Residents of the Otter Valley Unified Union School District are considering a recount or revote after the $28M school budget passed by just one vote (681-680). With a 9.38% spending increase, some taxpayers feel it's too much and are organi
Self-employed workers get hit with double the payroll tax, paying the full 15.3% while W-2 employees only pay half. The tax code punishes independence, making even $12K/year a taxable burden while traditional employees skate by. Want to kee
The Rutland Forward-controlled BOA approved a $7.1M contract before securing key funding. Now, Mayor Mike Doenges and RF-aligned aldermen are scrambling to fix the financial mess. And they want another term. Did they exercise real oversight
Vermont’s proposed H.261 would redefine full-time work from 40 to 32 hours, triggering overtime pay sooner and raising costs for businesses. While marketed as pro-worker, the bill could lead to job reductions, higher prices, and a $10.45M s
Tax on gas & diesel could start at 26 cents per gallon. When it comes to the unaffordable climate change policies being pushed on Vermonters by the Democrat majority in the State House, the Clean Heat Standard for the home heating se
Alderman Michael Talbott claims Rutland’s $7.1M JCI contract was carefully vetted, but meeting records tell a different story—one of rushed approvals, questionable financial assumptions, and no real public oversight. Why did Rutland Forward
Rutland officials pushed through a $7.1 million energy contract without voter approval, claiming it would pay for itself. But JCI’s own numbers prove otherwise—even in the best-case scenario, the project falls nearly $3 million short over 2
Rutland officials approved a $7.1 million contract guaranteeing just $5,000 in energy savings per year for 20 years. The Board of Aldermen—led by Rutland Forward candidates—passed the deal without knowing if a $500,000 grant would come thro
A $12 million bond and a 10-acre land giveaway are about to be decided in a low-turnout vote this Wednesday. The Valley Community Center project could lock some Rutland County towns into 30 years of taxpayer debt, yet few residents even kno
At the heart of Rutland’s school budget controversy is carefully worded ballot language that obscures real spending increases and tax hikes. While per-pupil spending is reported as “down,” the budget actually rises by $3.35 million (5.2%),
Vermont’s PILOT program was designed to compensate towns for lost tax revenue from state-owned, tax-exempt properties, but the formula favors larger cities like Burlington while shortchanging rural communities. Meanwhile, nonprofits pay not
Vermont’s Clean Heat Standard is a lawsuit time bomb disguised as climate policy. The so-called "$0.10 per gallon cap" is a lie—lawsuits under the Global Warming Solutions Act will force unlimited credit purchases, and you’ll foot the bill.
