Business leaders from various industries emphasized the need for strategic workforce recruitment and retention efforts, and further investment in workforce housing infrastructure. These policy areas are among the top priorities for the Vermont Chamber of Commerce advocacy team in 2023.
The price of heating oil, a fuel most commonly used in New England to heat homes, has gone up by 65% since October 2021. Meanwhile, the voters of Vermont just elected a legislature two-thirds of whose members can hardly wait to pass a clean heat standard to drive up the cost of home and business heating fuel.
In the upcoming legislative session, House Republicans will have just 38 representatives to oppose a slew of progressive policies planned by Vermont’s majority Democrats. This presents an extraordinary challenge for state Rep. Pattie McCoy, R-Poultney, the House minority leader.
A movement is afoot to repeal a 1988 Vermont law called the Sportsmens’ Bill of Rights. That law prohibits local governments from enacting their own gun control ordinances.
Record-high spending in recent years has been possible due to the influx of federal funding for pandemic relief. As that federal funding is depleted, the ability of Vermonters to absorb the cost of sustained programs will be central to our work.
“Our majorities were strengthened in the House and the Senate,” Sen. Phil Baruth said. “If Vermonters really believed that we weren’t protecting their wallets, that they were at risk financially for putting us in office, they would have reduced our majorities, not strengthened them.”
The Democrat-led House and Senate now have the power to drive through any measure its leaders, spurred on by their clamoring interest groups, decide upon. The governor may get a respectful hearing on practical questions of implementation, but he will have no power to stop this coming Johnstown Flood.
At first glance the voters seem to have sent a mixed message. They gave Democrats and Progressives, many of whom emphasized environmental action, an even greater supermajority with which they might override vetoes. On the other hand, these same voters also reelected Republican Phil Scott.
With well-known gun control advocate Sen. Phil Baruth, D/P-Chittenden, taking on the role of president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate, the Green Mountain State can expect a renewed push for restrictions on guns.
“Repealing the preemption law is absolutely on the GunSense legislative agenda,” Conor Casey told VDC. “I anticipate you’ll see other towns passing supportive resolutions in the coming weeks.” Burlington is considered the leading candidate for firearms restrictions.
It’s been a difficult week for Republicans. Expectations were high for many across the country, and they didn’t materialize. So what happened? Well, I will admit that I have a lot more questions than answers.
Following the Nov. 8 election, top Vermont Democrats and left wing organizations announced an aggressive agenda that includes electric-based energy, expanded government health care, woke social policies, and more.