By Angelo Lynn Last Tuesday, Jan. 26, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott proposed a dream $6.83 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2022: It proposed no increase in proposed taxes or fees, it avoided cutting any essential services, and it added $210 million in new investments to bolster the state’s economy. In recent times, that’s unheard of…

Editor's note: this commentary, signed by more than 50 Vermonters, was sent Monday, Jan. 25, to news organizations throughout the state. Vermont is the only state in the nation which has never elected a woman to Congress. Only one woman has served as governor. We have never elected a woman of color to any legislative…

By Matt Krauss With the exit of President Donald Trump isn’t this a perfect time for Vermont media to build a working, mutually beneficial relationship with Vermont conservatives? Covid-19 has permanently transformed our institutions and practices. Aren’t Vermont media’s websites, publications, and programs now routinely and unashamedly asking for survival money? We're told it’s temporary,…

Dear Editor, In 2020 I lost my wife and the mother of my children to Covid. Now Arizona is the hottest spot on the planet for Covid. There is only one way Covid is transported and that is by people, and maybe animals. Stop the flow of people, and you stop Covid. Arizona, and warmer…

Dear Editor, This morning I signed up online for the Covid vaccination being scheduled now for the 75-and-over age group. I offer my experience for those considering the online option. You don’t have to be highly adept at online registration but it helps to be somewhat acquainted with the way online forms work. There is…

Dear Editor, Republicans talk about the Constitution like they know what’s in it. They don’t. Most think the Constitution explicitly demands implementation of their political agenda, things like tax breaks for the rich, freedom from masks, special policing for minority areas, and keeping immigrants out of the country. It doesn’t. There are some things in…

Dear Editor, I’m curious as to why locals were subjected to an inflammatory and poorly written Letter to the Editor [“Take the Vaccine!”] authored by an individual from Woods Cross, Utah, in the Jan. 12-19 edition of the Mountain Times. Of all the other “Letters” to choose from, why this one? Given its lack of…

By Kesha Ram Editor’s note: This commentary is by Sen. Kesha Ram, D-Chittenden, who is the first woman of color to serve in the Vermont state Senate. She is the co-chair of the Vermont Social Equity Caucus. Jan. 6 began with historic election results in Georgia and my own swearing-in to the Vermont state Senate. By…

By Marguerite Jill Dye I never knew I craved normalcy To such an extent, to such a degree. But suddenly, I’m finding myself Heaving sigh after sigh of needed relief.   Your calm, steady voice, and healing words, Spoken directly from your heart, Soothe my soul, calm my nerves, Alleviate headaches and regulate my heart…

Dear Editor, Today we have political Reds and political Blues. One party is out for blood—you can guess which one—and the other is not. We think that the ones out for blood will lose because they are in the minority. But a century ago, in a far away land, there were political Reds and political…

Dear Editor, Yes, it’s January, not June, and you may feel like you’re finally settling into a routine during a challenging school year. But as the saying goes, “The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” Despite the disruptions of Covid-19, January is the ideal time to check in with your child about your school…

Dear Editor, The events of Jan. 6, 2021 in the nation’s capitol represent the culmination of a widespread revolutionary assault on the American way of life. The assault has been directed at all three branches of government: the executive branches of the 50 state governments, which are responsible for election security; state and federal judiciaries;…

By Bob Allen, former president of Green Mountain College, Poultney The Select Committee and the Vermont Legislature have a difficult task ahead. Covid-19 exacerbated and accelerated a problem that has existed in higher education for at least a decade or more. I will argue the business model for most public and private colleges and universities…

By John Steen Editor’s note: John Steen is a retired scholar and teacher of philosophy, followed by a 20-year career in health care planning, health regulation and public health, ending as a professor of health policy and a private consultant. He is immediate past president of the American Health Planning Association. He lives in South Burlington. Public…

By Paul Costello As we come out of the crucible of the pandemic and look to a new year, we need more than recovery, we need to work together to advance renewal and resilience for our communities and economy. The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) has been asking Vermonters what recovery will look like.…