October Newsletter: A Room Full of People

We (Ben and I) attended an event last week hosted by Let's Build Homes. The room was full of different voices, including banks, local businesses, developers, chambers of commerce, statewide politicians, utility companies, local broadcasters, and nonprofits. It was a coalition of people and organizations that recognized the dire need for housing in our state. In a little under a year, this coalition has already changed the housing landscape in Vermont by passing the historic CHIP bill. But, there is more work to do. Regulatory changes are needed to guarantee predictability for developers and unlock private investment from out of state that is sorely needed in order to truly grow and modernize our housing stock. We also need to find innovative ways to bring down the cost of construction for "affordable" state subsidized housing units. We need to cut the $500 per square foot cost of construction in half. In our 2025 research priorities, we are looking at one way of pursuing that.

We also attended an Act 73 Task Force meeting this week as they reviewed a new set of maps for reimagined school governance structures. We are encouraged to see that two of the maps aligns these governance structures with Career and Technical Education Centers, which we believe is critical for achieving a career pipeline for Vermont's hands-on learners. The third plan under consideration by the Task Force contemplates using shared service providers between school districts to achieve economies of scale, which also aligns with our proposed solution to our education woes.

The next task force meeting is scheduled for November 10th when they plan to vote on the final map(s. Now is a great time to weigh in with your thoughts and concerns about consolidation efforts. Remember that there is little evidence, either locally or nationally, that consolidation alone saves money. In fact, there is some evidence that Act 46 (the last consolidation effort) increased statewide education spending.

On behalf of Vermonters,

Pat McDonald
Campaign for Vermont

Join the Campaign

Things Are Better, But Let's Not Pop the Champagne Just Yet Real incomes (adjusted for inflation) have risen 34% since 1970, but essential costs, like housing and health care, have risen even faster... Read More

		Our 2025 Research Priorities Every year, Campaign for Vermont sets a research agenda for when the legislature is out of session. These are topics that we want to focus on in the spirit of bringing forward new information and recommendations for our state's policymakers. This work might result in new research papers, new position statements, new legislation, or just furthering our own understanding of an issue. See Our Priorities

Banter & Beans: GMCB Authority To Adjust a Hospital’s Reimbursement Rates (Act 49) Ben and Pat discuss a bill that allows the Green Mountain Care Board to adjust hospital reimbursement rates in order to balance the financial needs of hospitals and insurance companies. WATCH

		Banter & Beans: Amendments to Vermont's Open Meeting law (Act 51) Ben and Pat discuss a new law that amends the state's open meeting policies to enhance transparency, accessibility, and accountability in public meetings; requiring hybrid meetings and clarifying policies and procedures for various meeting functions. WATCH

Banter & Beans: Vermont Income Tax Relief (Act 71) Ben and Pat discuss a new law that amends several sections of Vermont's tax code to expand income tax exclusions and credits. Effective retroactively from January 1, 2025, the legislation modifies provisions related to the Vermont Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), retirement income exclusions, and introduces a new Vermont Veteran Tax Credit. WATCH

		Spotlight: Norwich University's History & Culture w/ Lt. Gen. John Broadmeadow Pat hosts Lieutenant General John Broadmeadow, President of Norwich University on this engaging episode. The conversation spans Norwich’s culture, history, strategic priorities, and the role of community engagement in higher education. WATCH

Robust yet Approachable Bill Summaries We have published 27 bill summaries (so far!) this year. They dig into what you need to know about key pieces of legislation that impact everyday Vermonters, but do so in a way that is quick and easy to digest. We a thrilled to be able to leverage this tool more as a way to keep Vermonters informed about what is happening in Montpelier.