Amy Spear

Governor Phil Scott’s address to the General Assembly set the stage for a legislative session that has significant opportunities for collaboration between legislators and the Governor on issues that are top of mind for businesses. Both have said that housing solutions and climate recovery and resiliency measures top their priority lists.

Workforce housing and recovery and resiliency are two pillars of the 2024 legislative business priorities. The Vermont Chamber is continuing to work on solutions for modernizing Act 250 to increase housing development and is encouraging legislators to establish a statutory goal for housing supply. We are also at the table advocating for the replenishment of business recovery programs following this year’s flood disasters and supporting work that prioritizes resiliency measures to help secure stability for the Vermont business community.

As anticipated, Governor Phil Scott’s State of the State address echoed his longstanding commitments to the economic well-being of Vermont and fiscal responsibility. For the past decade, the Vermont Chamber has worked to put a spotlight on Vermont’s severe demographic challenges and Governor Scott expressed his shared deep concern about the accumulating impacts on our workforce, reiterating that “the biggest obstacle we face to economic sustainability, is a shrinking workforce.” The Governor also shared that his proposed budget this year will have a modest 3% increase. The Governor will return to speak to the General Assembly again in three weeks with details on his proposed budget.

Committees in both the House and Senate took testimony this week on the July flooding and the ongoing impacts of climate change in Vermont. Discussions in the Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs Committee highlighted the connection between housing challenges and climate impacts. Encouragingly, the focus was not solely on where not to build, but also on identifying suitable areas for development. Witness testimony stated that the triumph of Irene was the reopening of roads and bridges, while the triumph from the July flooding needs to be the building of new housing outside of floodplains.

In a joint hearing, the House Environment and Energy Committee collaborated with the House Transportation Committee to also address flooding and climate resilience concerns. The discussion focused on conserving and restoring landscapes, including wetlands and floodplains, to mitigate storm impacts. Notably, nature-based solutions were recognized for their dual benefits in reducing flood risk and enhancing community recreation. The Vermont Chamber will be advocating for continued resources for flood-impacted businesses and for policies that increase resiliency while also building housing.