Rep. Roberts Town Meeting Report
2024-03-04
Dear friend,
"My mother used to say that the scariest time of year is when the Legislature is in session," a constituent told me this January, right after we had gone back into session.
In that case, I wonder how his mother felt felt about Town Meeting Recess week?
Is it a reprieve for us all? A calm time to reflect on the first half of the session and discuss the difficult choices ahead? Perhaps also a time to share what's hard in Vermont that we need to work on?
Sounds good to me... see you tomorrow at Town Meeting!
I will be visiting all three town meetings in the following order. See you there:
Whitingham Annual Town Meeting, at the Twin Valley Middle/High School at 4299 VT Route 100 in Whitingham.
Wilmington Annual Town Meeting Town Meeting, at the Old School Community Center in Wilmington.
Halifax Annual Town Meeting, at the Halifax Elementary School at 246 Branch Rd, West Halifax.
All three start at 10 a.m., and polls are also open all day to elect town officers.
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Here's a report about what I've been working on. Prefer a hard copy? I'll have a handout version of this tomorrow, and I'm also happy to mail you one, anywhere on Earth or low-Earth orbit.
Preview of tomorrow's handout: 2024 Town Meeting Report
Living Within Our Means
The State of Vermont passes a balanced budget every year. That means that, like every family in Vermont, the State must live within our means.
Despite predictions that our economy would cool off, tax revenues have remained strong through FY24.
That’s good, because we knew that the end of federal COVID-era funding would make this a difficult budget year.
Unfortunately, that’s not the worst of our problems.
Everything from eggs to healthcare premiums are more expensive now, and across-the-board inflation is also hitting the State’s budget. To make matters worse, Vermonters are experiencing worse mental and physical health, which is affecting everything from schools to the workload at the Dept. of Children and Families, to the incarcerated population.
How are we dealing with this in the Legislature? One line-item at a time. In the first half of the legislative session, the Appropriations Committee prepares the FY24 Budget Adjustment Act, or BAA. The BAA trues up the current state budget to reflect actual revenues and new cost pressures midway through the fiscal year. The committee also takes testimony from all state agencies and develops the FY25 state budget. This year’s BAA responsibly balances today’s needs with today’s revenue.
I’m also working to insure that federal money still in our pockets gets out the door. I am working hard in House Corrections and Institutions to make sure that we get ARPA money spent on essential infrastructure projects, and to ensure that our major maintenance projects stay on track.
Our one-year bonding capacity is $54 million. To increase that pot of money to keep up with inflation would mean increased borrowing costs, which wouldn’t be good in the long-term. That means we will have to make hard choices, like pausing a replacement courthouse in Newport when the parcel we had in mind doubled in price over its assessed value.
Projects like the planned restoration of the Bennington Battle Monument or the replacement of the women’s prison might proceed more slowly than we would prefer as we set aside money for them over multiple budget cycles. (Read more: FY 2024-2025 BGS Capital Project Update)
The Bennington Battle Monument is the tallest building in Vermont, and in worldwide rankings of stacked stone structures it is second only to the Washington Monument. After 129 years, Vermont is preparing to undertake the first restoration of the 306-foot-high tourist destination. In addition to repairs to the thick masonry walls, the Division of Historic Preservation is planning to repair the elevator and address moisture issues. The current Capital Bill kicks this process off by installing a protective fence around the monument, allowing space for scaffolding to be erected.
Bennington Battle Monument Restoration
The Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington offers total capacity for 138 veterans, and has a long waiting list, especially for memory-care beds. The Capital Bill funds major maintenance to keep this crucial facility operating. State funding provides a portion of funding, with the lion’s share coming from the Veterans Administration.
The state owns 29 historic sites from one end of the state to the other. Several offer free admission, or a maximum of $12. Major maintenance and repairs to these sites are funded through the two-year Capital Bill.
Public Safety: Providing Consequences
Research shows that the two most effective crime deterrents are 1) a high probability of being caught and 2) certain and quick consequences for criminal activity.
The probability of being caught depends on the presence and availability of law enforcement. The certainty and immediacy of consequences depends on a well-functioning, well-resourced criminal justice system made up of the courts, prosecutors, defenders, victim advocates, and restorative justice providers.
The Legislature’s primary lever to address the issue is the state budget.
I support a budget in which all vital elements of the justice system have sufficient resources.
I'm not happy with Governor Scott's budget proposal that would force the Vermont Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs to cut nine prosecutor positions, as department leaders reported to the Legislature last week.
It's a tough budget year, so it's true we can't just throw resources at public safety. We have to be targeted and we have to be creative, and we have to also dare to be visionary.
Addressing Retail and Motor Vehicle Theft
Currently, retail theft offenses can be charged as either misdemeanors or felonies depending upon the value of goods stolen. H.534 would enable prosecutors to charge individuals with a felony if the aggregate value of goods stolen within a 14-day period exceeds $900, or if the person acted in concert with someone else.
House Judiciary combined three bills dealing with motor vehicle theft, unlawful operation, and trespass into one: H.563. This bill is designed to close a few gaps in statute, including the interesting fact that current law does not prohibit a person from entering another person’s car without consent. This will address incidents of rummaging through someone’s car without actually stealing anything out of it. Accidental entry into another’s car will not be criminalized.
Boosting Vermont’s Skilled Workforce
Vermont continues to have a significant workforce shortage, especially when it comes to skilled workers. In recent years, the Legislature has taken steps to up-skill our current workforce and encourage skilled workers from other states to work and live in Vermont.
We have significant ongoing needs in the areas of healthcare, construction and education. In response, the Legislature recently created and funded a nurse grant program and several initiatives aimed at our teacher workforce.
Expanded Protection for Victims
Forty percent of all calls to Vermont law enforcement for violent crimes are related to domestic violence. Any attempt to improve public safety must include efforts to prevent and address domestic violence.
H.27 adds “coercive controlling behavior” to the definition of abuse in the civil statute, making it something for which victims may request a relief from abuse order, or “RFA.”
In one case, a woman’s husband removed the seats from the family minivan because he knew his wife would not drive her children anywhere in an unsafe vehicle. His act served to isolate her in their rural Vermont home, and meant that she had no way to escape. He later killed her and their children.
Current law requires seekers of relief from abuse orders to be physically harmed or in fear of imminent physical harm. The aim of this bill is to provide an earlier pathway out of an abusive situation.
Working Lands Legislation
H.603, which the House passed on a unanimous voice vote, aims to expand revenue options for poultry farmers who’ve previously been limited to selling whole birds due to inspection requirements for on-farm slaughter. The bill will allow farmers to sell parts of their birds at farmers markets, on the farm, and directly to customers or restaurants. Allowing farmers to package birds by breast, legs, thighs and wings better aligns with consumer demand and is more profitable for the farmer without any additional impact to the environment.
The committee also voted unanimously in favor of H.614, which protects homeowners from timber theft. The bill aims to stop unscrupulous loggers who take advantage of landowners by offering to cut down trees and promising a share of the harvest profits. The money is seldom retrieved and whole parcels are often clear cut without permission.
Protecting Pollinators
Neonicotinoids are insecticides introduced in the 1990s that have proven to be highly toxic to bees and other pollinators. “Neonics” are used to prevent crop damage in a wide variety of grains, vegetables, fruits and turf grass. However, treated seeds may release dust that can make its way into ground and surface water, and the plants can contain toxic levels of neonics in their leaves and pollen. This leads to increased risks to birds, bees, and other insects, even at the 1-part-per-billion level.
I'm proud to support H.706, which would ultimately ban the use of neonic-treated seeds and most other applications. Extensive research indicates no significant crop yield loss when substituting untreated seeds. By following the lead of New York, farmers should have access to a full complement of untreated seed varieties when the ban takes effect in Vermont.
School Construction Aid: Taking the Next Steps
Statewide, Vermont’s school buildings need more than $6 billion in investments statewide to bring them up to date. Many schools are aging so badly that they are starting to cost more to repair than to build new. (See The cost of education is going up.)
The House Education Committee is creating a bill based on recommendations of a fall 2023 task force to restart a state aid program that would share the cost of construction projects. The proposed program would provide immediate help to districts through grants and technical expertise for long-range planning. Meanwhile, the Legislature will develop financing details and an incentive system for districts to make smart investments.
By the way, this slide is a great summary of what's driving an expected $239 million in increased education spending this year. See that full report to House Ways and Means committee here.
What are the factors driving $239 million in increased education spending for the coming year?
Education Cost Containment and Funding
How can we provide a high-quality education while controlling costs? The House Education Committee has been taking exhaustive testimony from educators, researchers, school boards and students on the future of Vermont education.
One outdated aspect of our property taxation system is that the many different types of properties are all taxed according to only two different rates—the residential or nonresidential rate. Does it make sense for single-family homes, multifamily homes, businesses, short-term rentals, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, etc., to all be treated the same?
I supported the passage of Act 68 of 2023 (H.480) in part to enable us to differentiate tax rates and policies for different property types starting in 2026.
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That's just a smidgen of what myself as your State Rep and all of your Reps and Senators have been up to this session.
I'd love to hear from you with any feedback or questions.
One topic that's been heating up my inbox is S.18 -- the bill to ban the sell of vape pens and other flavored tobacco products targeted at children.
This is a bill where I'm planning to listen to constituent stories and to the debate with my colleagues right up to the vote. Several amendments to the bill have been offered, each of which I will need to consider, and each of which could change the bill considerably.
Keep your stories coming!
warm regards,
Rep. Tristan Roberts
Vermont House of Representatives
P.S. Now for something completely different -- there was a wedding in the State House on Valentine's Day!
Rep. Mary-Katherine Stone and Ryan Fisher enjoy their first dance as a married couple in the State House lobby this February 14th after tying the knot on the steps outside.