Dear Editor, I’m Chris Brown and I’m running to represent Castleton in the Vermont House of Representatives. I’m proud and excited at the prospect of representing the citizens of my hometown in the Legislature. I’m a lifelong resident of Castleton and a 10 generation Vermonter. I feel my decades of business experience and my Republican…

Dear Editor, Yesterday was so magnificent. Found myself again spiritually through the power of being in nature. Plenty of places along the way to stop and throw a line but fell to the wanderization of what lay ahead. Just curious if I could get to the bend that I could see ahead. I wondered about…

Dear Editor, In Vermont we hold the belief that every child should have access to an equitable education. Though this promise is a constitutional right, in reality it’s been challenging to fulfill given the outdated funding mechanisms that have historically governed our schools. As a member of both the Burlington School Board and the Coalition…

By Jack Hoffman Editor’s note: Jack Hoffman is Senior Analyst at Public Assets Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit organization based in Montpelier. He is a resident of Marshfield currently living in France. A projected jump in school taxes next year has everyone’s hair on fire in Montpelier. But before taking drastic action, legislators and the administration…

By Ross Connelly Editor’s note: This commentary is by Ross Connelly of Hardwick. Now retired, he was the editor and co-publisher of The Hardwick Gazette from 1986 to 2017. He is a past president of the Vermont Press Association and the New England Press Association. A quick look at the internet provides ample evidence that…

Dear Editor,  Next week is once again, “Super Tuesday.” On April 30, 11 towns will hold their second school budget vote in hopes of getting voters to the polls. It is clear that the people of Vermont are making a statement to Montpelier that the way in which schools are funded is not sustainable. Across the state,…

Dear Editor, In Morrisville, a recent Front Porch Forum post reads: “Vote down the school budget! They don’t want to just survive, they want to thrive.” Is this really where we are in 2024? Are Vermonters really ready to let our most vulnerable children be the victims of state level politics? The Brigham Decision was…

By Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield As the founders of Ben & Jerry’s, we know firsthand the power of investing in Vermont’s communities. Since opening our first location in downtown Burlington, we’ve used our platform to support economic and social justice. That’s why we wholeheartedly support the proposal to create a Baby Bonds program in…

Dear Editor, Vermont stands as a beacon of community values. Yet, beneath this facade, our education system has harbored inequities for decades that undermine these very principles. Enter Act 127 — a legislative commitment to Vermont’s constitutional guarantee for equity, opportunity and fairness for every child in our state. For decades, Vermont’s education funding system, while…

Dear Editor, Under political pressure from animal rights groups, in coordination with a national organization, Senate bill S.258 was passed and is now in the House. This bill would remove the authority for rulemaking from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife board (Board) and transfer it to the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. This moves…

Dear Editor, Governor Phil Scott’s decision to veto S.18, legislation that would ban the sale of flavored tobacco and nicotine products in Vermont, is a win for small businesses, the economy, and adults’ right to make their own choices. Proponents of bans like this argue they are necessary to protect public health by preventing the…

Dear Editor,   The Killington highway and roadway workers did an excellent job all year long maintaining my road and area roads. Innsbruck Lane is a steep road that intersects Merrill and George Streets. Snow plowing is difficult on most narrow roads but particularly challenging here. The team plowed early, often, and skillfully to maintain a…

Dear Editor, It’s time to change our state government’s archaic tax system and truly make it fair for every single Vermonter. Vermont’s current tax system employed by the Legislature needs a true and absolute overhaul!   First, it is exclusive. Second, they want to tax everything, and in some cases they are. We need changes under both…

By Zoie Saunders Editor’s note: The following is a message addressed to Vermont educators, students and families from incoming Education Secretary Zoie Saunders, who was appointed to the position on March 22 and began April 15, the Senate is expected to take up her confirmation hearing April 23. I am delighted and honored to be joining…

By Steven Foster Editor’s note: Steven Foster is president of the Vermont Association of Realtors, a statewide association of over 2,000 real estate practitioners. On March 15, 2024, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced a $418 million settlement that would resolve litigation over claims in a national class action lawsuit brought on by home…