MONTPELIER — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott signed lawmakers’ state budget proposal for the 2026 fiscal year into law Wednesday. The plan lays out $9.01 billion in state spending for the yearlong period starting July 1 — and includes a handful of new measures designed to limit the impacts of potential cuts to the state’s federal funding. 

Scott, a Republican, was notably complimentary of the House and Senate’s budget bill in a letter to legislators that accompanied his signature. Democratic leadership in both chambers, knowing they almost certainly could not override a budget veto this year, trimmed tens of millions of dollars in proposed “base” spending — money expected to be appropriated year-over-year — from the legislation after Scott insisted on cuts. 

The governor had proposed an $8.99 billion state budget in January.

“I appreciate that this budget makes important affordability investments,” Scott wrote, pointing to lawmakers’ use of about $75 million from the state’s general fund that’s expected to help reduce the property tax bills people pay to support education. 

Scott also complimented how lawmakers set aside about $13 million in the budget to offset a slate of proposed tax credits that would benefit low-income families, workers and veterans, as well as retirees and people receiving military pensions.

The credits are included in a separate bill, S.51, over which House and Senate leaders still need to work out their differences in a joint conference committee.

While the state budget is typically lawmakers’ last act before adjournment every year, this year, there are still several major bills working their way through the Statehouse that deal with some of the headline issues from last fall’s election. 

In his letter, the governor urged legislators to pass a version of this year’s landmark education reform bill, H.454. The bill is being debated on the Senate floor Thursday as school district leaders — and a number of senators themselves —  have panned the language that several of the chamber’s committees drafted in recent weeks.

Senators were weighing to what extent they should revise their version of the bill to be more in line with what passed out of the House last month. That version appeared to have more support among the members of the Senate’s Democratic majority. 

Scott has threatened to use his power to summon lawmakers back to the Statehouse if they adjourn for the year without reaching agreement on an education bill. 

“While not perfect, (the budget bill) makes critical investments in affordability, housing, education and public safety,” the governor wrote Wednesday. “But we must focus on the policy bills that fix what’s broken so the funding can have its intended impact.”

The Vermont Conversation with David Goodman is a VTDigger podcast that features in-depth interviews on local and national issues. Listen below and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get podcasts.

Karen Kevra was passionate about playing the flute as a child. But in college, she became disillusioned and walked away from classical music. Her long and winding journey brought her back to music, and in the process, transformed the music scene in Vermont.

Karen Kevra is founder and artistic director of Capital City Concerts (CCC), which is celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year. It has become one of Vermont’s premier and most beloved chamber music series, holding concerts in Montpelier and Burlington. Kevra is a Grammy-nominated flutist who performs at each of the CCC concerts. She has shared the stage with members of the Emerson String Quartet, the Paris Piano Trio, the Borromeo String Quartet, the Boston Chamber Music Society and Trey Anastasio of Phish.

Kevra has performed throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe, including performances at Carnegie Hall and the French Embassy in Washington D.C. When the Covid pandemic closed down performance venues, Kevra turned to telling stories. She launched a podcast, Muse Mentors, a series of beautifully crafted interviews with artists, activists and thinkers in which she explores the transformative role that mentors have played in their lives. She is on the music faculty of Middlebury College.

Kevra credits her own mentor with changing the course of her life. As an adult, Kevra sought out a teacher, Louis Moyse, a renowned flutist, composer and co-founder of the Marlboro Music Festival. She was introduced to Moyse by Jim Lowe, the longtime arts editor of the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus, who has advised Kevra over the years. Lowe shared a recording of Moyse with the aspiring young flutist.

“I’d never heard flute playing like that before, and I’d never heard music making like that before, and so that was it,” says Kevra. “I finally decided to screw up my courage and pick up the phone and make a phone call to go and play for Louis Moyse, in hopes of being able to study with him.”

Moyse and Kevra instantly bonded. Louis and his wife moved to Montpelier and he encouraged Kevra to launch Capital City Concerts. “Invite your friends to come and play,” he counseled. Their musical relationship blossomed into a lifelong friendship that lasted until Moyse’s death at the age of 94 in 2007.

Kevra says of her 25-year long music series: “These concerts are kind of a respite from all of the difficult stuff that’s going on in the world and the news. We’re offering a kind of salve for the soul.”

The 2025 M&T Bank Vermont City Marathon & Relay returns to Burlington’s streets and waterfront this weekend with an impressive group of championship-caliber runners headlined by last year’s men’s open champion.

The 35th edition of the Vermont City Marathon, and 34th on Memorial Day Weekend, is slated for Sunday, May 25. Event organizer RunVermont will use its 13.1-mile looped course through the Queen City for marathoners, relay runners and handcyclists.

Michael Kobotov still holds the men’s event record of 2 hours, 17 minutes and 3 seconds set back in 2001. The women’s record was reset in 2023 by Maegan Krifchin in 2:33:40.

More: Your guide to the 2025 Vermont City Marathon & Relay in Burlington’s streets

Courtesy of RunVermont, here’s the invited field and information on each runner slated to compete Sunday:

WOMEN’S OPEN FIELD

Hayley Collins

A elementary school special education teacher in Connecticut, Hayley Collins competed in cross-country running and track and field while at Marist College. She made her marathon debut in 2023, posting a time of 2:56 at Hartford. The following year she lowered that performance to 2:41.

Eliza Kerschner

A 35-year-old occupational therapist from Old Town, Maine, Eliza Kerschner was the VCM runner-up last spring. She also placed sixth at the 2019 VCM and fifth in 2013. Her marathon personal-best time is 2:48:45, set at the 2019 California International Marathon.

Sarah Shiman

A South Burlington native, Sarah Shiman played soccer and basketball in high school before picking up running while living in Utah. She ran her first half-marathon in 2024 (1:32:32) and posted a half-marathon PB of 1:24:42 at the 2025 Half-Marathon Unplugged this year. VCM will be Shiman’s second full marathon (she previously ran 3:37:59), but expects to make significant improvements on her time.

PAST RESULTS: Search our database for Vermont City Marathon results

Emma Spencer

A Massachusetts native, Emma Spencers owns a PB of 2:36, which she ran at the 2021 Boston Marathon, finishing 18th overall. She also competed at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials for the marathon.

Margaret Vido

Margaret Vido, who hails from Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania, is back at VCM for the first time since 2014 when she placed fourth overall. Vido ran at the Olympic Trials in 2016 and 2020, and placed 15th at the Boston Marathon in 2018.

MEN’S OPEN FIELD

Ryan Eiler

Ryan Eiler started competitive running in his early 30s. In 2023, Eiler finished second at VCM. In 2024, he posted a 2:14 at the Boston Marathon and then a 2:13 at the New York City Marathon.

Matthew Fick

In fall 2024, Matthew Fick won the Atlantic City Marathon in 2:34 and, just three weeks later, posted a 2:29:55 for second place at the Harrisburg Marathon.

Dan Forry

The native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Dan Forry won the One City Half Marathon in Virginia with a time of 1:06:14.

Jackson Friesth

A record-setting runner for Regis University in Denver, Colorado, Jackson Friesth is coming off a PB of 2:20:55 at the Houston Marathon in January.

Chris Gish

A Sharon Academy and University of Vermont graduate, Chris Gish is back at VCM for the first time since 2022. Last fall, he took third at the Maine Marathon in 2:23:18.

More: ‘My homeland’: Former local high school star powers to win at 2024 Vermont City Marathon

Hiro Kawakatsu

Originally from Tokyo, Hiro Kawakatsu is a high school physics teacher and cross-country/track coach in Greenwich, Connecticut. This year’s VCM will be Kawakatsu’s fifth marathon. He has a PB of 2:27:34.

Jack Leitch

Born and raised in Worthing, England, Jack Leitch competed collegiately for Boise State University. This is Leitch’s second straight trip to run at the VCM.

Sam Montclair

Sam Montclair, who lives in Cary, North Carolina, owns a 2:22:39 PB for the full marathon and 1:05:51 for the half-marathon. Montclair competed for Southern Connecticut State University.

Tommy O’Gorman

Tommy O’Gorman, of West Hartford, Connecticut, is racing in his third marathon when he makes the trip to Vermont. In 2022, he finished the Boston Marathon, and he has a half-marathon PB of 1:08.

Chase Pizzonia

Chase Pizzonia helped Iona College to the runner-up finish at the 2007 NCAA cross-country championships, and he was the 2008 IC4A champion in the 10K. The 39-year-old currently lives in New York City and has a PB of 2:20:25 set at the 2019 Philadelphia Marathon.

Nathan Stine

Nathan Stine, an University of Vermont alum, is making his marathon debut. At UVM, he was a captain of the 2022 and 2023 cross-country teams and a captain of the 2023 track and field squad.

Kiplangat Terer

Kenyan Kiplangat Terer returns to Burlington to attempt the second of back-to-back VCM crowns. The 39-year-old owns five other marathon victories and has a PB of 2:13:29 for 26.2 miles.

WOMEN’S MASTERS

Christine Hagan

A Burlington resident who hails from Salem, Massachusetts, the 43-year-old Christine Hagan is a physical therapist who is set for her seventh marathon and fourth VCM. The former two-sport athlete at Colby College, Hagan has a marathon PB of 3:04, set at the 2012 VCM.

Katie Kissane

A native of Essex, Katie Kissane competed for the University of Colorado-Boulder. After graduation, she ran her first marathon, the 2007 VCM. Three years later, she posted a PB of 2:59:02 at VCM. And last fall, Kissane ran a 3:00:15 at the New York City Marathon.

MEN’S MASTERS

Michael Anis

Michael Anis has competed in 20 marathons in his career, with a personal-best time of 2:34:18 at the 2014 Boston Marathon. In 2022, he came out of racing retirement: Last year he ran 2:36:43 at the Hartford Marathon.

Dan McGrath

New York attorney Dan McGrath, 42, claimed the 2005 Atlantic 10 title in the 10,000 when he competed for the LaSalle University track and field team. He raced to his best time at the 2008 New York Marathon (2:23:04), where he finished 25th overall. Recently, McGrath ran a 2:30:27 at the 2023 California International Marathon.

NON-BINARY

Bryan Morseman

Bryan Morseman has run 123 marathons in a career that started in 2008, with an average finish time of under 2:30. Morseman will make their VCM debut this weekend.

Matt Powers

Born and raised in South Burlington, Matt Powers is a faculty member at South Burlington High School. Powers has a PB time of 2:54:54 at the 2023 Boston Marathon, where Powers placed third in the non-binary division.

Contact Alex Abrami at aabrami@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter: @aabrami5.