Lawmakers make plans for federal stimulus money

Representative Patrick Brennan

Lawmakers like Rep. Patrick Brennan, a Colchester Republican, are keeping their eye on how $300 million in federal Covid relief money will be spent. Brennan laid out how he hopes to see the money spent, hitting some of the same notes as his Democratic colleagues.

Vermont has an unprecedented “pile of money” at its disposal and lawmakers understand the importance of deciding which projects to fund, Brennan said

Brennan wants to put money to work reducing taxes.

 “It would go to the General Fund, a lot of it… you could also reduce education taxes, if you put money into the [education] fund,” he said.

The general fund is responsible for everything other than education and transportation. So, adding money takes the weight off other programs that are funded by the general fund, which would allow some extra money to be freed up for a possible reduction on taxes, he said.

Brennan would also like to use the money to attract new businesses. 

“I'd like to see a total revamp of Act 250, which would make it a lot easier and a lot more enticing for businesses to locate here, which would employ more people,” said Brennan.

Enacted in 1970 during what the National Resources Board called “significant developmental pressure,” Act 250 is a land development regulation that a growing chorus of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree is well overdue for remodification, Brennan said. 

Brennan said the way Act 250 is set up creates a barrier that people aren't willing to wait for. 

Although Act 250 has been under review for serious changes in the past few years, Representative Theresa Wood, a Montpelier Democrat, said that reaching agreement on what changes those ought to be has not been an easy task.

“I think that we all want to encourage development in our downtown's and to preserve our forests, and the maintenance of those forests really helps with our sequestration of greenhouse gasses,” Wood said.

As Vice Chair of the Human Services Committee, Wood is focused on the strain on employees in high demand jobs, especially those that require expensive schooling and are subject to increasing turnover rates. Wood hopes to infuse some federal relief dollars into those industries. 

Wood also plans to use the money to fund loan forgiveness programs for high demand professions. 

“Substance abuse counselors, mental health counselors, nurses, and the like,” Wood said.