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Vermont Inclusion Week Proclamation

May 12, 2026

Vermont Inclusion Week Proclamation

Governor Phil Scott’s proclamation designating May 10–16, 2026 as Inclusion Week in Vermont affirms that the state “embraces people from all backgrounds – welcoming individuals and families with a wide array of skills, traditions, and perspectives to live, work, and build their futures here.”

The Vermont Declaration of Inclusion Initiative, which now encompasses 165 cities and towns, representing over 80% of the state’s population, welcomes the Governor’s continued support in promoting belonging and encouraging newcomers to establish roots in Vermont.

“This is the sixth consecutive year that the Governor has proclaimed the second week of May as Inclusion Week,” said Bob Harnish, co-founder of the Initiative. “The Governor’s leadership, alongside the local efforts happening statewide, is especially courageous given today’s challenges.”

Here are some examples of how towns and cities are promoting inclusion and belonging throughout Vermont:

• Glover, Orleans County (population 1,114): The Glover Equity Group advises the town on equity issues and organizes community events aimed at making Glover welcoming, inclusive, and equitable for all. Their initiatives began with welcome baskets for newcomers and “All Are Welcome” signs throughout town. Recently, the group received a Vermont Humanities grant to host a Juneteenth celebration. Chair Jethro Hayman shared, “We are partnering with the Highland Center for the Arts, Lake Region High School, and the Old Stone House Museum to present the Songs of Slavery and Emancipation tour, focusing on Vermont sites connected to the Underground Railroad and African-American culture.”

• Bristol, Addison County (population 3,782): The Selectboard established the Bristol Equity Committee to carry out the town’s Declaration of Inclusion. This committee advises on equity, recommends actions, and supports residents and businesses in creating a welcoming environment. Bristol also published a Driving Equity Toolkit to help town department heads and committees integrate inclusion into their everyday decision-making.

• Hartford, Windsor County (population 10,686): Hartford’s Committee on Racial Equity and Inclusion works alongside the local school district on an Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan aimed at embedding inclusive practices and eliminating race-based disparities. Town Manager John Haverstock notes that Hartford has passed a “Welcoming Hartford” ordinance which articulates guidelines regarding the communications and enforcement relationship between the Town and the federal government on immigration, establishes town procedures concerning immigration status and enforcement of federal civil immigration laws, implements an Inclusion and Accessibility Plan for the Parks & Recreation Department, and ensures its town website and town hall comply with accessibility standards.

In Vermont’s most populous and diverse region, Chittenden County, there are numerous inclusion initiatives underway:
• Burlington: Voters approved a charter amendment on Town Meeting Day 2026 making the Racial
Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (REIB) office a permanent fixture in city government. This change, pending approval by the state legislature and governor, will provide long-term stability for the office.
• Winooski: The city’s Advisory Commission for Inclusion and Belonging has been part of its city
charter since 2022. The city and the Winooski School District are conducting equity audits to highlight inequities and adopt focused policies and practices to address shortcomings. In addition, the mayor has requested that the city’s Declaration of Inclusion be readopted annually.

“Cities and towns across the state are doing so many exciting things,” said Barbara Noyes Pulling, of the Vermont Declaration of Inclusion Initiative, an all-volunteer organization. “Sharing these ideas and helping others build on them is one of our fundamental goals.”

For more information about the Vermont Declaration of Inclusion, visit vtdeclarationofinclusion.org which is generously maintained by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.

The Vermont Declaration of Inclusion Initiative is also supported by the Vermont League of Cities and Towns and the Vermont Council on Rural Development.

Contact: Barbara Noyes Pulling, Vermont Declaration of Inclusion, barbaranoyespulling@gmail.com.

Data Privacy: Movement, But Major Decisions Ahead

May 8, 2026

Data Privacy: Movement, But Major Decisions Ahead

Data privacy negotiations are entering a more active and consequential phase in both chambers, with signs of alignment emerging alongside continued areas of concern.

In House Commerce, there is a clear shift underway to move away from draft 2.3 and back toward a framework closer to S.71 as passed by the Senate, incorporating updates adopted in Connecticut since the bill has remained in committee for more than a year. This recalibration reflects meaningful progress toward a more regionally aligned baseline.

At the same time, early committee conversations underscore that several key policy decisions remain unresolved. Even within this broader shift toward alignment, significant areas of uncertainty will shape the bill’s overall impact. It remains unclear what data minimization standards will be included in a new draft. There is also ongoing uncertainty around the scope of sensitive data, particularly where Vermont may seek to expand beyond regional norms. The potential reintroduction of a private right of action adds further complexity, as does the evolving approach to exemptions, including the treatment of health data and HIPAA-related entities. Additional questions remain regarding processor obligations, contractual requirements, and how emerging provisions related to artificial intelligence and automated decision-making may ultimately be incorporated.

In parallel, the Senate is considering advancing a separate path with a data privacy amendment to proposed data broker legislation. That effort is occurring alongside broader discussions about integrating elements of S.71, with some senators emphasizing the importance of passing a regionally consistent bill this year rather than risking another session without action.

Outside of the committee process, the broader campaign around this legislation has shifted from substantive policymaking to political theater. A group calling itself “The People vs. Big Tech” has pushed inflammatory attacks against Vermont businesses, business advocacy groups, and others that have engaged on this issue in good faith for years. Led by a sitting legislator and amplified through coordinated advocacy networks, the campaign has relied more on public attacks and performative rhetoric than serious policy engagement.

At the center of the campaign are out-of-state attorneys, consultants, and advocacy interests that stand to benefit financially and politically from a first-in-the-nation framework, regardless of the consequences for Vermont businesses. Rather than advancing informed debate, the campaign has attempted to reduce a complex policy issue into simplistic messaging designed to generate outrage, not solutions.

Despite this dynamic, committee members in the house and the senate have remained focused on the actual policy questions and the practical implications for Vermont consumers and businesses, which will be critical to reaching a balanced and workable outcome.

Across both chambers, a consistent theme emerges. There is growing recognition that regional compatibility matters, particularly for businesses operating across state lines. Vermont employers have reinforced this point directly, with more than 100 businesses signing onto a letter urging policymakers to align with neighboring states and avoid creating an outlier regulatory framework.

The trajectory is moving in a more constructive direction, but the outcome will hinge on the details. Whether the final bill reflects a balanced, regionally consistent approach or introduces new and untested provisions will determine both its viability this session and its real-world impact on Vermont’s business climate.

CONNECT WITH OUR DATA PRIVACY EXPERT

BEYOND THE RHETORIC

Same Vehicle, New Paint; Senate Education Committee Inches Toward Reform

May 8, 2026May 8, 2026

Same Vehicle, New Paint: Senate Education Committee Inches Toward Reform

The Senate Education Committee’s approach to education reform reflects a long-standing pattern in Vermont; broad agreement that the system must evolve, paired with continued reliance on incremental or locally driven changes rather than structural reform at scale.

Last year, Vermont committed to transitioning toward a foundation formula to improve affordability and long-term sustainability. That commitment came with the understanding that if the state was going to ask taxpayers and school districts to operate within a new funding model, governance structures would need to evolve as well. Instead, much of the current conversation in committee has focused on refining the House’s approach rather than advancing structural change, largely preserving a voluntary path to district consolidation.

The House has framed its position through H.955 as a locally led path forward, emphasizing movement toward scale, greater statewide cohesion, and providing communities with the tools to make decisions about the future of their schools. These are important goals. The question now is whether a largely voluntary, process-driven model will deliver those outcomes at the pace and scale required.

For businesses, the stakes extend beyond education. Runaway education spending in recent years have driven affordability challenges for employers and employees alike as property taxes have risen to pay for these continued increases. The Vermont Futures Project Economic Action Plan identifies affordability and fiscal sustainability as essential to improving the state’s economic trajectory, while the Competitiveness Dashboard shows Vermont lagging nationally in economic momentum. Without meaningful cost containment, these challenges will continue to hinder the state’s ability to attract and retain businesses and workers.

The Senate Education Committee’s approach relies heavily on regional study groups to explore mergers and other changes. While the committee strengthened participation requirements and the study process, the core framework remains unchanged: districts are encouraged, but not required, to pursue consolidation.

The bill also advances important conversations around career and technical education and access to workforce pathways. Strengthening these connections is critical, as Vermont employers consistently identify workforce availability and skills alignment as top constraints.

However, the proposal offers limited certainty that the system will achieve the efficiencies needed to stabilize costs over time. A process-heavy approach may build consensus, but it is unlikely to produce near-term savings. For businesses already managing high costs in health care, housing, and taxation, continued uncertainty in escalating property taxes adds to an already challenging environment.

Without clearer movement toward governance reform, Vermont risks layering new funding expectations onto a system not designed for current demographic and fiscal realities. This has direct implications for competitiveness, making it more difficult for employers to invest, grow, and recruit talent.

Vermont has spent years studying education reform. The question now is whether the state is prepared to move from alignment on goals to implementation that delivers measurable savings, stronger workforce outcomes, and a more competitive business climate.

May 8, 2026

CONNECT WITH OUR EDUCATION EXPERT

RECENT NEWS

Vermont Inclusion Week Proclamation

May 12, 2026

Data Privacy: Movement, But Major Decisions Ahead

May 8, 2026

Strong Privacy, Workable Policy: The Real Debate Around Vermont’s Data Privacy Bill

May 8, 2026

Strong Privacy, Workable Policy: The Real Debate Around Vermont’s Data Privacy Bill

Vermont Can Protect Privacy Without Hurting Vermont Businesses

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce supports meaningful consumer data privacy protections. Vermonters deserve more control over their personal information, and businesses benefit when consumers trust how their data is handled.

The question before lawmakers is not whether Vermont should protect consumer privacy. It should.

The question is whether Vermont adopts a strong, workable privacy law that aligns with other New England states, or whether it moves forward with first-in-the-nation provisions that have not been tested anywhere else.

What the Senate-Passed Bill Does

S.71, as passed by the Senate, gives Vermonters major new privacy rights. Under the bill, consumers would have the right to:

Know if a business is collecting their personal data
Correct inaccurate personal information
Ask for their personal data to be deleted
Get a copy of the data a business has collected about them
Opt out of targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, and certain profiling activities

The Senate-passed bill also requires businesses to follow security practices that protect the confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility of personal data.

Why This Matters for Vermont

Vermont businesses are not asking for no privacy law. They are asking for a law that protects consumers while also being clear, fair, and possible to follow.

Many Vermont businesses use basic digital tools to reach customers, sell products, promote events, process transactions, recruit workers, and compete in a modern economy. These are not abstract “Big Tech” companies. They are local employers, nonprofits, retailers, manufacturers, tourism businesses, service providers, and community organizations.

Concerns With the House Draft

The House proposal includes new provisions that go far beyond privacy laws in nearby states like Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

These changes could:

Pull small businesses and nonprofits into complex regulations
Remove opportunities for businesses to fix mistakes before facing penalties
Create unclear legal standards that have not been tested in any other state
Restrict common digital tools local businesses use to communicate with customers
Increase legal risk and compliance costs for Vermont organizations

Strong privacy protections and workable rules are not mutually exclusive. Vermont can do both.

Vermont Businesses Are Speaking for Themselves

More than 100 Vermont businesses and organizations signed a letter urging the House to advance S.71 as passed by the Senate and reject novel, untested provisions.

These are Vermont employers and organizations raising real implementation concerns. They deserve to be heard in the legislative process.

The Bottom Line

This is not a choice between privacy and no privacy.

S.71 as passed by the Senate provides meaningful consumer protections, regional consistency, and a clear path for compliance.

The Vermont Chamber urges lawmakers to support the Senate-passed version of S.71 and reject novel provisions that could create unintended consequences for Vermont businesses, nonprofits, and communities.

BEYOND THE RHETORIC

CTE Reform Makes Progress

May 4, 2026May 1, 2026

CTE Reform Makes Progress

As Vermont continues to face persistent workforce shortages and growing economic competitiveness challenges, Career Technical Education (CTE) reform has taken on renewed importance as a key part of the state’s long-term strategy.

Legislation advancing through the State House in S.313 reflects meaningful progress toward strengthening Vermont’s CTE system. After initial action in the Senate, the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee advanced a revised version of the bill, now under consideration in the House Education Committee.

The proposal brings together priorities from legislators, the Agency of Education, and the Vermont Association of Career and Technical Education Directors (VACTED), marking a notable step forward on an issue that has seen years of varied approaches. It moves to address longstanding challenges in the CTE system, expanding access, improving consistency in how CTE credits count toward graduation requirements, and creating a pathway and future accountability system moving CTE towards broader finance and governance reform.

This convergence is significant. After years of fragmented recommendations, stakeholders have coalesced around a shared direction that keeps CTE reform moving forward while positioning it to align with broader education reform efforts underway in the Legislature.

From a workforce perspective, the stakes are clear. Strengthening CTE is vital for retaining the students already here and creating clear, accessible pathways into the workforce. The Vermont Futures Project Economic Action Plan identifies workforce availability as a primary constraint on economic growth, driven by demographic decline and limited population growth. Expanding access to CTE and strengthening connections between education and career pathways will be essential to building and retaining a skilled workforce.

While the bill does not yet implement full structural reform, it reflects coordinated progress and growing recognition across the Legislature of the value of CTE and career pathways. The value of CTEs is also reflected in related efforts, such as the proposed hospitality and culinary apprenticeship pilot in this year’s economic development bill, which begins to connect education programs more directly with in-demand careers and highlights how career pathways can evolve to meet workforce needs.

The progress reflected in this bill continues momentum for CTE and sets a foundation for broader reform in future years. As the Legislature continues its work on education policy, building on this collaboration through clear decisions on funding, governance, and system design will be key to strengthening Vermont’s workforce pipeline and long-term economic competitiveness.

May 1, 2026

CONNECT WITH OUR WORKFORCE EXPERT

RECENT NEWS

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May 12, 2026

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Beyond Tax Brackets: How Proposed Tax Changes Impact Vermont’s Businesses, Workforce, and Economy

April 30, 2026April 29, 2026

Beyond Tax Brackets: How Proposed Tax Changes Impact Vermont’s Businesses, Workforce, and Economy

Analysis led by Amy Spear, President, in partnership with the Vermont Futures Project

Overview

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce advances the Vermont economy through advocacy, community, and resources. As part of that work, we analyze how policy decisions intersect with Vermont’s unique economic structure.

A proposal currently under consideration would introduce new tax provisions, including a high-income surtax, an investment proceeds tax, and a minimum tax based on adjusted gross income. While often framed as a tax on wealth, the structure of this proposal means its effects extend well beyond passive income. In Vermont, where the economy is largely driven by locally owned, pass-through businesses, the practical impact reaches into active business operations, workforce competitiveness, and long-term economic growth.

Why This Matters for Vermont

Vermont’s economy is distinct. Most businesses are not large corporations. They are small and mid-sized employers structured as:

LLCs
S corporations
Partnerships
Sole proprietorships

In these models, business income flows through to personal tax returns. That means what appears as individual income is often active business income used to operate and grow a company. Understanding this structure is essential to evaluating how tax policy functions in practice.

A Look at Vermont’s Current Tax Structure

Vermont already has one of the most progressive tax systems in the country.

Vermont ranks near the top nationally in tax progressivity
Higher income earners already contribute a disproportionate share of total income tax revenue
Effective tax rates increase steadily across income brackets

This context is important. The conversation is not about whether Vermont has a progressive system. It already does. The question is how additional structural changes interact with Vermont’s economic realities.

What the Proposal Does

The proposal introduces three major changes:

New surcharge layers on higher income taxpayers
A new tax on certain investment-related gains
A minimum tax requiring taxpayers above a threshold to pay a percentage of adjusted gross income

Unlike traditional tax structures based on taxable income, this approach introduces a minimum tax floor tied to gross income, regardless of deductions, reinvestment, or business expenses. This distinction is critical for Vermont businesses.

The Pass-Through Effect: When Business Income Is Personal Income

For many Vermont employers, income reported on a personal tax return is not discretionary income. It may already be committed to:

Payroll
Equipment and capital investment
Insurance and operating costs
Debt service

For example, a business owner may report strong income in a given year, but much of that income is reinvested into the business to sustain operations and growth. Policies that do not distinguish between passive income and active business income can create outcomes that do not align with how businesses actually function.

Reinvestment and Growth Implications

Business growth in Vermont often depends on retained earnings. When after-tax resources are reduced, businesses may face harder decisions around:

Hiring
Wage increases
Expansion
Innovation

In a state working to grow its economy and address workforce shortages, reinvestment capacity is a key driver of long-term success.

Business Succession and Local Ownership

One of the most significant considerations is the impact on business succession.

When a Vermont business owner retires or sells a company, the transaction often generates capital gains. These are not abstract financial events. They represent years, often decades, of investment and risk.

Changes to how these transactions are taxed can influence outcomes such as:

Whether businesses are transferred locally or sold to outside buyers
The viability of employee or family ownership transitions
The long-term presence of locally rooted businesses

Across industries, from engineering firms to healthcare practices to hospitality businesses, there is increasing pressure from external buyers, including private equity.

When local ownership becomes more difficult to sustain, it can gradually reshape the structure of Vermont’s economy.

Workforce Competitiveness

Vermont is already facing workforce shortages in critical fields, including:

Healthcare
Engineering
Technology

Many of these professions fall within income ranges affected by the proposal. In a competitive regional landscape, policy decisions influence where professionals choose to live and work. Even incremental differences in tax structure can affect recruitment and retention over time.

Economic Stability and Revenue Considerations

A tax system that relies heavily on a small group of high-income filers can introduce:

Revenue volatility
Greater sensitivity to economic cycles
Increased exposure to changes in taxpayer behavior

In a small state, these dynamics can have outsized effects. Long-term fiscal stability is strengthened by broad-based growth that expands the tax base over time.

Affordability and Structural Challenges

Affordability is a central concern for Vermonters. However, it is important to distinguish between redistribution and structural change.

Addressing affordability at its core requires:

Expanding housing supply
Strengthening workforce participation
Managing healthcare costs
Improving economic productivity

These are the drivers that reduce costs over time and support sustainable growth.

Alignment with Vermont’s Economic Strategy

Vermont’s long-term strategy, as outlined in the Economic Action Plan, focuses on:

Growing the workforce
Expanding housing
Increasing business investment
Strengthening competitiveness

Policies that support these goals help build a larger, more resilient economic base. Policies that constrain reinvestment, complicate succession, or reduce competitiveness can move the state in the opposite direction.

A Path Forward

As Vermont continues to evaluate its policy choices, there is an opportunity to align tax policy with long-term economic goals by:

Distinguishing between passive wealth and active business income
Supporting business succession and local ownership
Preserving reinvestment capacity
Evaluating workforce competitiveness impacts

The Bottom Line

In Vermont’s economy, tax policy does not operate in isolation. Because of the state’s reliance on pass-through businesses and locally owned enterprises, changes to personal tax structures can have broad and sometimes unintended effects.

A strong and sustainable Vermont economy depends on policies that:

Encourage growth
Support local businesses
Attract and retain workforce
Expand opportunity over time

THE DATA BEHIND THE ANALYSIS

House Commerce Reviews New Draft of Data Privacy Bill

May 8, 2026April 24, 2026

House Commerce Reviews New Draft of Data Privacy Bill

The House Commerce and Economic Development Committee has begun taking up S.71, Vermont’s comprehensive data privacy bill, signaling the issue will be a central focus in the final weeks of the legislative session. The committee walked through a newly proposed draft, providing the first substantive look at how the House may approach the legislation this year.

S.71 was passed unanimously by the Senate early last year, reflecting a careful approach that aimed to balance strong consumer data protection with the operational realities facing Vermont businesses. When the bill was last taken up in the House at the end of the previous session, a proposal was introduced to strike all of the bill’s language and replace it with a significantly more expansive framework, but no further action followed.

The newly discussed draft continues to include provisions that go beyond what is currently in place in other states, raising significant concerns about regional compatibility, compliance burden, and the potential impact on Vermont’s business competitiveness. These issues are central to the viability of the bill and are expected to require substantial discussion and refinement in the weeks ahead.

The stakes remain high for the business community. Data privacy policy continues to evolve rapidly across states, and the structure of Vermont’s approach will have direct implications for competitiveness, compliance costs, and the ability of businesses to effectively operate in a digital economy. The broader policy context also remains relevant.

Two years ago, a more expansive data privacy proposal was vetoed by Governor Phil Scott due to concerns about its impact on businesses and the state’s economic climate. There has been no indication that the Administration’s position has shifted, underscoring the importance of a pragmatic and durable approach as the House considers next steps.

Importantly, committee leadership has indicated a clear intent to work collaboratively with Vermont stakeholders to refine the bill. That approach comes at a critical point in the session, where timing and policy complexity will require focused engagement to reach a workable outcome.

As deliberations continue, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether S.71 can take shape in a way that aligns consumer protection with economic realities. The Vermont Chamber and its members have been consistently engaged on this issue and looks forward to continued engagement with the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee to support a balanced path forward that works for both Vermonters and Vermont employers.

April 24, 2026

CONNECT WITH OUR DATA PRIVACY EXPERT

RECENT NEWS

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May 12, 2026

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May 8, 2026

Omnibus Economic Development Bill Advances Through Key Committees

May 11, 2026April 24, 2026

Omnibus Economic Development Bill Advances Through Key Committees

With the session entering its final stretch, S.327 is the primary vehicle for economic development policy this year and will return to the Senate following House action.

The legislation reflects a mix of progress and gaps, when measured against priorities identified through the Vermont Chamber’s policy retreats with manufacturers, tourism leaders, and legislators, as well as the data driven recommendations developed from the Vermont Futures Project’s Economic Action Plan and Competitiveness Dashboard.

Key sections of the bill include:

Business Resources and Growth
- Directs the Department of Economic Development to inventory public and private resources available to businesses identify gaps and improve how those tools are communicated to businesses
- Aligns with the Vermont Chamber’s priority to improve outreach and coordination of existing programs, addressing a consistent challenge identified by employers.
Convention Center Task Force
- Extends the timeline and expands membership of the task force studying a statewide convention center and performance venue.
- Continues broader tourism infrastructure discussions, though remains exploratory.
Vermont Employment Growth Incentive (VEGI) Revisions
- Repeals the program sunset but reduces annual allocation cap on incentives from $10 million to $5 million.
- While it provides long-term certainty for VEGI, it reduces a key tool for attracting and retaining business investment without adding a program aligned with current needs.
Culinary and Hospitality Education Study
- Requires a study on rebuilding Vermont’s hospitality workforce pipeline following the closure of the New England Culinary Institute.
- Directly reflects priorities identified through engagement with the tourism industry.
Hospitality and Culinary Apprenticeship Pilot
- Establishes a two-year, multi-employer apprenticeship pilot for the accommodation and food services sector.
- Strong alignment with employer driven solutions to strengthen workforce pathways in a critical sector.
Rural Industry Development Grant Program
- Codifies the program in statute to support business expansion, relocation, and redevelopment.
- Advances broader goals of supporting regional economic growth.
Nickel Rounding for Cash Transactions
- Allows businesses to round cash transactions to the nearest five cents with required notice.
- A technical change providing operational flexibility.
Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE)
- Establishes a framework for municipalities to create C-PACE districts, enabling access to private financing for energy efficiency and resiliency projects
- Supports business investment in infrastructure and long-term cost management.

S.327 advances several priorities shaped by direct employer engagement, particularly in hospitality workforce development and improving access to business resources. These elements reflect ongoing efforts to better align state programs with employer needs and workforce realities.

The bill also leaves key priorities unaddressed. It does not include reforms to improve permitting and regulatory coordination, which remain among the most frequently cited barriers to business investment. In addition, it does not advance policies to support automation and productivity, both of which are critical in a constrained labor market.

The most significant concern is the direction of the VEGI changes. While the program remains in place, reducing its scale without introducing a modernized alternative limits Vermont’s competitiveness at a time when the state continues to lag behind peer states in economic momentum.

As the bill moves to the House floor next week, attention will focus on final House action before negotiations with the Senate. S.327 represents a meaningful step on several workforce and development priorities, but also highlights the continued need for a more comprehensive approach to economic competitiveness in Vermont.

April 24, 2026

CONNECT WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXPERT

RECENT NEWS

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May 8, 2026

Economic Momentum in Focus as Lawmakers Examine Vermont’s Competitive Position

April 24, 2026April 24, 2026

Economic Momentum in Focus as Lawmakers Examine Vermont’s Competitive Position

Vermont’s economic competitiveness took center stage in the House Ways and Means Committee this week as lawmakers listened to the Vermont Futures Project present findings from its Competitiveness Dashboard. The dashboard is a compilation of national and regional research, illustrating data sets that provide a clear picture of how Vermont compares to other states and highlights trends shaping the state’s economic performance.

The most striking data point of the research is Vermont ranks 51st in economic momentum, a measure that evaluates population trends, employment growth, business formation, and overall economic performance relative to other states. The ranking reflects a combination of indicators that, taken together, point to a slowing trajectory in key areas that drive long-term growth.

In presenting the data, Vermont Futures Project Executive Director Kevin Chu emphasized these findings are not based on a single metric, but rather a consistent pattern across multiple measures. Vermont is currently the only state experiencing both natural population decline and negative net migration, while also ranking near the bottom in business formation and employment growth. These trends are further compounded by challenges related to cost of living and overall economic competitiveness.

A key theme from the presentation was the importance of focusing on the foundational elements that support economic growth. Housing availability and workforce supply continue to be central constraints. Maintaining a stable population requires sufficient housing to meet changing needs, and expanding the workforce depends on the state’s ability to attract and retain residents.

The data also highlights the broader competitive landscape. Other states are actively investing in strategies to attract talent, support business growth, and expand economic opportunities. In that context, Vermont’s ability to build economic momentum depends on how effectively it aligns its policies and investments to support those same goals. Currently these goals seem unattainable, as the Committee continues to evaluate tax policy proposals that would add barriers to improving Vermont’s economic competitiveness.

While there are no single solutions to these challenges, the Futures Project’s findings reinforced that improving competitiveness will require a coordinated approach. Aligning housing, workforce development, regulatory predictability, and overall economic policy will be essential to supporting sustainable growth and strengthening Vermont’s position in a competitive national environment. As policymakers continue to evaluate proposals, including changes to tax policy, grounding those decisions in data and a clear understanding of the state’s economic trajectory will be critical to building long-term economic momentum.

April 24, 2026

CONNECT WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT EXPERT

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Tourism Economy Day Brings Business and Policy Leaders Together at the State House

May 4, 2026April 17, 2026

Tourism Economy Day Brings Business and Policy Leaders Together at the State House

On Thursday, April 16, tourism and hospitality industry leaders gathered at the State House to engage with legislators and administration officials to highlight the collective contributions of the visitor economy to Vermont. Tourism Economy Day, convened by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and Ski Vermont, brought businesses together to advocate for a strong Vermont visitor economy. 

Industry leaders shared perspectives during a joint legislative hearing with the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development and the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs, offering real world insight into the opportunities and challenges facing Vermont’s tourism economy. 

Tourism Economy Day brought together business leaders, legislators, and administration officials, creating space for direct conversation between policymakers and the employers who power Vermont’s visitor economy. Industry voices from across the state shared perspectives rooted in their day-to-day operations and community impact. 

“A thriving tourism economy means vibrant communities and opportunity across Vermont,” said Amy Spear, President of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. “Tourism Economy Day ensures lawmakers hear directly from businesses. While the industry remains a major economic driver, employers are navigating workforce shortages, housing availability challenges, and rising costs.” 

Business leaders highlighted both the strengths of Vermont’s tourism economy and the challenges facing the industry. Key themes included workforce shortages, housing availability and affordability, healthcare costs, and declining Canadian visitation. Leaders also emphasized the importance of strengthening career pathways in hospitality, from culinary training to management and entrepreneurship. 

“Tourism businesses, including our ski areas, are a key driver of visitation and help support many rural communities across the state,” said Molly Mahar, President of Ski Vermont. “In addition to affordability issues and workforce and housing shortages, businesses also face an inefficient and inconsistent permitting process that adds cost and time to projects, affecting businesses’ ability to grow and remain competitive. Tourism Economy Day ensures those realities are part of the conversation as policymakers look ahead.”

The day’s programming included a joint legislative hearing, a presentation from the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, and a conversation with Lieutenant Governor John Rodgers. 

Commissioner Heather Pelham shared updates on visitation trends, marketing strategies, and the impact of tourism on the state’s economy. The day concluded with an acknowledgment on the House Floor recognizing tourism’s vital role in Vermont and declaring April 16, 2026, Tourism Economy Day. 

Tourism Economy Day highlights the role of tourism in advancing the Vermont economy through collaboration between businesses and policymakers. Vermont’s visitor economy has a $4.2 billion annual economic impact and employs 9% of the Vermont workforce.

April 17, 2026

CONNECT WITH OUR TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY EXPERT

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May 12, 2026

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