State legislators brief Proctor Selectboard on education funding, housing and other bills

At the April 14 Selectboard meeting, Representative Alicia Malay and Senators Brian Collamore and David Weeks provided a legislative update on matters state lawmakers said could affect Proctor and other municipalities.

Legislators reported that H.454 has passed the Vermont House and moved to the Senate Education Committee; they said the measure focuses on the funding formula rather than governance and that the state plans to use surplus funds to buy down the tax rate this year, which they warned could create a funding shortfall the following year.

They also raised concerns about a proposed "3 Acre" rule, describing it as potentially costly for property owners and local organizations and citing the Rutland Fairgrounds as an example that could face significant expense. The legislators said bail reform has limited judges’ ability to impose bail and described that as contributing to a recurring release cycle for some defendants. They outlined state programs offering grants and incentives intended to repair abandoned properties and increase housing stock.

On budgeting, the legislators said the Budget Adjustment Act had been vetoed twice by the governor and noted local unease about the hotel voucher program included in the BAA. They relayed local frustrations about a perceived lack of state funding for roads and bridges, expressed concern about how the state might handle property appraisals, and said the state still needs to address healthcare costs and find mechanisms to charge electric-vehicle drivers for road use.

The legislators spoke during the meeting’s public update portion; the meeting minutes record the items summarized above but do not include verbatim quotes or detailed legislative text.