Senate committee seeks $9.2M in targeted economic development funding, presses for brownfields money

Senator Alison Clarkson, chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs, presented S.327 and described roughly $9.2 million in programmatic funding requests the committee is advancing for economic development priorities.

The chair opened by stressing the committee’s jurisdiction and priorities. “Every bill that we send you is our top priority in that jurisdiction,” Clarkson said, framing S.327 as a package that supports downtown redevelopment, small businesses and targeted workforce and business supports. She said the committee increased the downtown and village tax credits above the governor’s recommended level and described the credit as “one of our few tools in our economic development toolbox,” asserting the credit yields a “17 to 1” return on investment.

The bill’s principal money items described in the meeting include:

- Downtown and village tax credits: The committee shifted the credit higher than the governor’s recommendation (transcript notes governor recommendations between three and five and the committee’s ask cited as four). Clarkson said these credits support façade and infrastructure work that unlocks larger downtown redevelopment.

- Law‑center bridge funding: Clarkson said the Vermont Small Business Law Center has a federally directed grant of $550,000 that does not begin until December and that the center will run out of funds in June; S.327 requests $100,000 to bridge that timing gap and suggested the law school or bar association might also help cover the interim shortfall.

- Small Business Development Center: The committee proposes an additional allocation (the transcript lists a request of roughly 150,000 on top of a base listed as 388,000) to expand advisory services.

- Microbusiness program via Community Action Agencies: The committee supports funding for microbusiness programs that Clarkson described as “a great hand up” for very low‑income Vermonters starting small enterprises.

- Vermont Professionals of Color Network: The committee requests $200,000 for the Network, saying the governor’s budget included $60,000 routed through ACCD for grant distribution but did not provide an operating amount directly to the Network.

- Outdoor recreation study: $200,000 to fund an economic impact study of Vermont’s outdoor recreation sector, which Clarkson described as an industry worth “over two billion dollars.”

- Montreal office and Taiwan outreach: Continued support for the Montreal business liaison office and a request that the international trade office explore building a relationship with Taiwan to attract investment.

- Brownfields remediation: Clarkson emphasized a $3 million request for brownfields cleanup, calling the governor’s omission of brownfields funding “a huge miss” and arguing cleanup is often the necessary first step for downtown redevelopment projects.

Clarkson said the total of the committee’s main asks in S.327 is about $9.2 million and emphasized the committee tried to avoid creating new programs in a tight budget year, instead expanding or accelerating existing efforts. Committee staff and members confirmed fiscal notes and appropriations language will be prepared when the bill is formally filed and the measure is scheduled for finance review.

The committee exchanged procedural questions about past funding and the fiscal note timetable but took no formal vote during the presentation. The bill will proceed to the finance committee for fiscal review and further consideration.