FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 13, 2021

Montpelier - In response to a lack of comprehensive long-term planning on behalf of state leaders around economic recovery from the Covid-19 Pandemic, today Campaign for Vermont (CFV) releases a roadmap forward. “We were just frustrated,” said CFV Chairman Pat McDonald, “the legislature had lots of work being done all over the place but no overarching plan to tie it all together.”

The plan has three phases that would address immediate economic gains aimed at Vermont’s hardest hit industries; intermediate growth over the next 2-3 years driven by remote workers, technology startups, and entrepreneurs; and long-term growth through re-imagining the scope and alignment of the state’s workforce development efforts as well as investments in housing infrastructure.

“What we are trying to do is offer a clear vision for the state to move forward,” said Ben Kinsley, “we need a plan that takes into account our current public health crisis, but also moves our failing businesses back towards prosperity and creates the conditions for entirely new Vermont-scale enterprises.”

The plan seeks to address the 30,000 displaced workers in the state as well as capture a new work environment where 25-30% of workers are still likely to be working remotely at the end of 2021. Kinsley added that “by strategic investments in persistent issues like broadband access, the workforce development pipeline, and housing we can come back stronger and position our state to succeed long-term.”

As the legislative session is nearing its end, Campaign for Vermont is calling on the legislature to think wholistically and make strategic investments with incoming federal dollars to ensure we are building a Vermont economy for the 21^st century. Campaign for Vermont’s plan for economic recovery can be found at CampaignForVermont.org/economic-development.

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