Public Assets Institute

As town meeting approaches, we’re thinking a lot about our school budget votes – and we’re guessing you are too. A pair of new blogs with some insights:
-- Kicking the tax can: publicassets.org/research-pub...
-- The governance debate is about more than maps: publicassets.org/research-pub...

The governance debate is about more than maps Vermont’s current education debate seems stuck on what to do first: Overhaul the governance structure and then reform the funding system, or do something about spending and then re-draw school distric...

Senior policy analyst Jack Hoffman’s latest insight into what’s at stake for public education in Vermont is live on the blog and it's worth a read: publicassets.org/research-pub...

Resources for tracking federal policy changes There have been a lot of changes to federal policy in recent months that are affecting Vermonters. Some have taken effect, some have been proposed and are under consideration, some have been implement...

DHS funding expired on Friday. TSA, FEMA, and Coast Guard personnel are expected to work unpaid. However, programs under CBP and ICE are likely to continue due to Congress’s allocation of $140 billion in supplemental funding. DHS employs more than 2,500 Vermonters, roughly 140 work for TSA or FEMA.

Bar chart showing the percentage of Vermont household by family type that care able to meet their basic needs.

Donut chart showing the breakdown of family type in Vermont.

Vermont families are facing new and growing threats to safety and security, but even before the latest federal actions, many were struggling to make ends meet with incomes below the basic needs standard established by the state.

Learn more: publicassets.org/research-pub...

Resources for tracking federal policy changes There have been a lot of changes to federal policy in recent months that are affecting Vermonters. Some have taken effect, some have been proposed and are under consideration, some have been implement...

The federal government is taking actions that undermine the safety and security of all of us. Last week, we hosted a conversation about what Vermonters are doing and what else we can do to mitigate this harm. Charts on the impacts and a list of resources on our site: publicassets.org/research-pub...

Julie braved the cold this morning to make sure that Vermonters can access crucial anti-poverty tax credits. Amidst all the stress and uncertainty folks are experiencing right now, access to additional cash to help with expenses is essential.

www.taxcreditsvt.org

Julie spoke in Senate Economic Security this week – here’s part one of her recap video, jumping into our latest analysis on wages, costs, and basic needs.

(Stay tuned for part two!)

If these were ordinary times, we would expect Gov. Phil Scott to deliver his usual budget address calling for more of the same spending and revenue policies. But these are not ordinary times.

The relationship between Washington and the states has fundamentally changed. The states are facing unprecedented federal cuts, spending freezes and abrupt changes to essential services. This new reality requires a new approach to revenue.

ermont, along with the other states, are going to need to reclaim the money used to provide federal tax cuts to the wealthy. Less help from the federal government doesn’t make us helpless. We can take matters into our own hands and ensure Vermonters get the services they deserve.

If these were ordinary times, we would expect Gov. Phil Scott to deliver his usual budget address calling for more of the same spending and revenue policies. But these are not ordinary times.

See our full statement on Gov. Scott's budget address on our website: publicassets.org/research-pub...

More on housing from State of Working: Household income has grown just 15% since 2019, failing to keep up with rising home prices. In 2019 Vermonters at the median income level could afford about 1/2 of homes in the state; by 2024 that share had dropped to 1/3.

Our research engine is powered by Vermonters like you who know that facts, analysis, and transparency are more essential than ever. Thank you for being part of this work -- and happy New Year.

publicassets.org/donate

Dig into some of the State of Working Vermont data on housing with us:

The median value of primary homes in Vermont jumped by over $119,000 between 2019 and 2024. That’s much larger growth than in the prior five years, when the increase was $18,000.

publicassets.org/research-pub...

State of Working Vermont 2025 is live! Dive into the charts and read the full report: publicassets.org/research-pub...

An image of a map of Vermont with interactive drop down menus about per pupil education spending

A series of 4 bar charts showing the per-pupil spending in the town of Benson

We just released an updated version of our town2town report. The interactive map and charts allow you to view per-pupil spending and tax rates by town from fiscal 2012 to fiscal 2026 in relation to the statewide averages. publicassets.org/research-pub...

Last month Steph had the chance to talk with Eric Kallio of Rise and Shine radio on Wool FM – they covered a lot of ground, so you’ll want to tune in to the whole conversation, but here’s a snippet.

Image of a chart with two lines, one red and one blue that diverge, with the red line of health insurance costs rising to 101 percent above baseline and the blue education spending line rising to 38 percent above baseline.

Vermont has the highest healthcare costs in the country. Like other group plans in the state, premiums for VT Education Health Initiative plans have doubled since 2019. Health insurance for employees cost the Ed Fund $151 million in 2019, and is projected to jump to over $300 million this year.

ICYM Jack’s take on the Redistricting Task Force Report. No time to scroll through? Here’s the TLDR: the Task Force laid out a more nuanced approach, with a focus on addressing a lot of specific problems rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all solution.
www.waterburyroundabout.org/opinion-arch...

Last week, Congress ended the longest federal shutdown in history. Visit our updated federal tracker to learn what’s included in the funding package and what’s left out.

More: publicassets.org/research-pub...

The federal shutdown fight showed just how critical state action is to protect the safety and security of Vermonters.

publicassets.org/research-pub...

Seen at VBSR convening on Vermont's healthcare system, Robin Lunge sharing our chart in a convo about the immediate healthcare affordability threat to Vermonters - the expiration of enhanced federal healthcare premium tax credits. (One of many healthcare affordability challenges Vermonters face.)

Vermont has some of the highest health insurance premiums in the country and they've been growing much faster than other states. The result? Potential big cost increases for Vermonters who rely on the exchange if Congress fails to extend enhanced premium tax credits publicassets.org/research-pub...

If Congress allows the enhanced premium tax credits to expire, health insurance premium costs could double – or even triple – for some Vermonters.

More info: publicassets.org/research-pub...

If healthcare tax credits expire, Vermonters face the biggest losses in the U.S. One of the main issues at stake in the federal government shutdown is the expiration of enhanced healthcare premium tax credits, which help people buy insurance through the state marketplace. If Congr...

Read more: publicassets.org/research-pub...

Vermont’s health insurance exchange has the highest premiums in the US. At stake in the federal shutdown is the expiration of enhanced tax credits which lower the cost of those premiums. Without Congressional action, the credits will expire, and some Vermonters will see five figure increases.

We’re now 3 weeks into the federal government shutdown and many federal workers in Vermont are furloughed (put on temporary leave) or working without pay. In addition, 2,775 federal employees in Vermont work at agencies being targeted by OMB for permanent layoffs.

publicassets.org/research-pub...

We should have put out a monthly jobs report yesterday. Here's why we didn't:

publicassets.org/research-pub...

At stake in the federal government shutdown is an extension of enhanced health insurance premium assistance which makes health insurance more affordable for more than 30,000 Vermont families. The extension will expire at the end of the calendar year unless Congress acts.

Federal funding accounts for roughly ⅓ of the state’s budget, or more than $3 billion. Under the reconciliation bill passed by Congress this summer, Vermont could lose billions in funding and Vermonters could lose access to food and healthcare (some already have due to SNAP eligibility changes).

In part 3/3, Katrina digs into the potential impacts of a continuing resolution on Vermont and Vermonters.

Check out our federal tracker for more about what’s at stake in the budget fight.

publicassets.org

Part two of Katrina's 3 part series:

The federal shutdown and budget fight are part of a larger push by this administration to cut federal workers and shrink government, with the potential for mass layoffs that may impact Vermonters.

(more at publicassets.org)

The federal shutdown and lack of a budget put 1,000s of Vermont jobs and millions of dollars in federal funding at risk. Katrina gets into some of the details in the 1st of a 3 part federal shutdown video series.

(more publicassets.org)