Legislative Intern Spotlight: Scott Czerwinski

Legislative Intern Spotlight: Scott Czerwinski

Name: Scott Czerwinski 

College: Saint Michael’s College 

Field of Study:  Economics and Political Science Majors, Public Health Minor 

Graduating: Spring 2023 

Hometown: Burlington, MA 

I am excited to see how the actual drafting and debating of legislation happens, as well as get more of an idea of what state government looks like. The most important skill I have developed is being able to catch on to many topics with ease. Each day, each committee is discussing a different piece of legislation to address a different issue and listening in and taking notes is like a crash course in each subject. 

I hope to stay in Vermont and get a job working for either the state government or in some role where I can put my experience in both economics and political science to use. I also am interested in jobs that deal with data analysis or healthcare. I spent the last summer in South Korea teaching English to North Korean refugee children and it was an amazing learning experience both for what working a full-time job is like and for adapting to a role outside of my area of study.” 

Contact Information: I can be reached at sczerwinski@mail.smcvt.edu or through LinkedIn under Scott Czerwinski

The 2023 Legislative Monitoring Collaborative is made possible by the support of the National Life Group: 

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Following deliberations by a committee of conference, the Budget Adjustment Act was passed by the legislature and included funding for several economic growth initiatives advocated for by the Vermont Chamber, including middle-income housing development, employment resources for New Americans, broadband buildout, and rural infrastructure. 

The Budget Adjustment Act included: 

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  • $5 million – Vermont Housing Incentive Program 
  • $9 million – Missing Middle-Income Homeownership Development Pilot Program 
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  • $95 million – Vermont Community Broadband Board to expand internet access 

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Several labor bills were on the table this week in the Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs Committee, including legislation that would no longer designate Vermont as an “at-will” state by creating and lengthy and rigorous standard of termination of employment and requiring severance payments. This would make Vermont only one of two states that require a good cause termination process.  

Additional provisions in the bill would allow employees to skip an informational meeting during work hours that involves political or union discussions. Additionally, the committee discussed a bill that would increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. The Department of Labor testified about worries that this can lead to an increase in wage compression within an employer. The bill also includes a study on tipped wages. 

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Statewide Rental Registry Would Address Lodging Equity and Aid Housing Discussions

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Data from a 2020 report to the legislature on the impact of short-term rentals (STRs) highlighted the impact on available housing stock. Since then, the state of housing has only worsened. For the lodging industry, the registry would be a step forward to leveling the playing field by ensuring a safe rental environment, moving towards equity in the lodging marketplace, and providing information for future pragmatic policy decisions. 

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Despite widespread support from legislators across political parties, the legislation is being met with significant opposition from conservationists. Ninety-eight municipalities have adopted a Declaration of Inclusion, an initiative with the intent to attract people to Vermont to live, work and raise families in a state that values and encourages diversity in its population. But, when it comes to building housing for new community members, state and local regulatory processes are used to derail housing opportunities, and Vermonters in these same cities and towns are discouraging development 

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Nine weeks to the session and the cost and revenue source to pay for one of the legislature’s major priorities remains unclear. When the Chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee posed the question of cost, she was met with a resounding silence from advocates, committee members, and the Joint Fiscal Office representative in the committee room. Even following the results of the RAND report, which was commissioned by the legislature for $600,000 to guide their work this session, there is no understanding of how this Senate’s proposal will be paid for. S.56 is expected to remain in committee until next week, leaving the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee little time to do their vital work before crossover. The Senate Finance Committee has made it clear they will be considering the cumulative impact of all the major proposals in discussion, which will be essential to ensuring the vitality of the Vermont economy. 

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Vermont Chamber Convenes Economic Roundtable with Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Vermont Chamber Convenes Economic Roundtable with Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
© 2023 Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Vermont business leaders met with the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Susan Collins at King Arthur Baking Company in White River Junction as part of her ongoing visits around New England to gauge economic conditions. The meeting, convened by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, provided an opportunity for Vermont business leaders to discuss the state’s economic challenges and opportunities.

President Collins expressed the importance of hearing directly from business owners, to ensure the Boston Federal Reserve has a well-rounded analysis of the state of the economy.

“Reaching out to and interacting with a range of stakeholders has been a priority for me since joining the Boston Fed last year,” stated President Collins. “In addition to hard numbers and surveys, information gathered on the ground about how businesses and workers are faring greatly informs my assessment of economic conditions. The views my team and I hear from around the New England region provide an important window into how well the economy is functioning for everyone.”

“The Vermont Chamber was proud to welcome President Collins to Vermont and connect her with a diverse group of leaders that represent the breadth of business in our state,” said Betsy Bishop, President of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. “Across industry, county, and size, every business shared how they’ve had to adapt in today’s unpredictable economy. The theme throughout the conversation was the severe impacts of ongoing inflationary pressure.”

Business leaders reflected on the impact of inflation on wage growth and the move toward automation amid the inability to hire workers, as well as the lingering impacts of the pandemic on the economy.

“Revenue is up this year, however, expenses are also up. We have consistently increased our base wages between 20% and 30% each year for the past two or three years,” stated Lindsay DesLauriers of Bolton Valley. “Our operating expenses have also gone up significantly with inflation, so that we are actually behind last year right now on the bottom line. Furthermore, despite the increases we’ve made to wages and efforts we’ve made to add additional benefits, we continue to struggle to find enough staff to hire. While there is much to be proud of and optimistic about, obviously we can’t keep on this inflationary trendline indefinitely.”

“The inability to recruit and retain talent means we can’t fully staff a second shift, let alone add a third shift,” stated Alberto Aguilar of Carris Reels. “Instead, to meet demand we’re exploring how to invest in automation which is becoming crucial to the ability for us to sustain our manufacturing operations here in Vermont.”

“As young business owners, this ‘new normal’ is our reality our challenge” stated Travis Samuels of Zion Growers. “My generation’s attitudes toward work culture, consumerism, and the global supply chain have all changed and we as business owners are having to constantly adapt and pivot. Still, the reality is that there remains a great deal of uncertainty in the economy for newer businesses and it can be difficult to overcome the post-pandemic, financial, and local economic challenges.”

Additional business leaders in attendance; Karen Colberg (King Arthur Baking Company), Mark Foley (Foley Services), Jay Benson (Simon Pearce), Leslie McCrorey Wells (Pizzeria Verità, Trattoria Delia, and Sotto Enoteca), Alberto Aguilar (Carris Reels), Neale Lunderville (VGS), Melvin and Demaris Hall (Global Village), Dr. Sunil “Sunny” Eappen (UVM Medical Center), and Renee Bourget-Place (KPMG – Vermont).

© 2023 Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

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