Vermont

Vermont Senate leader sounds alarm on potential tax hike

Published

1 year ago

November 26, 2024

Vermont Senate leader sounds alarm on potential tax hike

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – A top Vermont lawmaker is calling property tax rates and the potential for another spike a de facto emergency. Senate Leader Phil Baruth is now urging Gov. Phil Scott to take the first full week of the new legislative session to address the soaring costs of schools for next year and the long term.

After a double-digit increase in property tax rates this year, many taxpayers are concerned with affordability to the point where many say they might not stay in Vermont if lawmakers can’t fix it soon.

“My kids are looking to move out of state because it’s very expensive to live in Vermont. It’s as expensive as some of the bigger cities,” said Leslie Borrok of Shelburne.

Borrok says she and her husband might have to do the same if property taxes continue to rise.

“If we’re gonna be on a fixed income with Social Security and whatever monies we’ve been able to pull together, it’s going to be unaffordable for us to continue living here,” she said.

The statewide property tax for education rose 13.7% this year. State leaders are bracing for another double-digit increase in 2025. Among the cost drivers– soaring health care costs for teachers and staff.

It affected the budget at the Slate Valley Unified Union School District, which put five spending plans to voters this year.

“When you have that amount of money being taken up over something that we don’t have control over, that is frustrating I think to all of us in the schools and in the classrooms,” said Brooke Olsen-Farrell, the superintendent of the Slate Valley Unified Union School District.

To keep budgets and tax increases down, school districts may have to grapple with cutting positions, something Alexis Koch knows well as a teacher at Essex High School.

“We basically had to cut a bunch of programming in our schools, a lot of teachers were let go, and I personally since I’m also a teacher in the district also almost was cut back,” Koch said.

In a statement released Monday, Vermont Senate President Pro Tem Phil Baruth says we are at a critical junction and calls on the governor to propose solutions to the funding crisis at the start of the session. Baruth, D-Chittenden County, wrote, in part: “Vermonters need, want and deserve a thriving public education system as well as affordable and predictable property tax rates. In order to achieve both, we need the Governor’s early, transparent and collaborative engagement.”

Interim Vermont Education Secretary Zoie Saunders says in the short term, the state can again look to pump other tax revenues into the education fund to help offset the impact on property taxes.

“It will require us to make difficult choices. We are operating with a limited amount of money but we understand that there is a need to make some stabilization in our system,” Saunders said.

This past year, the Legislature used approximately $95 million to buy down the average statewide property tax rate from the projected 18.5% to 13.8%.

But the education funding formula may need to be completely rethought for long-term solutions, along with other hard choices, like consolidating schools and larger class sizes.

Both Democrats and Republicans agree there are no easy answers.

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Related Topics:baruth education Featured Lawmaker Legislature news Phil Politics property RATES SEN Spending tax taxes vermont WCAX

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Vermont

Wrong-way driver stopped on I-89, charged with DUI

Published

4 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Wrong-way driver stopped on I-89, charged with DUI

BOLTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A wrong-way driver was safely stopped on Interstate 89 overnight Sunday.

Vermont State Police say just before 12:30 a.m., they stopped the car near marker 77, near Bolton.

The driver, Denise Lear, 60, of Revere, was charged with driving under the influence and gross negligent operation.

Lear is expected in court Monday.

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Vermont

Women’s Lacrosse Bested in Burlington by Vermont – University at Albany Great Danes

Published

16 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Women’s Lacrosse Bested in Burlington by Vermont – University at Albany Great Danes

Score: UAlbany 4, Vermont 14

Location: Virtue Field | Burlington, Vt.

Records: UAlbany (10-5, 5-1 America East) | Vermont (8-6, 4-1 America East)

Short Story: UAlbany women’s lacrosse fell to the Vermont Catamounts on Saturday afternoon.

Key Stats

Grace Cincebox recorded a total of 14 saves with 13 goals allowed for a .565 save percentage.

Ravan Marsell led the Great Danes with two points on one goal and one assist.

Four different UAlbany players scored in the contest.

Reggie Williams was the team’s leader with three ground balls.

Delilah Mile caused a team high three turnovers.

How It Happened

The Catamounts came out of the gates hard and heavy, scoring all three goals between both sides in the first quarter.

Vermont would take an 8-0 lead in the second quarter before Amanda Williamson found the back of the net on a women-down goal to put the Great Danes on the board and make it 8-1.

The Great Danes would allow one more goal in the first half to trail 9-1 after 30-minutes of play.

Grace Cincebox would enter the half with 10 saves.

Riley Forthofer started the Great Danes off in the second half to make it a 9-2 game, before Vermont put up three more goals to take a 12-2 lead entering the final quarter of play.

Mya Carroll and Ravan Marsell both scored on back-to-back free-position goals to make it a 12-4 game.

The Catamounts finished the game with two more goals to take the win 14-4.

Up Next
The Great Danes will next have a bye week and wait to see the outcome of next week’s Vermont vs UMass Lowell game to see who will host the America East Tournament.

Social Central: Stay up to date with UAlbany women’s lacrosse by following the team on Instagram (@UAlbanyWLax), Facebook (UAlbany Women’s Lacrosse), and X (@UAlbanyWLax) for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.

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Vermont

Vermont lands two cities in America’s top 15 happiest list

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Vermont lands two cities in America’s top 15 happiest list

Is creativity the missing key to better health?

Research suggests creative activities like art, music and crafts may benefit mental health as much as other key health habits.

Here’s another reason Vermont is the best New England state: It’s home to one of the top 5 happiest cities in the United States.

Plus, it has another within the top 15.

Massachusetts, on the other hand, doesn’t even break the top 50. Nor, does Connecticut or Rhode Island.

The personal finance website analyzed 182 of the largest cities in the country, and ranked Boston 63rd overall. Although the city is home to some of the nation’s top universities, high-ranking hospitals, and well-regarded companies, it didn’t break the top 50.

To get the rankings, WalletHub compared the cities using 29 metrics, including life-satisfaction index, depression rate, poverty rate, job security, and acres of parkland per 1,000 residents. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, and cities were assigned an overall happiness score.

Here’s a look at how the cities ranked.

South Burlington is No. 4 happiest city, Burlington is No. 11

South Burlington came on top for Vermont in WalletHub’s list of the happiest cities in the United States, ranking at No. 4. In scored very high for emotional and physical well-being coming in at the No. 4 spot, which made up for coming in No. 48 for community and environment. It was No. 9 for income and employment ranking. That gave it a total happiness of score of 70.15

Burlington wasn’t far behind at all, taking the No. 11 spot on the list and a happiness score of 67.54. It’s highest score was for income and employment ranking where it came second. It ranked No. 13 for community and environment and No. 21 for emotional and physical well-being.