Policy for The People - February 12, 2025 - Public Hearing Alert

Public Hearing Alert

The Vermont House and Senate Committees on Appropriations will hold two joint public hearings on Thursday, February 13, 2025, at 1:45 p.m. and Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. via in person or online. The full press release is here. 

What This Means: 

This is a chance to share your opinion about the Governor’s recommended budget adjustments. These are financial decisions that could affect your everyday lives and will certainly make use of any taxes you pay.

What You Should Know: 

- Information from The Governor's Budget Address (January 2025) is here.

- The proposed budget is, "about $9 billion".

- "$3.1 billion is federal money, which – other than the half-a-billion dollars for transportation – primarily supports Medicaid and other human service programs."

- "Of the $5.9 billion that comes from state funds, almost half goes to pre-K-12 education. Because on top of the Ed Fund, the General Fund pays $225 million for teachers’ pensions and other benefits. And $340 million goes to Transportation."

- "So, what’s left is about $2.9 billion… which has to cover everything else."

- The VT State Employees' Association provides a full budget overview and highlights issues in The Governor's proposal that are relevant to State Employees here. 

- Vermont Public offers a broader overview of the budget address here.

How to Participate in the Public Hearing:

- To sign-up to provide testimony in support of your budgetary needs as an underrepresented Vermonter contact Erin Pedley at epedley@leg.state.vt.us or Elle Oille-Stanforth at eoille-stanforth@leg.state.vt.us. This is for in-person and videoconference testimony. 

- To submit written testimony (your thoughts and opinions), email testimony2025@leg.state.vt.us or mail a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations, c/o Erin Pedley, 115 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633.

- If you do not want to speak or provide written testimony, this event will be live-streamed for the public to watch on Youtube.

This is policy for The People. 

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