It’s budget adjustment time at the Statehouse and the choices legislators are faced with in making cuts are never good. By way of background, Vermont’s fiscal year runs from July 1st to June 30th. We are currently a little more than halfway through fiscal year 2015. Because Vermont balances its state budget every year, when the legislature comes back in session in January, if it looks as if the budget is headed toward a deficit for the year, we look for spending cuts to plug the gap. The news in early-January was that the budget gap for the current year would be approximately $12 million (on top of $22 million in cuts already made in August). While programmatic spending levels have been

At the beginning of each session, the first several weeks are taken up with reviewing the information we will need to master before making critical votes as the session progresses. That is certainly true this year, perhaps more than ever. Before we adjourn in late April or early May, we will have closed a budget gap of over $100 million and made a myriad of decisions to balance the needs of family budgets, energy infrastructure, affordable housing, environmental protection, social services, and the like. In this and subsequent posts, Tim and I will address many of these issues. Some of our posts may be fairly meaty and full of detail. Others will be of a lighter nature. Feel free to email e

Friday was a very proud day in the Statehouse for our legislative district. Each legislative session begins with a “devotional.” Usually devotions are a member of the clergy providing some inspirational remarks or a prayer. This morning Thetford’s very own master cellist Margaret Gilmore accompanied pianist Kathi Tarrant of Barnard in playing the deeply moving “Peace on Earth, A Thrush Singing in Deep-Woods.” It was a piece composed by Kathy Eddy of Braintree in the wake of 9/11. More than a couple of legislators were moved to tears by the beauty and grace of the composition and Margaret’s playing in particular. Sublime. Jim did a nice job introducing Margaret and her husband Howard S

And so it begins. Vermont’s General Assembly opened for business this week. Wednesday was mostly filled with ceremonial activity and it was great to have Laurel, Tucker, Mack, and my parents with me for today’s swearing in. Prior to adjourning Wednesday morning, Speaker Shap Smith announced his appointments to each of the fifteen House committees. Since the vast majority of a legislator’s time is spent on committee work, committee assignments mean a great deal. Our district fared very well in that Jim maintained his seat on Ways & Means and I got a seat on the Health Care Committee. In a typical year, there wouldn’t be too much shuffling of committee members or chairmanships, but this i