Happy Town Meeting Week! It’s been great to talk with folks at town meetings around the Addison District, and I look forward to seeing more constituents this week, as the Legislature is on our annual Town Meeting recess. Although most town meetings are over by now, you can still find information about your town meeting in the Addison Independent Town Meeting guide, or check out your town’s website. For a knowing laugh, check out the Vermont Public Town Meeting Bingo Card. Local elections and school budget votes are Tuesday, March 4. Voting and participating in your local town meeting are fantastic ways to be civically engaged. For information about Vermont’s civic health, check out the recently released 2025 Vermont Civic Health Index report from the Secretary of State. Vermont’s civic health ranks high compared to other states (we’re #2 for going to public meetings!), but there’s always room for improvement.
Legislation Updates
This past week, the Senate approved the Budget Adjustment Act (BAA), which is the annual mid-year adjustment to the current year’s budget. This year’s BAA, includes standard adjustments requested by the Governor, and also funding for flood relief and housing initiatives. The former includes about $350,000 that was supposed to have been paid to Addison County towns that were hit hardest during the August 2023 floods (Bridport, Hancock, Middlebury, Ripton), but the funding was never distributed. It also includes funding for towns hit hard by 2024 flooding, such as Starksboro and Huntington. Support for housing includes funds to extend the emergency housing winter weather program, so there is not another mass exodus of vulnerable folks from the hotel program during bad weather. In addition, funds are provided to complete several housing initiatives, including a pilot program to house adults with disabilities.
Last week I introduced a bipartisan joint resolution to support Vermont’s transgender and non-binary community, resolving that the “General Assembly recommits to the principle that all individuals are welcome here and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and that Vermont will continue to stand with our transgender and non-binary family, friends, and neighbors against discrimination.” As Trump continues to denigrate and threaten transgender Americans, it’s especially important that Vermont continues to protect the rights and safety of transgender people in our state. With 23 co-sponsors in the Senate, I’m sure the resolution will pass after our break and head to the House for approval too.
Last week the Senate Agriculture Committee passed my Farm Security Fund bill to create an emergency grant program to help farmers recover from extreme weather events. The Senate Natural Resources Committee continues to work on a bill to implement a voluntary salt reduction training program for private and municipal snow plow contractors, as well as a bill to extend community solar programs, such as the successful projects implemented by Addison County’s Acorn Energy Co-op. The Natural Resources Committee is also discussing next steps for the statutory language related to the clean heat standard program. A major report released earlier this year stated that the clean heat standard is not a good fit for Vermont and I have not heard anyone in the State House suggest we implement it. However, there is interest in eliminating the statutory language that authorized the report and outlines of the program, so the Natural Resources Committee is considering how best to do so. To be clear, the Affordable Heat Act/Clean Heat Standard has not been implemented, so there is no actual program to repeal.
The Finance Committee continues to analyze the Governor’s “Transformative Education Plan” which seeks to consolidate schools into five districts, centralize much decision-making at the state-level, expand private school choice statewide, and drastically change the funding formula, all within the next few years. Last week, the Governor’s proposal was finally introduced as a bill (H.454). It was helpful to actually read the details in bill form. While there are parts of the proposal that are promising, it is still unlikely that his plan would save taxpayer money. We have to be thoughtful and deliberate about implementing changes, particularly given the federal situation. I remain focused on developing a plan to reduce property taxes, improve the transparency of our funding system, make school governance more efficient while maintaining a voice for local communities, and ultimately ensure our public schools serve kids well. Finally, a version of my proposal to implement reference-based pricing for hospital services, with the goal of reducing health care costs for all Vermonters, seems to be moving forward in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. More on all of this in the upcoming weeks!
Federal Employees and Unemployment Assistance
As Trump & Musk continue to dismantle the federal government, more and more Vermonters will be impacted. Vermont is heavily dependent on federal funding to support our economy and small population. Already, numerous federal grants have been halted and many federal employees across most departments have been fired, including those who work in agriculture, national parks, public health, military, education, and social security programs. According to the VT Commissioner of Labor, there are about 6,800 federal employees in Vermont. If you are a federal employee or contractor who has recently been terminated, please see this VT Department of Labor website with guidance intended to assist Vermonters who recently lost their job as a federal employee or contractor. It provides information about how to file a claim for unemployment insurance.
According to the Commissioner, “what we are seeing currently in Vermont and across the country is that the federal government is terminating federal workers and claiming it’s for cause (i.e., performance-related issues). Because of this, each claim will need to go through additional fact-finding (also known as adjudications), which gives the claimant and the employer equal due process rights under the law. In cases where the employer claims the separation was for cause, the burden is on them to prove it. Because of this, the Department will need to wait until the fact-finding is complete to ensure eligibility before we pay any claims.” The Department is fully staffed in the relevant area and looking for ways to prevent delays because of this situation.
Personal Income Taxes
I know that many people are concerned about taxes in Vermont. As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I am part of the conversation about how and from whom we raise revenue to support the state’s budget. I know many Vermonters are struggling to make ends meet and in some cases, good tax policy can help. That’s why I introduced a bipartisan bill, S.51, which would provide a tax credit to some of the estimated 70,000 Vermonters who are unpaid caregivers for relatives with severe illnesses, disabilities, or end-of-life needs. Most of these caregivers are women over aged 55, who are also the population most likely to be living in poverty. There is also a proposal to allow career military retirees to exempt their pension income from taxes, which would provide a tax benefit to about 3,600 Vermonters, or about 10% of our state’s veterans.
I am open to supporting such a proposal as part of a larger tax package that includes tax benefits for a broader cross-section of Vermonters, including unpaid caregivers. When making changes to tax law, it’s really important to ensure that the overall package is balanced and fair to all Vermonters. We also have to take into consideration the impact on the state budget, since tax exemptions and credits are foregone revenue, meaning that they often require cutting funding for a necessary purpose. We have to be particularly careful right now given that the federal situation could mean large reductions in funding for Vermont, hitting our health care system especially hard. This makes it even more important that we carefully analyze the impact of any tax policy changes.
For now, with the April 15 deadline coming up, I want to make sure you have the information you need to file your tax returns this year. For overall guidance, check out the VT Department of Taxes website on personal income taxes, with information about how to file, links to tax forms, and other guidance. Also check out this website about Vermont’s anti-poverty tax credits, including the child tax credit for parents of kids aged 5 and under. Even if you don’t earn enough to file an income tax return, you may be eligible for the child tax credit, which is a refundable credit that provides cash back to eligible parents. Here’s also a website with tax credit information in 17 languages spoken in Vermont.
Addison County State’s Attorney Situation
For the past 18 months, I have heard repeated concerns about the behavior and performance of Addison County’s state’s attorney, Eva Vekos. Last year, I and other Addison County legislators called on Vekos to resign after she was arrested for a DUI offense and temporarily lost her law license. Since then, I have heard repeated complaints about how she prosecutes cases and treats crime victims, including young survivors of sexual assault. I continue to be in conversation with local victims’ advocates, the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, and the Attorney General’s Office about addressing this situation. Over the past two weeks, the Addison Independent has published an excellent two-part story on Vekos, including details from crime victims about how she’s treated them and their cases. It is extremely difficult to remove an elected county official from office, as a lengthy impeachment process is the only route. I introduced a constitutional amendment that would change this, but it did not move forward. I will continue to do what I can to ensure justice for victims of sexual assault and other crimes in Addison County, but it’s very clear that we need a new county prosecutor.
Miscellaneous Resources
ACORN’s Taste the Valley Tradeshow Event — In our increasingly unstable world, supporting our local farmers & food system is more important than ever. This event brings together diverse local food producers and buyers to discover the foods of Vermont’s Champlain Valley.
Governor’s Institute of Vermont — If your high schooler is looking for a fun, educational experience this summer, I highly recommend GIV’s excellent summer institutes on topics from the arts to health & medicine to tech & design. They are great college & career preparation – scholarships are available!
HomeShare Vermont — With Vermont’s continuing housing crisis and aging population, home-sharing is an increasingly desirable option that can allow Vermonters to stay in their homes with the support and assistance they need. HomeShare Vermont is an experienced and trusted organization that can help!
“Underdog” Film — Part of Vermont Public’s Made Here Film Series, this film is about Middlebury dairy farmer Doug Butler and his quest to race sled dogs in Alaska. I haven’t seen the film yet, but it sounds worth the watch!
Vermont’s Most Promising Jobs — If you’re looking for a new job, check out this recently released report of promising jobs across all sectors. The report includes lists of projected job openings over the next decade, highlighting that if you want to be a teacher, carpenter, nurse, or waitstaff, you are definitely in luck!
Thanks for reading, and have a Happy Town Meeting Day!
Photo Note: Always my first town meeting each year, so I took a 2025 Starksboro Town Meeting Selfie!
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