By Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan As Vermont and our nation continue to work toward a more fair and equitable criminal justice system, the Vermont Legislature is considering an important bill that can provide a fresh start for thousands of Vermonters, promote public safety, and reduce incarceration. S.7 expands Vermonters’ ability to expunge old criminal records. Clearing…

By Governor Phil Scott and Lt. Governor Molly Gray It’s well known that Vermont faces a demographic crisis. We have an aging population, with a shrinking workforce and reduced school enrollment. As a result, Vermonters continue to shoulder an increasing tax burden. Both of us discussed this trend during the last election and we know…

By Madeleine May Kunin Editors note: Madeleine May Kunin was the 77th governor of Vermont, serving from 1985 until 1991. She is the author of “Coming of Age, My Journey to the Eighties.” In the old days, back in the 1970s, issues like child care, equal pay and paid family and medical leave, were labeled “Women’s…

By Lindsey Berk and Suzy Hodgson Editor’s Note: This commentary is co-authored by Lindsey Berk, executive director of the Addison County Relocalization Network (ACORN Network), and Suzy Hodgson, a board member of the Acorn Renewable Energy Co-operative (AEC) and founder of the Charlotte Energy Committee. This is the fifth commentary in a 10-part series by…

By Jack Hoffman Those were among the key reasons the Vermont Tax Structure Commission recommended recently that the state abolish the homestead property tax and move to an income-based school tax for all resident homeowners. We support the commission’s recommendation. We also urge everyone, but especially policymakers, to read the final report. It addresses many persistent…

By Maura Collins Editor’s note: Maura Collins is the executive director of the Vermont Housing Finance Agency and Chair of the Board of Pathways Vermont. This commentary is from a 10-part series in which the authors respond to the pressing topics developed by the non-partisan Vermont Council on Rural Development. Part 4: Vermont must reduce…

By Joe Fusco Editor's note: Joe Fusco, vice president of Casella Waste Systems, Inc. in Rutland, served on Governor Scott’s Vermont Climate Action Commission and currently chairs the Vermont Climate Economy Action Team. This commentary is from a 10-part series in which the authors respond to the pressing topics identified in a draft “Proposition for…

By Jen Kimmich Editor’s Note: Kimmich is the co-founder and CEO of The Alchemist Brewery, a past board member of VCRD. In 2020 The Alchemist collaborated with the VT Partnership for Fairness and Diversity to create an action plan to dismantle racism in their community and beyond. This commentary is from a 10-part series examining…

By John Casella Editor’s note: John W. Casella is chairman and CEO of Rutland-based Casella Waste Systems. Since 1977, when Casella built the first recycling facility in Vermont, I have worked alongside policymakers and community leaders to help make recycling economically and environmentally sustainable for Vermonters. Although the company has grown, our roots remain in Vermont…

By Jenn Swain Burton Snowboards was born in a barn in southern Vermont over 40 years ago, and we proudly remain a Vermont-based business. The climate crisis is a direct threat to the sport we love, the mountain lifestyle that we and our community lead, and our long-term business success. In today’s world we are…

By Curtis Hier Some of us are old enough to remember when Mr. Rogers welcomed Officer Clemmons into his neighborhood and onto his television show. They famously shared a foot bath. And a towel. It was a momentous television event because Francois Clemmons was black and also, as Fred Rogers knew at the time, was gay.…

Editor’s note: This is a commentary by the Rutland Herald/Times Argus editorial board, republished here with VPA permissions.  Something is way out of whack. Isabel Jennifer Seward, a teenage driver, was fined $220 for her part in a double-fatal vehicle crash that killed an elderly Ferrisburgh couple last fall in Charlotte. Were it not for…

By Brooke Geery As soon as  a mob of conspiracy-theory-inspired thugs breached the gates and began to the climb the steps of the Capitol Building on Jan. 6, the finger pointing began. Rightfully, many blamed Trump for inciting the coup, which for all intents and purposes, was a failure, as all it did was delay the…

By Rob Riley Over the past year, I’ve heard two very different narratives about rural America. The first is that rural people face enormous economic and social challenges and the federal government does little to help them. The second is that the coronavirus pandemic has turned rural places into refuges where the urban elite — with…

It’s up to us By Michael J. Caduto It was one of our country’s most turbulent years. Demonstrations and riots demanding equality were staged nationwide. Gunshots rang out. World leaders threatened military force to control protesters while millions of sympathizers joined demonstrators on the front lines. A foreign war dragged on, seemingly with no end.…