Vermont news

• Scott administration unveils Vermont income tax reforms

  02-02-2018 23:30 via vtdigger.org
  Secretary of Administration Susanne Young. Photo by Mike Dougherty/VTDiggerThe Tax Department announced a plan Friday to reduce the state tax burden on Vermonters who will be adversely impacted by a change in the federal tax law.The plan would return an estimated $30 million in tax revenue to Vermont residents that would otherwise fill the state coffers in fiscal year 2019.The Scott administration’s proposal is in keeping with the governor’s commitment to hold the line on tax increas
  
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• Scott outlines hope to remove phosphorus from manure

  02-02-2018 22:46 via vtdigger.org
  Gov. Phil Scott speaks at a press conference at the Vermont Farm Show on Thursday. He is joined by Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore and Commerce Secretary Michael Shirling. Photo by Bob LoCicero/VT Digger
  Gov. Phil Scott sketched out a plan at a dairy conference Thursday that could include making money from the pollutant plaguing Vermont’s waterways — phosphorus.
  The proposal to “crowdsource” ideas to remove phosphorus from cow manure included no specific
  
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• Green Mountain Care Board meetings in February

  02-02-2018 22:28 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Green Mountain Care BoardFebruary 1, 2018
  Contact:Conor KennedyGreen Mountain Care Board802-505-3055
  Montpelier – Unless otherwise noted, all Green Mountain Care Board meetings are held in the Pavilion Auditorium, 109 State Street, Montpelier, VT
  Wednesday, February 7th: No Board Meeting Scheduled
  Wednesday, February 14th: Board Meeting (1:00 pm)
  · Hospital Budget Update: 2017 Actuals
  · 21st Century Integrated Care
  Wednesday, February 21st: Board Meeting
  
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• Olmsted Foundation funds international immersion trip for future military officers

  02-02-2018 22:20 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Norwich UniversityFebruary 1, 2018
  Contact:Daphne [email protected]
  Northfield – For the fourteenth year in a row, Norwich University has earned a $20,000 grant from the Olmsted Foundation to support the Peace and War Center’s Overseas Cultural Immersion Trip to Israel for students to study the Israeli-Palestinian conflict firsthand.
  The grant allows seven Norwich students who are on a commissioning track as active duty officers in the United
  
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• The Deeper Dig: Grappling with gun rights

  02-02-2018 22:08 via vtdigger.org
  Opponents of new gun safety proposals line up for Tuesday’s public hearing. Photo by Mike Dougherty/VTDiggerThree bills under consideration in the Legislature have reopened the longstanding debate over gun laws in Vermont. At a crowded public hearing Tuesday, dozens of residents testified about why they believe new gun safety proposals should — or shouldn’t — advance.
  Members of gun owners groups argued that these bills would do nothing to ma
  
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• Artist is open to changes in controversial Burlington mural

  02-02-2018 21:24 via vtdigger.org
  Mural on Leahy Way in Burlington. File photo by Roger Crowley/for VTDigger
  BURLINGTON — The artist behind a now-controversial Church Street mural says he is not opposed to modification of the piece but maintains that outright removal would be a “sad outcome.”
  Pierre Hardy, 56, had not previously addressed the wrangling over the “Everybody Loves a Parade” mural but agreed to discuss it in an email exchange with VTDigger.Get all of VTDigger's political news.You'll nev
  
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• School board and citizens settle suit over open meeting law

  02-02-2018 21:11 via vtdigger.org
  BENNINGTON — Residents of the Mount Anthony Union school district and the district’s school board have settled a lawsuit over violations of the open meeting law.Judge William Cohen told attorney Amanda Lafferty, who represented the board in the suit, that he expected to approve the settlement agreement after reviewing paperwork signed by both parties. Until then, Cohen said, the trial, scheduled to start Feb. 21, would remain on the court calendar.
  Lafferty, who participated via tele
  
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• Howard Center receives continued support from Kenworthy-Swift Foundation

  02-02-2018 20:43 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Howard CenterFebruary 1, 2018
  Contact:Martie MajorosHoward [email protected]
  Burlington – Howard Center recently received a $20,000 grant from the Marion E. Kenworthy – Sarah H. Swift Foundation for its Intensive Family Based Services Program. The primary goal of the program is to preserve the family unit and to reunify families when placement has occurred.
  As the only program of its kind in Chittenden County, the Intensive Family Based
  
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• The Next Steps In Vermont's Response To The Opioid Crisis dlvr.it/QDlsfG https://t.co/q2trYIaZ2T

  02-02-2018 20:16 via twitter.com
  
  The Next Steps In Vermont's Response To The Opioid Crisis dlvr.it/QDlsfG https://t.co/q2trYIaZ2T
  
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• Burlington School District recognizes Black History Month

  02-02-2018 20:02 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Burlington School DistrictFebruary 1, 2018
  Contact:Russ Elek, Communication SpecialistBurlington School [email protected]
  Burlington – The Burlington School District proudly recognizes Black History Month and the important role our black community has played and continues to play in our society. Our goal is to be a district that recognizes, respects, understands and learns from each individual’s unique background, realizing that equality comes f
  
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• Special Olympics Vermont holds 23rd annual Penguin Plunge Feb. 3 at Burlington Waterfront Park

  02-02-2018 19:50 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Special Olympics VermontFebruary 1, 2018
  Contact:Liza Reed, Marketing & Partnerships DirectorSpecial Olympics [email protected]
  Burlington – The 20 Cool Schools Plunge teams will begin at 11AM on February 3, 2018. The Corporate/non-school teams will begin at 12PM noon.
  WHERE: The boat launch at Burlington Waterfront Park. Look for the big white tents! Check in at the Info tent to pick up your media pass. This will allow you out on the dock to get th
  
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• Leahy and other Democratic senators urge President to prioritize rural broadband

  02-02-2018 19:22 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Office of Sen. Patrick LeahyFebruary 1, 2018
  Contact:David Carle, Press SecretaryOffice of Sen. Patrick Leahy202-224-3693
  Washington, D.C. — As the Administration prepares a broad infrastructure plan, 23 million Americans living in rural areas across the country still lack access to high-speed broadband. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) joined a letter penned by U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) to President Trump urging him to include funding to
  
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• YWP: ‘Acceptable – An Open Letter to the President’

  02-02-2018 18:15 via vtdigger.org
  Young Writers Project, an independent nonprofit based in Burlington, engages young people to write and use digital media to express themselves with clarity and power, and to gain confidence and skills for school, the workplace and life.Check out the most recent issue of The Voice, Young Writers Project’s monthly digital magazine. Click here.Each week, VTDigger features a writing submission – an essay, poem, fiction or nonfiction – accompanied by a photo or illustration from Yo
  
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• SCOV Law Blog: Plea deal could have led to ‘procedural quagmire’

  02-02-2018 17:58 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This piece from the SCOV Law Blog is by Elizabeth Kruska.State v. Scarola, 2017 VT 116
  OK, maybe timing isn’t exactly everything, but timing is a big piece of why this particular case got affirmed. Timing is also the reason this case might have burst into a fiery mess of a procedural sideshow, but didn’t because SCOV affirmed.RELATED STORIESSCOV Law Blog: Determining eligibility for a public defenderSCOV Law Blog: Insurance companies battle over who pays when pol
  
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• Quiros settles for $81 million with SEC for EB-5 fraud at Jay Peak Resort

  02-02-2018 17:00 via vtdigger.org
  Bill Stenger, left, and Ariel Quiros at a ribbon cutting. File photo by Hilary Niles/VTDigger
  The former owner of Jay Peak Resort who was the mastermind of a “Ponzi-like” scheme in the Northeast Kingdom has agreed to pay back $81 million as part of a settlement with the government.
  Ariel Quiros, a Miami businessman, allegedly misused more than $50 million in EB-5 investor funds for personal expenses and to purchase a ski resort. He has been ordered to pay back another $30 million for
  
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• Tech spending slashed in Medicaid administration budget

  02-02-2018 16:38 via vtdigger.org
  Cory Gustafson, the commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access, testifies in front of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee in January 2017. File photo by Erin Mansfield/VTDigger
  Officials have cut $22.5 million from the Department of Vermont Health Access proposed budget for next fiscal year.
  But the reduction is not all that it seems, Commissioner Cory Gustafson told the House Appropriations Committee Thursday.
  Rather than slicing deep into staff or programs, Gustafson
  
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• Essex voters to consider conservation fund

  02-02-2018 16:36 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Town of EssexFebruary 1, 2018
  Contact:Darren Schibler, PlannerTown of [email protected]
  Essex – The Essex Selectboard has warned a proposal to create and fund a Conservation Reserve Fund (CRF) at Town Meeting Night on March 5, 2018.
  Many towns in Vermont have conservation funds, which are generally used to protect the natural resources, aesthetic qualities, and recreational value of undeveloped land. Essex’s Conservation and Trails Committee (C
  
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• Free tax preparation available through Capstone Community Action

  02-02-2018 16:29 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Capstone Community ActionJanuary 31, 2018
  Contact:Laura SudhoffCapstone Community Action802-477-5148
  Barre – Capstone Community Action will be preparing taxes for free for lower income central Vermonters, as it has for the last 26 years. Volunteers are IRS-trained and will help you electronically (or paper) file your Federal and State tax returns and ensure you receive your Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and any other credits for which you are qualifi
  
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• Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund expands business assistance services

  02-02-2018 16:21 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Vermont Sustainable Jobs FundJanuary 31, 2018
  Contact:Rachel Carter, Communications DirectorVermont Sustainable Jobs [email protected]
  Montpelier – The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, a nonprofit organization focused on sustainable economic development, announces the expansion of its suite of services for clients from private sector businesses in the early and growth stages of development. Services have expanded to include waste management, renewable
  
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• Vermont Electric Co-op seeks adopters for new smart energy device

  02-02-2018 16:14 via vtdigger.org
  News Release — Vermont Electric Co-opJanuary 31, 2018
  Contact:Lisa MorrisVermont Electric [email protected]
  Paul HinesPacketized [email protected]
  Johnson – Vermont Electric Co-op (VEC) is seeking members in several towns in and around Chittenden County to help test a cutting-edge energy management technology that’s designed to make the electric grid cleaner, cheaper, and easier to run.
  Under the pilot, technicians woul
  
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• Tit for tat over stats: Senate leader says Scott labor loss figures are wrong

  02-02-2018 11:07 via vtdigger.org
  Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe responds to Gov. Scott’s budget address. Photo by Mike Dougherty/VTDiggerThe leader of the Senate picked a fight Thursday with Gov. Phil Scott over the administration’s oft-used slogan 6-3-1.The six stands for the number of workers the state loses every day; the three represents the number of students disappearing from schools across the state on a daily basis; and the one refers to the number of babies born each day to a mother addicted to drugs.Get
  
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• School boards: Go slow on income tax proposal

  02-02-2018 09:22 via vtdigger.org
  The head of the school boards association told lawmakers on Thursday that dramatic changes to the education finance system should wait for a year.Nicole Mace, executive director for the Vermont School Boards Association, says school districts have already prepared budgets for fiscal year 2019 and changes midstream would be disruptive.“As you know, the vast majority of our school boards have completed their budgets,” Mace said. “They will stand before their communities in a matt
  
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• Tevye Kelman: Aim higher than universal primary care

  02-02-2018 04:14 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This commentary is by Tevye Kelman, of Washington, who is a high school English teacher and a member of the Vermont Workers’ Center.
  While VTDigger’s coverage of the legislative hearing on health care access on Jan. 23 was laudable for bringing Vermont’s health care crisis back into the news cycle, it was disappointing to see the hearing characterized as a “cheering section for enacting universal primary care.” At the hearing, I heard resounding
  
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• Brad Peacock: Why I am running for U.S. Senate

  02-02-2018 03:37 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This commentary is by Brad Peacock, of Shaftsbury, who is an independent candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020. He is a farmer at Clear Brook Farm in Shaftsbury, where he was born, raised and has spent most of his life. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a graduate of the University of Vermont.
  Throughout much of my childhood, my family was in and out of poverty. Like many families in our state, we faced constant struggles to pay the bills, heat the house, put food on the
  
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• Mary Lou Rylands-Isaacson: It’s time for collective child care

  02-02-2018 03:32 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This commentary is by Mary Lou Rylands-Isaacson, of East Craftsbury, who is a retired professor of music and a founding member of the Craftsbury Chamber Players. She is a member of the Craftsbury School Board, though the views expressed are her own. She has served on a variety of boards in the area. This is a letter she sent to Gov. Phil Scott on Jan. 7.
  Dear Governor Scott,
  Thank you for your email response of December 27, 2017. I am once again writing to you to share a con
  
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• Pamela Fraser & Randall Szott: Revisiting ruling on school ‘geographical isolation’

  02-02-2018 03:27 via vtdigger.org
  Editor’s note: This commentary is by Pamela Fraser and Randall Szott of Barnard. Fraser is an artist, writer and professor at the University of Vermont and a board member of the Windsor Central Modified Unified Union School District. Szott is a writer, educator and library director. He has lectured on education around the U.S.Recenty, a middle school/high school bus slid off an icy road into a ditch while bringing a full busload of seventh- through 12-graders home. Our son was on that bus.
  
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• Gov. Scott taps Thibault as Washington County’s top prosecutor

  02-02-2018 01:01 via vtdigger.org
  Gov. Phil Scott swears in Rory Thibault as interim Washington County state’s attorney in January. File photo courtesy of Scott’s office
  Rory Thibault can remove the interim from his title following his appointment by Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday to the post of Washington County state’s attorney.
  The governor had appointed Thibault to the position on an interim basis Jan. 9 following the resignation of former Washington County State’s Attorney Scott Williams, the county&rsq
  
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• Scott takes blame for $20 million mistake in budget address

  02-02-2018 00:01 via vtdigger.org
  Gov. Phil Scott gives his budget address in the Statehouse last week. Photo by Bob LoCicero/VTDigger
  ESSEX JUNCTION — Gov. Phil Scott took complete responsibility Thursday for an inflated claim in his recent budget address regarding the state’s pension funds.
  Scott said he made “a mistake” when he claimed his administration was proposing to put $20 million “more than required” into the state’s retirement system. His claim led some lawmakers to believe th
  
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