Gov. Scott outlines relief plan; lawmakers await details
Downtown Woodstock, Vermont, on Friday evening. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
Vermont is getting over $1 billion in COVID-19 relief funding from the federal government, and Gov. Phil Scott laid out his priorities for it this week.
These include $250 million to expand broadband coverage in the state; $250 million for housing; $200 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate change resiliency; $170 million for major water, sewer and stormwater system upgrades; and $143 million for economic development including helping small businesses rebound from the pandemic.
The governor placed a strong emphasis on the state’s significant housing needs, noting that because of the pandemic, nearly 2,000 Vermonters experiencing homelessness have been living in hotels and motels over last year.
“My plan would significantly increase shelter capacity and construct permanent housing for those in need,” Scott said at his Friday press briefing. “It also builds more than 5,000 housing units to help middle-income families who’ve been priced out of the market.”
Scott said there are many priorities he and the Legislature agree on regarding this money, but he said lawmakers will also be offering their own ideas about how to spend it.
“I look forward to working with them in order to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make monumental and transformative investments to build a stronger future,” he said.
In a Saturday interview, Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint said there was a “fair amount” in Scott’s plan that lawmakers supported, including broadband, housing and climate change.
“But of course we want to know more about the details,” Balint said.
She said one concern from the Senate side was that the governor didn’t include workforce training, though it’s been a concern of his in the past. Balint specifically mentioned those workers who need access to certificate programs or skills training to advance their careers, but not a full degree.
“We have a worker shortage pretty acutely here in Vermont,” she said. “There are a lot of jobs that are going unfilled.”
Balint also said adding funding for mental health services and more targeted help for businesses should be part of the plan. She often hears from hospitality and tourism businesses who are worried about how much longer they can hang on, despite Scott’s phased reopening plan which aims to lift all pandemic restrictions by July 4. Balint said those businesses were expecting more from the new federal COVID relief dollars.
“For the most part, what I’ve been hearing is that people are comfortable with this (reopening) timeline,” Balint said. “They just want to make sure that when the spigot is fully open, they’re still going to have a business.”
One bill looking to help with that is a $100 million coronavirus relief spending package previously passed out of the Senate, which includes $10 million for business grants. The House hopes to get that bill to the governor’s desk on Friday, Balint said.
— Gareth Henderson
