Sen. Phil Baruth proposes shifting windfall and cannabis excise revenue to fund UVM project and higher‑ed trust

Sen. Phil Baruth told the Senate Education Committee he had drafted an amendment to the budget that would keep $15,000,000 available for a University of Vermont‑linked facility project while also using part of a one‑time windfall and a portion of cannabis excise revenues to bolster the state's higher‑education trust fund and to fund targeted grants and design work.

Baruth said the plan would hold the $15,000,000 figure but allocate $12,000,000 to the stadium project and use the remaining roughly $3,000,000 to fund approximately $2,320,000 in Freedom and Unity grants for needy students at the Vermont State University system and $600,000 for shovel‑ready design work on a Johnson campus housing transformation project.

He proposed directing 20% of the remainder of a portion of cannabis excise tax receipts into the higher‑education trust fund to repay the trust within about three years and create a recurring $4–$5 million annual replenishment thereafter. Baruth said the language would not touch sales tax revenue earmarked for after‑school programs nor the 30% excise allocation currently used for substance misuse prevention.

Committee members raised questions about precedent — whether the trust should support capital projects that could otherwise reduce scholarships — and about long‑term priorities for the fund. A member noted the UVM project is not solely an arena but a broader recreation and wellness facility with potential community uses and economic benefits.

Why it matters: The proposal attempts to use this year’s exceptional windfall and a defined portion of excise tax receipts to achieve several higher‑education and campus development goals without immediately draining scholarship funding. The proposal will be considered further with Appropriations and may be revised.

The committee did not take a final vote and planned to continue discussion the following day.