House Speaker Jill Krowinski

Vermont’s governor and the legislature’s Speaker of the House hold separate briefings on the proposed state budget

As the Vermont Legislature nears the midpoint of its session, the House leaders and governor held separate briefings to discuss progress on proposals so far.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott outlined his budget proposal on Tuesday for the next fiscal year.

On Tuesday, Governor Phil Scott gathered legislative leaders and committee chairs to sign Vermont’s sweeping education reform bill.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott delivered his budget address to a joint session of the Legislature this afternoon, focusing on affordability, demographics and education costs.

The Vermont Legislature gaveled into a new biennium this morning and its first order of business involved organizational items and choosing the leaders of each chamber.

This week the Vermont Department of Taxes released its annual “December 1st” letter, which forecasts property tax rates for the next fiscal year. Following a substantial hike this year, the department is predicting another increase. Republican Governor Phil Scott addressed the issue during his weekly briefing today, a day after Democratic leaders in the House responded.

The rift between Vermont’s Republican governor and the Democratically-controlled Legislature was on display after a legislative session this week overrode most of the governor’s vetoes.

Before the full House chamber takes up the bill this week, Speaker Jill Krowinski, a Democrat, gathered key committee chairs and advocates, saying there must be a course correction in the state’s public education system.

The Vermont House Ways and Means committee advanced a bill that sets the property tax rate and makes changes to the state’s education finance system.