By Secretary Deb Markowitz, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources As I’ve been traveling around the state talking with Vermonters about the new universal recycling law, I have met many impressive individuals on the front lines of implementation. Trevor Mance, founder of TAM Waste Management, is one example. Mance got his start in the solid waste…

By Governor Peter Shumlin Since its inception in 2007, the Vermont Employment Growth Incentive program (VEGI) has encouraged companies to relocate to or grow in Vermont, translating into well-paying jobs for Vermonters. In the eight years since the program was launched, companies approved for VEGI have created 3,038 new full-time jobs, added $187 million in…

Dear Editor, The LoveYourBrain fundraiser Sunday at Base Camp Outfitters was a huge success with over 29 people attending the gentle yoga and meditation class. We were able to raise $615 to donate to the cause. LoveYourBrain is a non-profit organization working to improve the quality of life for people affected by brain injury. A personal…

At 6:15 p.m. on Friday March 28, The Vermont House of Representatives voted to pass the budget. It will now go to the Senate and be debated further before coming back to the House for final passage. While this year’s budget is the result of a lot of hard work--and the members of the Appropriations…

By Governor Peter Shumlin Last I week I visited with young professionals along the western side of Vermont in Rutland, St. Albans, and Middlebury. At every stop, I was inspired to see so many committed to living, working, and building strong communities in Vermont. Some hailed from outside Vermont, attracted to our state by its…

By Rob Roper Last November, Vermonters sent a loud and clear message to Montpelier to fix Vermont’s education financing system and lower our property tax burden. A proposal now coming out of the Legislature is based on mandatory consolidation of school districts into units of no fewer than 1,100 students, which will affect all but…

By Lee H. Hamilton After Congress came a hair’s-breadth from shutting down the Department of Homeland Security a few weeks ago, members of the leadership tried to reassure the American people. “We’re certainly not going to shut down the government or default on the national debt,” Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared on CBS’s “Face the…

Dear Editor, I have been reflecting on my experience in the legislature and the campaign last fall, and realize that I didn’t use this messaging as I should have, the least of which should have been to write to thank those of you who supported me in my work. Perhaps more letters during the campaign…

Today’s pot is stronger Dear Editor, Today’s pot is much more potent than people realize. Combine a much more potent and dangerous drug with the enhanced delivery methods available today–edibles, vapor pens, oil extracts–and the discussion about legalizing marijuana for recreational use takes on a much darker and troubling tinge. Many people tried marijuana in their…

By Governor Peter Shumlin This week, the Vermont Department of Labor released revised calendar year 2014 data. Unlike the monthly reports that can fluctuate for various reasons, this data gives a more accurate view of the year as a whole. The results were promising: Vermont’s average unemployment rate was 4.1 percent for 2014, 3/10 of…

By Julia Purdy The Marijuana Policy Project’s paid lobbyist in Montpelier has been touting the results of a poll MPP contracted with the Castleton Polling Institute (CPI) in May 2014, ten months ago, taking the public temperature on the issue of legalizing recreational marijuana in Vermont. Since then, opinions have shifted. More recent polls show…

By Angelo Lynn Open meeting laws are part of state statute to insure citizens are kept abreast of what government is doing. That’s as much true in state government as it is for school boards, town selectboards, zoning and planning commissions, or numerous other committees and subcommittees formed to carry out the important work of…

By Governor Peter Shumlin Earlier this month, Vermonters gathered at town meetings around the state to make decisions large and small about their communities. This year, two towns in particular made one very large decision about the future of education in their communities. As we continue the debate in Montpelier about how to address rising…

By Rob Roper There are plenty of reasons for parents and kids to love school choice in the 90-plus Vermont towns that already have it, and there are plenty of solid educational and social arguments for expanding the program to all Vermont towns. But why should folks without kids care? Property values. A recent study…

Dear Editor, We want to thank everyone involved in the Bruce Oldenburg benefit held on March 8. Thanks to everyone’s hard work, support, generous donations and their time, the benefit was a huge success. Special thanks to Chris Karr for hosting the benefit at the Pickle Barrell Nightclub and providing food and advertising. We also…