By Governor Peter Shumlin Last week I traveled to Toronto to attend the Climate Summit of the Americas, which brought together Pan-American governmental, advocacy, energy, and climate change leaders to share ideas on how we can work together to reduce […]
Category: Op – Ed
Op - Ed
Vermont’s new preschool law creates unlevel playing field
By Bill Mathis Few education policy proposals have been adopted as widely and enthusiastically as preschool education. With near universal agreement, early education has been embraced across the political spectrum. This consensus was forged from “gold standard” research, conducted over […]
Op - Ed
Study will provide cover for higher property taxes
By Rob Roper Tucked away in the education bill just passed in Montpelier – the one that has everybody talking about consolidation – is $300,000 earmarked for a study. A Legislator familiar with the back-room horse-trading that goes into moving […]
Op - Ed
Supreme Court decision on equality
By Lee J. Kahrs Vermonters are generally known for keeping to themselves, not getting into their neighbor’s business, and respecting each other’s privacy. Gay Vermonters are no exception. For the last eight years, I have kept my personal life and […]
Op - Ed
Return to reasonable lending opens door to homeownership
By Dave Liniger Home-buying season is heating up. Homes sold faster in April than at any point in almost the last two years, according to data released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Existing-home sales are on pace to […]
Op - Ed
Our goal: zero deaths
By Vermont Transportation Secretary Sue Minter Another tragic bicycle fatality in our state this week–the third in one year–compels me to write to express my deep sorrow and to express a plea that we all drive more safely on our […]
Op - Ed
Why run for office?
By Lee H. Hamilton I spend a fair amount of time talking to students and other young people about Congress and politics in general, and I’ve noticed something. It used to be that I’d regularly get asked how one runs […]
Op - Ed
It’s time to establish an independent ethics commission
By Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos Vermonters deserve good government—and that includes an open and transparent government! We are proud of our state and our collective ability to overcome any difficult issue we may encounter. As Vermonters, when we […]
Op - Ed
Congress: “War powers? What war powers?”
By Lee H. Hamilton A few weeks ago, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia made a small splash in the press when he took Congress to task for failing to authorize our nation’s ongoing war against Islamic militants. “The silence of […]
Op - Ed
At best, the new educational tax law is unfair
By Jack Hoffman In addition to pushing up property taxes in many towns, the education reform bill passed in the closing days of the session violates a fundamental principle of fairness in Vermont’s education funding system: towns with the same […]