Feb 10

Feb 10 Vermont Legislature Tackles Redistricting and Federal Relief Allocation

The Vermont legislature is figuring out how to redraw political lines and how to spend $1 billion in federal dollars amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Redistricting, also known as reappointment, is the process by which voting districts are updated using new population data from the census. The census is taken every decade. If a region’s population has increased, it may gain seats in the house or senate, and vice versa.

“It affects almost every representative and senator in some way or shape or form, and Vermonter, for that matter,” said Rep. Robert LaClair, a Barre Republican. LaClair’s own district has seen almost no change, but several of his Republican colleagues could be out of a job.

Many counties in the northwest of the state have seen increases in population, especially Essex county which has gained 2507 residents. Some urban areas have lost residents, including Barre City and Rutland City, which have lost 561 and 688 residents, respectively.

“That’s going to shift the representation in Montpelier, in some cases fairly significantly,” said Rep. LaClair. He said the redistricting process could take several months.

The redistricting process was delayed due to the set back of the 2020 census. Lawmakers have until the end of the legislative session to finish redistricting.

Another major area of concern is the allocation of federal relief.

Vermont has received over a billion dollars in federal economic relief through the American Rescue Plan Act, according to Vermont’s official state website. The state has until 2024 to allocate these funds.

In his Jan. 18 budget address, Governor Phil Scott identified five initiatives where he would like to see federal Covid relief money go: broadband connectivity and cell service, climate change mitigation, water and sewer infrastructure, housing, and economic recovery.

“We have to remember this is one-time economic recovery money,” said Scott, according to VTDigger’s transcript of the address. “It is imperative we use it to achieve economic equity from region to region, not as a band-aid on something we will have to address next year.”

LaClair approves of the way the Governor has prioritized the healthcare system throughout the pandemic, but he thinks some issues cannot be solved with relief money.

“I think we’ve done a decent job of helping some small businesses out,” said LaClair. “The healthcare system definitely needs some help as far as staff.”

“There’s no silver bullet,” LaClair said.