Vermont This Week

A bill to soften the impact of recent changes to the state's education funding system has been signed by Gov. Scott, as statehouse leaders signal there's still much more to be done.Plus, the Vermont ACLU accuses the state’s health department of blocking funding for overdose prevention centers.And lawmakers consider requiring Medicaid and private insurers to cover weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. We'll end the show honoring poet, DJ and jazz scholar Reuben Jackson.

Vermont’s congressional delegation was heard from in Washington this week. In the House, Congresswoman Becca Balint proposed an ambitious plan to build more housing. And in the Senate, Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch made a lonely stand against sending more money to Israel.In Montpelier, lawmakers tried to rush through a last-minute fix to an education spending disaster. But no one knows if it will work. Gov. Phil Scott wants more focus on public safety, and some Democrats want more taxes on the wealthy.Meanwhile, sports gamblers are breaking financial projections, and a Franklin County hero has broken her own record. All that and more ahead on Vermont This Week.

With a month to go until Town Meeting Day, Democratic lawmakers are crafting a proposal to reduce education spending and potentially shift school budget votes. How will municipalities across the state be impacted? And will it be enough to mitigate looming double-digit property tax hikes?Plus, get updates on Burlington's Mayoral race, and hear why 117 lawmakers signed a joint statement this week denouncing anti-LGBTQ+ hate.All of that and more on this week's episode of Vermont This Week.

The debate over how to address looming double-digit property tax hikes continues as state leaders consider the best path forward. Plus, lawmakers are contemplating changes to state cannabis cultivation laws. And the political and constitutional tug-of-war continues between the governor and the Legislature over flood recovery “bundles.”

This week we're following the money, as Governor Phil Scott lays out his budget to lawmakers."I don't think there will be a lot of disagreement about what's in this budget," Scott said in his fiscal year 2025 budget address on Tuesday. "The disagreement will lie in what's not in it. But pretending we can fund everything isn't realistic."What will disagreements mean for this legislative session? And where does the governor think investments need to be made?Join us to learn about these topics and more on Vermont This Week.

Environmental policy was front and center this week, including a proposed bill that would establish a climate change “superfund,” debate over whether the state is on track to meet its 2025 climate commitments, and how lawmakers want to help loggers adapt to climate change.

Gov. Phil Scott and a tri-partisan group of lawmakers on Wednesday pitched a sweeping housing proposal that they hope will ease regulatory barriers and hasten the pace of housing development across Vermont. Plus, advocates push for a "housing first" approach, the House approves a bill that allows safe injection sites to operate in the state, and more.

Join Vermont’s top journalists as they delve into the most important news stories each week.

As we tick ever closer to the end of the year, many of the biggest news stories of 2023 are still unfolding.Three Palestinian and Palestinian-American college students shot in Burlington grapple with physical and emotional wounds as investigators work to determine the alleged shooter’s motives.And in some parts of the state, home and business owners are still cleaning up from historic flooding last summer.We’ll count down the top stories of the year with a panel of thoughtful reporters…on a special edition of Vermont This Week.This week's panelJane Lindholm (Moderator), Vermont PublicMikaela Lefrak, Vermont PublicColin Flanders, Seven DaysSarah Mearhoff, VTDigger

Cities and Towns Across the State Flood, Again | Elementary Students in Moretown Return to Class Without a School | State Unemployment System Still Experiencing Problems | Panel: Mark Johnson – Moderator, WCAX; Anne Wallace Allen - Seven Days; Calvin Cutler - WCAX; Lisa Scagliotti - Waterbury Roundabout.