Vermont’s Joint Fiscal Office has outlined a wide range of options for increasing state revenue, from raising existing tax rates to expanding the sales tax to new goods and services. The report highlights how different approaches—from taxin
Vermont ranks near the top nationally in taxes, spending, and education funding per capita, according to Fiscal Facts 2026. The state’s centralized revenue system and reliance on a statewide property tax drive these rankings, while ongoing
Vermont property taxpayers are facing sharp increases in education tax rates as spending continues to rise and efficiency declines. With per-pupil yield dropping and enrollment remaining flat, higher tax effort is generating less return, hi
Vermont lawmakers are weighing changes to the state’s pre-K system that could reshape access to early education, child care stability, and school funding. While proposals aim to expand services for 4-year-olds, officials warn that shifting
A proposal discussed in the House Environment Committee could change how Vermont regulates small livestock operations. Farm groups warn the language may expand state oversight through new “land base” and livestock density standards while la
A little-noticed legislative study may reopen a long-dormant question in Vermont: should counties play a larger role in how the state is governed? Created by Act 118 in 2024, the County and Regional Governance Study Committee is examining w
Vermont’s housing down-payment program is funded through tax credits sold below face value to banks and insurance companies. Those institutions can buy discounted tax relief while the state gives up the full value of the credits. The obviou
Artificial intelligence isn’t a digital brain or an all-knowing oracle. At its core, modern AI is a massive probability engine—a highly educated “wild-ass guessometer.” It can produce impressive answers at incredible speed, but it doesn’t u
Vermont’s electric-vehicle sales mandate hasn’t been repealed — it’s only paused. The state’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule, which would phase out new gasoline vehicle deliveries by 2035, remains on the books unless lawmakers act. With a repe
A proposal to tax investment income for households earning more than $200,000 drew debate in the Senate Finance Committee as lawmakers considered whether Vermont could raise new revenue without driving away high earners. The discussion also
Act 73 is widely seen as a school district consolidation law, but it also restructures how Vermont values property for education taxes. Lawmakers are now rewriting and delaying its Regional Assessment District provisions, tightening legisla
Vermonters can weigh in on the state’s draft Conservation Plan at a March 2 listening session in Rutland or a virtual session on March 9. The plan outlines how Vermont intends to meet Act 59 conservation targets, including expanded land pro
