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Vermont ethics commission urges funding for attorneys, warns staff shortfall will curtail new powers
Summary
Leaders of the Vermont State Ethics Commission told the House Government Operations & Military Affairs committee Feb. 3 they lack staff to carry out new duties added by Act 171 and asked the committee to recommend funding two full‑time attorneys to Appropriations; outside experts said Vermont's ethics staff lags peer states.
The Vermont State Ethics Commission asked the House Government Operations & Military Affairs Committee on Feb. 3 to recommend funding to the Appropriations Committee so the office can meet newly assigned duties. Paul Pearlbaum, chair of the commission, told members the office has operated with "a very very small staff" since 2018 and described the current operation as "understaffed, toothless." Pearlbaum said the commission currently has a half‑time executive director and a half‑time administrative assistant and is unable to meet demand for advisory services.
"We keep getting a flood" of municipal requests, Pearlbaum said, citing 62 municipal requests for guidance, about 50 complaint inquiries that did not turn into formal complaints and 28 complaints filed through…
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