House Speaker Mitzi Johnson and Senate Pro Tem Tim Ashe this weekend asked Vermont State College trustees to not accept Chancellor Jeb Spaulding’s plan to close three rural college campuses, and instead develop a one-year “bridge” budget to buy time to build an alternative plan.
Vermont State College Chancellor Jeb Spaulding announced Friday his plan to keep the state college system afloat by closing campuses in Lyndon, Johnson and Randolph. Negative reaction and grassroots organization was strong and swift.
In response to uncertain FY 2021 state transportation revenues, the House Transportation Committee on Wednesday discussed a proposal to approve a full year of transportation spending but allocate only enough money for three or four months.
The Legislature is working this week to get updates, as well as seek solutions for milk dumping, prison reform, and the education revenue shortfall.
Bernie Juskiewicz, husband, father, dedicated local volunteer, and a Republican legislator who represented Cambridge and Waterville from 2013-18, has died of the coronavirus.
Gov. Phil Scott said Monday he is working “hand in hand” with legislative leaders on COVID-19 legislation and is fine with the use of remote voting “during this point in time during this crisis.”
State transportation officials expect a new federal infrastructure bill will soon deliver a large influx of federal transportation money to Vermont.
A Senate committee will meet Thursday morning to address the looming problem of Vermonters choosing to receive the $600 federal unemployment payment rather than go back to work.
In this update, a multi-trillion federal relief package is enacted, Education Secretary Dan French testifies in House education committee, essential business determination guidance is issued, and unemployment insurance changes advance.
Gov. Phil Scott and Attorney General TJ Donovan said Monday’s ban on all online booking of lodgings are absolutely necessary to limit deaths from the virus. The ban expresses concern that visitors from hot-spot states like Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey are attempting to come to Vermont.
If it is deemed necessary to do budgetary work or matters that address the COVID-19 pandemic, that should be the limit of legislative action. The other stuff can wait. Vermont should postpone such other lawmaking until safe.
The big explosion last week in the House made for splashy news coverage, but the real story was far murkier than the headlines suggested. But if detailed machinations of politics intrigue you, then I wrote this for you.