Becky’s bill for beagle biscuits
2024-01-22
Dear friend,
Happy Monday! What are you excited about this week?
As I confront Vermont's problems, I often find myself wondering what's the way through all this mess?
Governor Phil Scott is our state's highest elected official, taking the lead on the issues of the day.
One thing I enjoy about working in the State House is being able to walk out of my committee room (#34, House Corrections & Institutions), take a right turn at the Card Room, walk through the Cedar Creek room and its massive mural of the Civil War battle of that name, and within a few paces be at the door of Governor Phil Scott's office.
If he's not in, one can ponder the wisdom to be gained from the portraits of past Governors, some of them as life-like as the Bloody Baron in Hogwarts.
When the Governor is in, I like to drop in when I can and ask him what he needs from me, as a player on Team Vermont. (Consider it a matter of fiscal responsibility -- with the Governor earning $198,522/year, I want him to be effective in his job!)
Outside the Governor's ceremonial office, within earshot of Gov. Douglas (l) and Gov. Shumlin (r)
The last time I asked him this question last year, he asked me to do something about the cost of living.
"You're not alone, Gov!" I said. "Have you seen what eggs cost these days? Cost of living is the number-one issue I hear about from Vermonters, in one form or another."
I told him I'd be working on it. Affordability and making wise investments is a core priority of myself and my colleagues in the Legislature.
What to do about it? That's a tough one to tackle head on, with all the inflationary pressures from the cost of oil and just about everything up 20% to 100% since COVID.
But but but... let's get to work!
How about cost control and getting more for our taxpayer dollar?
Our contract for prison healthcare came in at $2 million over what we budgeted. Why? The contract, negotiated by Commissioner Nicholas Deml in Corrections, only had one bidder. When it came time for that bidder, Wellpath, to make its "best and final offer," they tacked on $2 million from what we were expecting.
Since then, things haven't gone well. The individual healthcare workers in the correctional facilities I know to be hardworking and dedicated, but I'm seeing and hearing a lot of evidence that Wellpath is cutting corners to boost their profits on the ~$36 million/year contract.
Our committee will be digging into this issue this week (see full agenda), and I'll be looking for the value and accountability that taxpayers are getting with the contract.
Big picture, a thriving economy is the most important thing for keeping Vermont affordable.
One bill I'm proud to co-sponsor this year to address that is H.709: An act relating to creating the Office of Entrepreneurship and other programs pertaining to entrepreneurs. Introduced by my entrepreneurial colleague Rep. Monique Priestley of Bradford, this bill would:
create the Office of Entrepreneurship to develop policies and programs pertaining to entrepreneurs;
eliminate all first-year fees for new business registrations home-based food businesses;
and require the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to produce a report on how to reduce regulations on home-based food businesses.
This bill might be H.709 on paper, but to me, it's Becky's Bill.
Or, if you like, Becky's Bill for Beagle Biscuits.
That's Becky Wright of Halifax, Vermont, and entrepreneur at Becky's Beagle Biscuits (get them here on Facebook)...
Becky Wright and Becky's Beagle Biscuits
Becky emailed me this in September:
Hi,
I am not quite sure what I am asking here but...
I have started a small dog biscuit business. Not sure why I didn't realize this when I started. I had to pay approximately $60 to get the crude fiber tested, then another $105 approximately to register my name and biscuits with the state. I decided to create another flavor and started the process again. I was surprised that I had to pay another $105 when I am already set up with the state but I guess it is what it is.
Then I discovered that for each size, each flavor I would need to have tested and register and I have to have it registered every year. On top of paying all that then there are taxes to be paid.
So this is what is troubling to me. If Vermont is trying to keep big box stores out and encourage small businesses owners to flourish why make us pay at ever turn? I don't think there is a clear cut answer. I am not an LLC just a DBA. Just a little guy trying to make biscuits affordable and fun.
Thanks for reading this to the end
Becky Wright
Aka Becky's Beagle Biscuits
I asked Becky for more information, and she pointed me to Vermont's Pet Food Program requirements. Indeed, the Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets requires her to submit $105 every time she tries a new flavor.
It's a good thing Becky Wright has a great taste for what dogs want. Oliver loves these treats so much that I've been using them to train him to "sit" and "stay" -- not easy for his two-year-old excited self!
Fees like this are essential to an agency like Ag operating year-to-year. I'd love to do away with them, but then what part of our food-safety program do we want to cut?
Instead, H.709 would give a break to new businesses like Becky's, and would encourage innovation for early-stage businesses that are working to figure out what sells.
In researching the fees that are most challenging for new small businesses, I've become a supporter of the "right to start."
The U.S. is in some ways friendly to business, and in some ways not. When it comes to regulations, large companies have a leg up. The process of "regulatory capture" means that entrenched business interests tend to take over the agencies that regulate them. Regulators perform legitimate functions, but they do so in a way that's friendly to status-quo business interests, while posing discouraging hurdles for new companies and sole proprietors.
H.709 is a small but important step in supporting the right to start a business.
Do you support it? If so, please contact the Chair and Vice-Chair of the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development (contact info at that link) and let them know. All that's needed is a brief email with a few sentences on any relevant experience on starting a business and why it's important to clear away hurdles.
What else is on your mind today? Please let me know.
warm regards,
Rep. Tristan Roberts
Vermont House of Representatives
P.S. Oliver's favorite flavor is pumpkin bacon. Check 'em out: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094493422781
