Vermont lawmakers returned to Montpelier this week as committees reset priorities on school construction, rising healthcare costs, climate policy, and land-use regulation. Early hearings focused less on votes and more on framing major debat
At its Jan. 6 meeting, the Otter Valley Unified Union school board voted to move programs out of Whiting and Caverly schools, actions that would end their operation as schools. The votes were not listed on the posted agenda, leaving the pub
Rutland County’s draft Act 181 map barely increases land marked for growth, but quietly pushes most towns into majority “Rural Conservation” status. In 17 of 27 towns, more than half the land is now flagged as “intended to be conserved,” wh
Vermont’s Act 181 doesn’t change who owns the land, but it does change who draws the lines that matter. A five-member Land Use Review Board now approves regional maps that decide where Act 250 eases off and where it tightens, using state da
Vermont says it needs thousands of new homes, but the new regional land-use map quietly shrinks the places where towns like Pittsford can actually build them. Large swaths of working farms and upland fields are rebranded “rural conservation
Vermont’s legislature claims its policies serve the public good, but decades of restrictive regulations, rising taxes, and inaction on crime and addiction tell a different story. Are these decisions mere incompetence, or deliberate neglect
Vermont families are nearing their financial breaking point, with rising taxes, high energy costs, and strict regulations making the state unaffordable for many. Lawmakers must prioritize affordability and economic growth before more reside
Several Vermont legislators revealed that each bill introduced costs taxpayers an average of $1,000. With over 1,200 bills introduced in the 2023-2024 session, only 210 were passed into law, leaving taxpayers footing the bill for inefficien
Have you ever wondered why some laws feel logical and fair while others seem unnatural or burdensome? The distinction between negative and positive rights explains much about the role of government, personal liberty, and societal responsibi
In Vermont, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts focus on visible traits like race and gender, but ignore intellectual and ideological diversity. Leadership excludes dissenting voices, creating an echo chamber that contradicts the
Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) control drug pricing through opaque practices like rebates and spread pricing, driving up costs for patients, taxpayers, and insurers. Reform is needed to ensure transparency and prioritize affordable health
Sen. Rand Paul’s 2025 Festivus Report spotlights $1.64 trillion in what he calls federal waste, from beagle drug tests and ferret binge-drinking studies to climate cartoons abroad and COVID-era influencer campaigns at home. With interest on
