Senate plan: School districts without 2021 budgets may level-fund
Many Vermonters have been wondering how towns that voted down school budgets, or had votes scheduled before social-distancing was required, will set their budgets for the coming year.
Proposed ‘common property’ constitutional amendment dead for this year
“For the time being, we are still focusing on COVID-based emergency bills,” Sen. Chris Bray said. “We will get some time to do non-COVID work in the coming weeks, but I don’t yet know how much time. As always, we will have to prioritize and limit what we can take on with appropriate due diligence.”
VT GOP has contested race for national committeeman
Two Vermont Republican Party leaders are vying for election as Vermont’s male representative to the Republican National Committee.
House to vote remotely Thursday on remote voting; committee to discuss ethical standards of COVID-19 crisis care
As explained by House Speaker Mitzi Johnson in an all-House caucus Wednesday, the first vote will be on Rule 9A, to allow remote voting. A three-quarters approval of all House members (meeting remotely) is required.
State House rally prompts press questions to Guv about economic recovery, abortion funding
“There’s going to be a number of initiatives on the table, as we try and prioritize and live within our means and get through next year. … I don’t know which areas. There are going to be a lot of difficult choices to be made,” Gov. Scott responded.
Scott pulled plug on troubled UI upgrade, ‘then this pandemic hit’
Three years of hard work by Vermont DOL and Agency of Digital Services UI and computer experts went down the toilet earlier this year when Gov. Phil Scott pulled the plug on Vermont’s role in a multi-state UI benefits and tax upgrade called the Internet Unemployment System Consortium.
House, Senate chiefs want stay of execution for state college campuses; critics of trustee board assert urban, UVM bias
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.
House Transportation hears plan to allocate money for only 3-4 months of highway repairs, EV incentives, mass transit
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.
Vermont police informant tool – aka the ‘snitch line’ – has educational purpose, cops say
More than 130 Vermonters have used the Vermont State Police “Executive Order Reporting Tool” (EORT) to inform police about other Vermonters’ alleged infractions of Gov. Scott’s executive orders for work, travel and social distancing, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling said this week.
Vermont mass transit drivers, riders down due to virus
The House Transportation Committee on Wednesday discussed several thorny problems raised by the state of emergency: 34 public transit drivers are out, three have tested positive; ridership is down 75 percent; and Burlington riders are less likely to wear masks.
Legislature tackles milk dumping, $40 million education shortfall, prison reform
The Legislature is working this week to get updates, as well as seek solutions for milk dumping, prison reform, and the education revenue shortfall.
Guy Page: A state of emergency law explanation, including why it’s not ‘martial law’
Some Vermonters have asked Vermont Daily about the governor’s legal justification for declaring and maintaining a state of emergency, including the closure of businesses.