Archive

Vermont has two electoral systems. The traditional one we all know and a shadow cabinet of older men who, over the years, have provided many great services to Vermont, but… Read More

At least for the time being, we must all get smaller. By “smaller,” I mean our government, town, school, non-profit, business, and household budgets. Though we may feel like victims… Read More

Bad incidents can teach us good things… if we’re willing to learn from them. We may believe that the horrific video of animal abuse shot undercover at the Bushway facility… Read More

I often write about how we, as a civilized society, need to keep striving towards equilibrium.  As in many times in our history, we live in a highly polarized world… Read More

If you go to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s website and click on “Reports” and type in the word “outcomes,” you’ll get a free copy of a report entitled “Reframing… Read More

The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College is the formal name of UVM. It has served Vermonters for two centuries and now faces difficult choices. The strategic ambiguity of… Read More

It’s 1956 and we’re bouncing along route 15 in our ‘54 Ford wagon headed to Aunt Rose and Uncle Alcide’s farm in St Johnsbury for a late afternoon Thanksgiving feast.… Read More

Just as Vermont farms are under threat from forces outside their control, so too are many of our sacred cows. Among them are post-employment benefits for teachers and state employees,… Read More

Burlington Free Press: My Turn Jan 31, 2009 So now we begin feeding on ourselves. Rep. Patty O’Donnell’s recent press conference calling for those in the non-profit sector earning over… Read More

Vermont agriculture is on a collision course with Vermonters’ expressed values.  On July 24th , it was reported that the UVM extension service has set up a hotline for Vermont… Read More

The budget impasse is over. Governor Douglas’ plan to shrink government by reducing the budget was repudiated and replaced with a legislative budget which does not go as far. It’s… Read More

Ten years ago, Vermont’s largest employer with revenues in the low billions was having severe difficulties balancing its budget. The imbalance was in the tens of millions of dollars and… Read More