Gov. Phil Scott’s State of the State address focused on Vermont’s workforce crisis, a familiar theme for employers. The Governor stated that he will not support any legislation that could make the workforce shortage worse. He prioritized workforce training opportunities with an expansion to the CTE program and a relocation incentive package with targeted marketing to attract new workers. The Governor also outlined other ways to attract more workers through refugee resettlement, recruitment of Canadian businesses, modernizing licensing laws, and eliminating the tax on military pensions. In response, Vermont Chamber President Betsy Bishop said, “We support initiatives to fund our training programs, build more housing, and provide relocation incentives, all of which will benefit from federal ARPA funds.” The Governor also noted the shortage of middle-income housing as a critical need for addressing the workforce shortage. The Governor suggested his budget will address other economic development programs and make transformational investments for a strong economic future. The Governor’s budget will be presented in two weeks.