The Legislature and agency regulators will be reviewing the Vermont Climate Action Plan recommendations and possible regulatory changes. Given the labor shortage, it is unclear how this plan could be carried out without addressing workforce shortages first. The Vermont Chamber supports increased density in downtowns and village centers as part of the climate solution.
While there is universal agreement that Vermont has a housing shortage, how to fix it and where to allocate funds continues to be debated. Recently, Governor Scott requested $80 million in ARPA funds for multiple housing initiatives for the current year budget and another $100 million in ARPA funds for a housing package next year. The Vermont Chamber has suggested creating incentives for converting empty office buildings into housing in our downtowns and village centers and will advocate for the proposals outlined by the Vermont Futures Project to create workforce housing.
The Vermont Chamber will also be an active voice in supporting the modernization of Act 250 to facilitate a more predictable and less costly permit process to better enable the development of housing in our downtown and village centers.
Businesses across every sector of Vermont’s economy are experiencing a severe shortage of workers. According to the Department of Labor, there are only about 8,000 unemployed Vermonters and over 20,000 job openings. The Vermont Chamber will lobby for program funding to encourage people to return to work, and to attract more workers to Vermont. Those include:
As the Legislature reconvenes in January, the issues are familiar – housing, child care, broadband, climate change, and pension reform. Fortunately, the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) contained significant funding for states to address these chronic issues, with some funds appropriated last year and the balance to be appropriated this year. Yet, there are never enough funds to permanently solve these issues. Even with the ARPA funds being injected into ongoing programs, new tax revenue is already being discussed to sustain this higher level of spending.
Of equal importance are the politics of the session with four seats open in the 2022 election. This legislative session will be packed with leaders jockeying for sound bites as they work to elevate their name recognition to the voters. With nearly a year before the election, Vermont currently has open seats for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, the Lieutenant Governor, and the President Pro Tem.
The ongoing pandemic also adds another element to this environment, which has caused the Vermont Chamber to invest more resources in advocacy, expanding our lobbying team to five people working on all the issues impacting the business community. Read more about the newest members of our lobbying team here or contact any member of our lobbying team at govaffairs@vtchamber.com.
By Betsy Bishop, Vermont Chamber of Commerce
The last two years changed our communities and how we do business. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Vermont businesses rallied, innovated, and pivoted. Still, not every business was able to stay open. And now, as we work to recover from the health crisis and economic downturn, a severe labor shortage spans across every industry.
There is a long road ahead, with business operations and consumer expectations permanently changed. The health of our state’s economy and workforce depends on the evolution of our businesses and continued support from government leaders. In 2022, the Vermont Chamber will focus on the most pressing issue that our businesses are facing: growing and retaining Vermont’s workforce to address our labor shortage.
In every policy discussion, we plan to evaluate the impact on Vermont’s economic and workforce growth. We will continue advocating for continued or increased support for:
Training programs like the Vermont Training Program and Workforce Innovation Opportunities Act give Vermonters the ability to upskill and enter high-need industries like manufacturing, information technology, and health care. Vermont is also participating in the U.S. Department of Labor’s RETAIN program to help workers with injuries and illnesses stay at or return to work.
We support the Vermont Futures Project recommendation to strengthen the Career Technical Education system so that more high school students can pursue post-graduation career opportunities, including through alternative funding and governance models and integrated academic offerings focused on expanding the workforce supply.
The Vermont Chamber has long supported funding relocation grants, and this program is even more important now as the labor shortage puts pressure on an inadequate amount of workers. The Vermont Futures Project identified that Vermont needed 10,000 more workers in the labor force before the pandemic. That number has more than doubled. The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation recently released a report quantifying the effectiveness of the incentive programs, which shows that for every dollar spent by the state on this program in 2019, there was $66.26 in economic activity generated. The Stay-to-Stay program has also proven to be an important component of the recruitment and retention effort as the report further illustrates how these programs are a key component of the state’s strategy to attract and retain new workers.
In 2022, we will continue pushing for a military retirement pay tax exemption. Better incentivizing military retirees to move to Vermont would increase the diversity of our communities while also strengthening our workforce.
For years, the Vermont Chamber has supported additional funding for refugee resettlement in Vermont. Welcoming refugees to our state is part of the Vermonter spirit, helps our economy, and grows our workforce when we need it most.
Employers have worked to reduce barriers to workforce participation, specifically in second chance hiring for Vermonters entering the workforce after struggling with addiction or leaving the corrections system. We need all Vermonters to participate in the workforce, and employers need support to understand the needs of these workers and support them as they return to the workforce.
A report by the U.S. Chamber showed that, of states examined, losses averaged $1 billion annually in economic activity due to breakdowns in child care. Even before the pandemic, three out of five of Vermont’s youngest children didn’t have access to child care they needed. We will continue supporting investments in child care to make it easier for parents to work and to attract new families to Vermont. Available and affordable child care is not just a business issue – it impacts all Vermonters, and the Chamber will work with partners across sectors to find a sustainable solution.
Aging housing stock, tight supply, and rising prices near employment centers have forced people to make difficult choices about where to live and work. We need to increase the overall amount of housing units in Vermont while also focusing on creating housing options for low- and middle-income Vermonters to grow and retain our workforce.
The Vermont Chamber is also focused on making Vermont an equitable and inclusive state, where all feel welcome. Doing so is necessary for our state and the only way to attract new residents and workers.
And Vermont businesses are doing their part. Between the summer of 2019 and the summer of 2021, wages increased by 13 percent, employers got creative to support their staff and keep them healthy and connected, and businesses adapted to improve employee safety with PPE and altered work environments.
This pandemic is a marathon, not a sprint. Our political leaders helped businesses across the state persevere, but the challenges continue. Political attention to Vermont business issues and aid for them must also continue.
We will advocate and use our strengths to position Vermont businesses for success. In 2022, supporting our state’s economy and growing our workforce is paramount.
Betsy Bishop is the President of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, whose mission is focused on creating an economic climate conducive to business growth while enhancing Vermont’s quality of life. She lives in East Montpelier.
In July, Governor Scott vetoed S.79, an Act Relating to Improving Rental Housing and Safety, which included a short term rental (STR) registry. There was wide disappointment in this action from both advocates and legislators. As a long-time lodging advocate, the Vermont Chamber sees a registry as the next step toward equity and ensuring a safe rental environment.
While the House and Senate will not be attempting to override the Governor’s veto, legislators and advocates have returned to the drafting table to collaborate on a new iteration of the bill which will include efforts to address concerns expressed by select legislators and the Administration. Contact Vermont Chamber Vice President of Tourism Amy Spear with questions.
Over the last two years, Vermont’s business community innovated to adapt to new requirements and expectations. Businesses are still being impacted by pandemic-related restrictions, economic factors, and concerns – and now face a labor shortage that spans across every industry.
Attend our 2022 Economic Conference to learn about the national and state economic trends facing Vermont businesses for 2022 while also hearing how Vermont can become an economic leader by welcoming all, supporting and growing our diverse communities, and leaning into our state’s strengths.
The 2022 Vermont Economic Conference will be held virtually over Zoom at no cost. Register today!
By Amy Spear, Vermont Chamber of Commerce
Every holiday season, restaurateurs, retailers, and other small businesses encourage customers to shop local, with the shopping season formally kicking off with Small Business Saturday. As COVID challenges continue to plague businesses in all areas of operation from employee recruitment to competition for sales against giant online marketers, Vermont’s small business community is getting creative and taking advantage of the digital marketplace.
As the Vice President of Tourism for the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, I’ve witnessed our members doubling down on digital engagement to compete this holiday season for job recruitment, customer retention and engagement, and creative purchasing opportunities. Vermont makers and merchants have embraced an innovative spirit to meet their challenges head on.
Whether it’s maintaining and building relationships with customers or helping shoppers to experience the wonder of Vermont in person, developing a robust online presence is not only convenient and entertaining, but also essential. As Vermont businesses are geared up to launch marketing campaigns with traditional paid ads supporting their local newspapers, radio, and television stations, they have also turned to social media tools to entice customers to buy products or visit their retail locations.
For example, digital innovations boosted Lawson’s Finest Liquids’ ability to build and maintain relationships with its customers. Lawson’s Finest is known for producing high-quality craft brews, like their Sip of Sunshine IPA and unique maple brews. But as they continue to build their brand and reach, they’re using Facebook Live to regularly host conversations with their customers and answer their questions. And they’re promoting their “Tuesday Tunes” and “Open Mic” nights via Facebook Events.
Additionally, at the pandemic onset, they pivoted to online sales through their website and developed a curbside pick-up service to support their retail business which made some customers more comfortable not to have to go into a retail outlet. Lawson’s Finest even used their digital communications channels to launch a brand-new brew – Little Sip IPA – during the pandemic. By using creative promotional giveaways and scavenger hunts they were able to connect directly with fans to encourage them to try their new beers.
As with many specialty food businesses, Lake Champlain Chocolates maintained operations throughout the pandemic, providing consistent employment for their long-time staff as well as continued support of the broader community by using locally sourced ingredients like Vermont honey and maple syrup in their handcrafted products. Lake Champlain Chocolates has been hosting virtual chocolate tastings via Zoom, something that has caught on with corporate groups. They added new digital features to their website to provide a better virtual shopping experience for their customers and are promoting “order online pick up in-store” purchases through local Google pay-per-click campaigns, OTT (over-the-top) advertising through streaming video, paid social media, and local digital advertising like Front Porch Forum.
Deploying marketing tactics over social media to attract new employees has also gained momentum, especially with holiday sales ramping up. There are many holiday season employment opportunities, and Vermont’s employers are turning to LinkedIn, Facebook Jobs, and Indeed to connect with job seekers.
Vermont’s businesses fuel our economy by offering quality goods and services while at the same time providing good-paying jobs. These employers also provide financial benefits that in turn help to create sustainable and engaging communities. Our hope is that this holiday season, and beyond, Vermonters and tourists alike go out of their way to support our local businesses as they are an integral part of our greater community.
While supporting Vermont’s retailers, restaurateurs, and other businesses during the pandemic has been incredibly important, it’s even more vital to support the surviving small businesses now. There are plenty of ways our small businesses offer virtual engagement and shopping, so go find them online. This holiday season, you can support Vermont businesses in person – or right from your home.
Amy Spear, of Killington, is the Vice President of Tourism at the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, whose mission is focused on creating an economic climate conducive to business growth while enhancing Vermont’s quality of life.
There are a lot of moving pieces affecting the restaurant industry. Here is an assessment with our federal partner, the National Restaurant Association (NRA), of the key issues and what is being done to keep the industry moving forward.
Employee Retention Tax Credit
Watch the NRA’s latest 90 Second Update for an update on the status of the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). The ERTC was redesigned with input from the NRA and has the potential to be a critical recovery tool for tens of thousands of restaurants. But, as we move closer to the end of the year, many restaurants have yet to see their refund checks from the IRS.
Earlier this month, the NRA wrote the Treasury Department and the IRS with a series of asks to get the ERTC process moving and to protect vulnerable restaurants that will soon owe January tax payments.
The NRA is meeting with Treasury officials soon and would like to walk in with a petition that demonstrates how important this issue is to the restaurant industry. If you have 30 seconds, please review the petition and add your name.
Replenishing the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) remains a top priority. If you haven’t contacted your elected official in Washington, D.C., now is the time to do so.
The Vermont Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (VACCE) held their annual conference this year with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training. Twenty-nine chamber directors from across the state attended the education conference and completed more than eight hours of training.
The virtual conference was held on Friday, November 12, and Friday, November 19. Presenters at the virtual conference included Kuma Roberts, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Arrowhead Consulting based in Tulsa, OK; Mark Hunter, Founder & CEO at Pinnacle Coaching in Chittenden County; and Curtiss Reed, President of the CRJ Consulting Group, L3C and Executive Director of Vermont Partnership for Fairness and Diversity in Brattleboro.
Roberts led the first day of training with a session entitled, “Leading with Equity.” Roberts has 10 years of organizational development experience specializing in the business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion, cultural competence, implicit bias, strategies for becoming an equity-centered organization, inclusive workplace language, and other elements of diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organizational Management, she has spoken to hundreds of businesses, non-profits, and chambers of commerce on the best practices for developing a strategic plan related to DEI.
Day two involved Mark Hunter and Curtiss Reed. Hunter presented on “The Social and Business ROI of a DEI Initiative.” Hunter is an executive and leadership coach holding the credential of Master Certified Coach, a published author (The Brink: How Great Leadership Is Invented), and a leadership consultant and trainer. As the President and Founder of Pinnacle Coaching, his career has spanned over 26 years working globally with top-tier business and organizational executives and prominent thought leaders. His specialties include leadership training and development, mastery of dynamic communication, effective relationship and team building, crisis leadership, culture reinvention and implementation, market disruption, DEI initiative implementation, radical innovation, thought leadership, and working with fear and the unknown as assets in unpredictable environments.
Reed concluded the retreat with “Bigotry is Bad for Business,” a message about Vermont’s consumer base becoming multiracial, multiethnic, and multilingual and therefore Vermont’s economic growth and prosperity being dependent on the business community’s ability to capture the attention of these multicultural consumers and provide them with goods and experiences that exceed their expectations. Reed is the driving force behind four statewide initiatives: The Vermont African American Heritage Trail, The Vermont Vision for a Multicultural Future Initiative, I Am A Vermonter, and The Think Tank for Vermont Leaders of Color. After 18 consecutive years working and living overseas in Arabic-, Portuguese-, and French-speaking countries, Reed returned to Vermont in 2001. Reed’s consulting experience spans four decades in both international and domestic markets. Recipient of multiple honors and awards, in 2015 the School for International Training Graduate Institute awarded Reed a Doctorate of Humane Letters Honoris Causa for his life’s work to make Vermont a desirable destination for all.
“This was a very timely training for all of us and very powerful,” said Matt Harrington, the executive director of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber and organizer of this year’s conference. “Every speaker brought a new perspective to the discussion and really made our leadership group think. We have a lot of work to do as community leaders and business leaders. This conference was a step in the right direction. The VACCE organization and chamber directors will continue to focus efforts on diversity, equity, and inclusion both in our local communities and across the state.”
As a gift for attending the virtual retreat every chamber director was given a copy of Robin DiAngelo’s book, “Nice Racism.”
Betsy Bishop, president of the Vermont Chamber and president of the VACCE board, said, “As community leaders, it’s important for chamber directors to engage in ongoing professional development on DEI. I’m proud that as leaders we recognize the importance of raising our voice for diversity in our communities, equity among our businesses, and inclusion of all Vermonters.”
For more information about VACCE visit: https://chamberup.org/
