care for people with complex needs with a focus on improving health outcomes and fostering health equity.

VTrans drawbridge construction update

Thu, 10/10/2019 - 3:25pm -- katie

US Route 2 at the temporary drawbridge is open to two lanes of traffic. Please expect intermittent stops and releases of traffic by flaggers to allow for construction vehicles to enter the work zone. The contractor is working 7AM to 6PM, Monday through Thursday, and 7AM to 1PM on Friday.

The temporary bridge has a speed limit of 25mph. There are tight curves approaching the temporary bridge, and trucks are advised to reduce speed to 15mph. Bicycles should use caution while crossing the bridge

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