WVTK Local & State News February 25, 2011

A Winter Storm Warning Is in Effect through 11PM for Addison, Rutland and Essex Counties. Snow will begin this morning and may be heavy at times today with a High in the 30’s. Addison County could see up to 8 Inches from this storm. Rutland County may see close to 12 i nches.

Middlebury College will sell the former Addison County Courthouse on Court St. to the Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies. The organization will use a portion of the building as a local headquarters to further its mission of helping entrepreneurs establish new high-tech businesses in the state.

The Addison Northwest Supervisory Union office estimates school tax rates in the five district towns will all drop. Decreases will range from about 1 cent in Panton to roughly 16 cents in Waltham. This assumes passage of school budgets warned for consideration at town meetings. The Vergennes Union High, Vergennes Union Elementary, Ferrisburgh Central and Addison Central school boards all proposed lower spending plans for March 1 balloting.

As of early this month Bristol Works! LLC has two more tenants lined up to take over portions of the empty Autumn Harp development. Vermont Bicycle Touring and new Internet start-up Graze will occupy both office and manufacturing space in some of the 55,000 square feet of commercial buildings.

A new 17,000-square-foot building in the Middlebury South Village development off Court Street is on track to be finished by the end of March. At that time it will be occupied by the Vermont Agency of Human Services’ Addison County offices, which are currently based on Exchange St. The project is running ahead of schedule.

Tom Donahue, the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce’s executive vice president, has announced his board of directors has voted unanimously to endorse the $3.9 million bond. Donahue said he believed it was the first time the Chamber had taken a position on a city ballot item since a question on the rail yard relocation went before voters in 2005.

Dairy farmers are very optimistic, with milk prices now going up. At the 2011 Vermont Dairy Producers Conference in South Burlington yesterday, experts told farmers this year is going to be much better than the last, as prices for milk continue to climb by 20-percent when compared to this time last year. That means Vermont producers can once again begin to make a profit.

A group of Vermont lawmakers is calling for an increase in the state income tax for Vermonters with household incomes of more than $171,000. They say the state could raise $17 million by raising taxes on individuals making more than about $171,000 and couples making more than about $209,000. Gov. Peter Shumlin has said he does not support raising taxes this year.

With rising oil prices and turmoil in the Middle East, three U.S. House Democrats, including Peter Welch, are asking the president to tap emergency oil reserves to give consumers short-term relief from rising prices. They urged the president to consider using the strategic oil reserve to prevent supply disruptions and rising prices from rampant speculation in the oil markets.

The Vermont House passed a bill yesterday aimed at putting veterans back to work. As part of Governor Shumlin's jobs initiative, employers would get a $2,400 tax credit for each recent vet hired for full-time work.

The Vt. House has approved a plan to repeal the two vote requirement for school budgets. The law has been in place since 2009. It requires districts spending more than the statewide per pupil average to hold a second vote to approve the extra spending. The law was meant to contain rising school costs. But critics say it's confusing and ineffective.

The Vermont House has approved a bill to restrict the use of fertilizer on lawns. Fertilizer is believed to be one of the sources of phosphorous pollution that causes algae blooms in Lake Champlain. The bill would require residential users to get a soil test before applying fertilizer to their lawns. Violators could face $500 fines.