Opinions
Opinions are published weekly as Letters to the Editor, Commentaries/Op-Eds (an authority on the subject), or Editorials (by the publisher or a chosen guest). Local opinions are encouraged. Send your letter to [email protected]. Your full name and town of residents must be included for publication. We ask that you keep it to under 400 words if possible.
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Stories
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Writers
UVM Medical Center’s academic mission is critical to Vermonters’ health
April 2, 2025
By Mary Cushman Editor’s note: Mary Cushman, MD, MSc is a University Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair of Medicine, Co-Director Vermont Center for Cardiovascular and Brain Health, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Director, Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program, University of Vermont Medical Center Recommendations from the Act 167 “Oliver Wyman report” suggest that UVM…
Trump tariffs on Canadian products could bite consumers in the behind
April 2, 2025
Dear Editor, As if the onslaught of U.S. tariffs on goods from the Great White North weren’t enough... … now this, per Bloomberg via The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Washington. The Trump tariffs on Canadian petroleum, cars, hydropower, medications, vehicles, and softwood lumber for construction include wood pulp for … paper products. Yes, that includes toilet paper.…
Advocating for the arts
April 2, 2025
Dear Editor, March was Youth Art Month, and we held our bi-annual show at the statehouse in Montpelier. I want to share my speech from that evening. My name is Melissa Kristiansen, and I am honored to serve as president of the Vermont Art Education Association and co-chairperson of Youth Art Month alongside the incredible…
Upset about Trump cutting crucial services? Speak up!
April 2, 2025
By Angelo Lynn If you’re worried that Trump’s proposed cuts to the administration of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security will negatively affect the benefits you or a member of your family may receive, you should speak out. If you’re worried that privatizing the U.S. Postal Service will reduce rural delivery to your mailbox, negatively impact…
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Capitol Quotes: Defense lapse
March 26, 2025
It was the war plans group chat heard aroundthe world. The Atlantic journalist Jeffrey Goldberg received a request to connect on the encrypted messaging app Signal from a user named “Mike Waltz” (possibly the Trump administration’s national security adviser) on March 1. Goldberg was later added to a group chat called “Houthi PC small group”…
How appeals drive up housing costs
March 26, 2025
By Secretary Lindsay Kurrle Too often in Vermont, popular and necessary housing construction is derailed, delayed, or diminished by a small number of folks abusing the appeals process who have no direct skin in the game and are reluctant to welcome new neighbors. While appeals are valuable in certain cases, they also drive-up costs, affecting…
Climate initiatives are investments in Vermont’s farmers and future
March 26, 2025
Dear Editor, I want you to imagine standing in a field surrounded by 9,000 beautiful, healthy Brussels sprout plants—months of careful planning, hard work, and abundance growing from the soil. But then, in a matter of days, relentless rain pounds the earth, drowning the roots, rotting the harvest, and washing away not just my crops…
Vermont energy policy
March 26, 2025
Dear Editor, I think about energy a lot. I grew up in a drafty house with cold bedrooms, whereas my best friend lived in a modern, passive solar home that was always comfortable. That contrast put the role energy consumption and efficiency played into clear focus at a young age. This idea led me to…
Scott’s ‘affordability’ is not solving problems affordably
March 26, 2025
By Angelo Lynn Before Vermonters label Gov. Scott heartless for denying “children, pregnant women, disabled Vermonters, veterans, and those fleeing domestic violence” access to the motel voucher program set to expire on April 1, voters should consider the governor’s position. For the past several terms he has run on the mantra of “affordability,” not aiding…
The Brazilian railroad and Vermont’s housing crisis
March 19, 2025
Chip and Dan Heath, in their book “Switch,” tell the story of a young MBA who ran a chunk of the Brazilian railroad after it was privatized and broken into pieces. The newly minted railroad CEO ended up with a share that included steam locomotives and infrastructure in dire need of repair and maintenance, with…
Thoughts on education reform
March 19, 2025
Dear Editor, A considerable amount of attention and work this legislative session has been devoted to Vermont’s preK-12 public education system and its funding. This is important work as 30% of state spending is devoted to our most precious resource, 83,000 children. Vermonters understand how meaningful these conversations are. Education is critical to our communities…
Addressing the inconsistencies in AFP, VTGOP’s stance on energy policies
March 19, 2025
Dear Editor, The recent actions of Americans for Prosperity (AFP) and the Vermont Republican Party (VTGOP) reveal a concerning inconsistency. AFP, founded by the Koch brothers and a mouthpiece for Big Oil, is campaigning to repeal Vermont’s Act 18 of 2024, the Clean Heat Standard, citing concerns that it will “increase the cost of living,” “make it…
Our kids deserve phone-free schools
March 19, 2025
Dear Editor, Education is heading for a major overhaul in Vermont. Whether it be the governor’s, the House, or the Senate proposal (or most likely some amalgam of the three), it is happening. Although the pressure for action is intense now, we won’t actually see substantive changes play out until 2027 or beyond. In the…
Sunshine Week: Access to government records and information is more important than ever
March 19, 2025
By Tanya Marshall Editor’s note: Tanya Marshall is the Vermont State archivist, chief records officer, and director of the Vermont state archives and records administration, a division of the Vermont secretary of state. As the days get longer and snow melts, it is fitting that this is Sunshine Week—an annual celebration of government records and…
Chicago heat wave and Vermont’s housing crisis – Occam’s razor
March 12, 2025
In 1995, Chicago experienced a heat wave in which the temperature reached 106 degrees, which translated into a heat index of 126, the temperature that the body felt. Within a week, the streets were buckling, the power grids failed, and over 700 people were dead. By all accounts, the cause of death was the heat.…
Transforming education in Vermont through equity, quality, and sustainability
March 12, 2025
By Governor Phil Scott Over the past few months, my administration has rolled out a plan to transform and strengthen our public education system. After last year’s double digit increase in property taxes, Vermonters made it clear that we need to make major changes to a system that no longer meets the needs of our…
The growing justice gap in Vermont
March 12, 2025
Dear Editor, Justice should not be a privilege reserved for those who can afford it. In Vermont, the gap between legal needs and available resources continues to grow, leaving too many individuals and families without meaningful access to the justice system. This is not just a legal issue — it is a fundamental challenge to…
Who is “affordability” for?
March 12, 2025
Dear Editor, For better or worse, the word “affordability” is the new buzzword. It is all over the news and in the public sphere. It was all over the campaign trail and the governor and our Legislature mention it in practically every other sentence. While this is a great thing, something we all should be…
Thanks Killington!
March 12, 2025
Dear Editor, Thank you to our Killington community for supporting the Drive-Thru Lasagna dinner on Monday, March 3, at the Killington Public Safety Building. The event was sponsored by the Sherburne United Church of Christ, Killington’s Little White Church. A special thanks to our chef, Rob Merrill, who prepared and cooked 12 pans of lasagna…
