Phil Scott /tags/phil-scott Phil Scott en-US żŞÔĆĚĺÓý Fri, 23 May 2025 20:09:41 GMT Capitol Recap: Climate policy grinds to a standstill in Montpelier /local-news/2025-05-23/capitol-recap-climate-policy-standstill-montpelier Democratic lawmakers have spent the last five years laying the groundwork for the most aggressive emissions-reduction policies Vermont has ever seen, but a political sea change after the November election has brought that work to a “standstill,â€� according to legislators and climate advocates. Fri, 23 May 2025 20:09:41 GMT /local-news/2025-05-23/capitol-recap-climate-policy-standstill-montpelier Peter Hirschfeld Just before Senate vote, Scott administration’s position on motel program overhaul is unclear /local-news/2025-05-21/just-before-senate-vote-scott-administrations-position-on-motel-program-overhaul-is-unclear Administration officials have been pressuring lawmakers to speed up the transition away from the emergency motel housing program, and cut down on costs. Despite winning some concessions, the governor’s administration wouldn’t say whether it was satisfied. Wed, 21 May 2025 21:23:47 GMT /local-news/2025-05-21/just-before-senate-vote-scott-administrations-position-on-motel-program-overhaul-is-unclear Carly Berlin This year’s main Vermont housing policy gets mired in legislative disagreement /local-news/2025-05-14/this-years-main-vermont-housing-policy-gets-mired-in-legislative-disagreement Housing advocates say a cap on the amount of state tax revenue set aside for the new CHIP program would severely limit the number of homes that could be built with its help, among concerns about other restrictions. Wed, 14 May 2025 21:27:21 GMT /local-news/2025-05-14/this-years-main-vermont-housing-policy-gets-mired-in-legislative-disagreement Carly Berlin With federal cuts on the horizon, the Vermont Legislature builds a reserve /local-news/2025-05-14/federal-cuts-horizon-vermont-legislature-builds-reserve A state budget plan that appears to have the support of Republican Gov. Phil Scott would hold back more than $100 million in anticipated revenue surpluses to deal with potential cuts to federal spending by Congress. Wed, 14 May 2025 21:05:10 GMT /local-news/2025-05-14/federal-cuts-horizon-vermont-legislature-builds-reserve Peter Hirschfeld Gov. Phil Scott halts electric vehicle mandate for Vermont /local-news/2025-05-13/gov-phil-scott-halts-electric-vehicle-mandate-for-vermont Republican Gov. Phil Scott has postponed a rule that would have required 35% of all vehicles delivered to Vermont car dealers to be zero emission, starting in model year 2026. Tue, 13 May 2025 22:01:05 GMT /local-news/2025-05-13/gov-phil-scott-halts-electric-vehicle-mandate-for-vermont Peter Hirschfeld At a cost of nearly $120M, lawmakers hold property tax increases to 1% /local-news/2025-05-07/at-a-cost-of-nearly-120m-lawmakers-hold-property-tax-increases-to-1 Buying down the rate, as this use of one-time money is called, is generally considered bad policy â€� on both sides of the aisle â€� because it risks creating a tax spike in the following year. But lawmakers say voters sent them a clear message in November: tax relief, now. Wed, 07 May 2025 21:36:26 GMT /local-news/2025-05-07/at-a-cost-of-nearly-120m-lawmakers-hold-property-tax-increases-to-1 Lola Duffort In major policy shift, Vermont lawmakers advance tax exemptions for military pensions /local-news/2025-05-06/policy-shift-vermont-lawmakers-advance-tax-exemptions-military-pensions Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s nearly decade-old push to exempt military pensions from state income taxes hit a key milestone Tuesday when the Vermont House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation that includes tax breaks for retired servicemembers. Tue, 06 May 2025 20:23:32 GMT /local-news/2025-05-06/policy-shift-vermont-lawmakers-advance-tax-exemptions-military-pensions Peter Hirschfeld Capitol Recap: As Congress eyes deep cuts to federal spending, Vermont lawmakers ponder their options /local-news/2025-05-02/capitol-recap-congress-deep-cuts-federal-spending-vermont-lawmakers-ponder-options Vermont lawmakers are considering postponing or even eliminating some of their key spending priorities as they attempt to gird next year’s state budget against potentially drastic cuts in federal funding. Fri, 02 May 2025 17:29:51 GMT /local-news/2025-05-02/capitol-recap-congress-deep-cuts-federal-spending-vermont-lawmakers-ponder-options Peter Hirschfeld To tax a second home, first you have to define it /local-news/2025-04-30/tax-second-homes-define-them-property-classifications-education-reform-bill Simply taxing second homes at a higher rate is not so simple, in part because Vermont currently has no system for categorizing vacation homes. But lawmakers are trying to change that â€� with the House's sweeping education reform bill. Wed, 30 Apr 2025 09:00:00 GMT /local-news/2025-04-30/tax-second-homes-define-them-property-classifications-education-reform-bill Lola Duffort, Bob Kinzel Gov. Scott talks Trump's immigration policy, tariffs and state budget /show/vermont-edition/2025-04-28/gov-scott-talks-trumps-immigration-policy-tariffs-and-state-budget "I don't believe we can live in chaos for the next three and a half years," Vermont's Republican governor said on Vermont Edition. Mon, 28 Apr 2025 20:59:26 GMT /show/vermont-edition/2025-04-28/gov-scott-talks-trumps-immigration-policy-tariffs-and-state-budget Mikaela Lefrak, Daniela Fierro