ST. JOHNSBURY – More than any post-election period that I can recall, Vermonters remain heavily engaged since November’s election: so engaged, that many want to know why the problems highlighted on November 5 haven’t already been fixed: education property taxes, housing affordability and availability, healthcare costs, public safety, and the[Read More…]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – 2024 has been a challenging year for many of us. For another summer, we had to dig out from devastating flooding, landslides, and mudslides. Families are struggling to afford housing and other basic needs. And it can feel at times like our country is more divided than[Read More…]

STANNARD – I voted in favor of the yield bill on the floor, and to override the governor’s veto of the yield bill, H.887. The yield bill is a very important piece of legislation which comes up every year. This bill sets the state’s funding level for the state’s education[Read More…]

WORCESTER – In my previous report, I covered the Yield Bill, regarding school property taxes. In this report I discuss the two bills that the Environment & Energy Committee that I served on did a great deal of the work on. The Renewable Energy Standard bill, H.829, began in our[Read More…]

CRAFTSBURY – On June 17, the Vermont legislature met to consider seven bills that were vetoed by Governor Scott at the end of the session.While I carry the label of Democrat, I represent a politically diverse district which means I don’t always vote in alignment with the party. In our[Read More…]

by Rep. Avram Patt WORCESTER – I will be wrapping up my last term with two reports about the historically unprecedented number of bills vetoed by Governor Scott, in this session as well as in his entire time in office. The Governor vetoed eight bills just this year. Six of[Read More…]

ST. JOHNSBURY – On Tuesday, after serving for 10 years in the Vermont House of Representatives, I submitted my candidate petition to be the next Vermont Senator for Caledonia District: Barnet, Danville, Groton, Hardwick, Newbury, Peacham, Ryegate, St. Johnsbury, Stannard, Walden, Waterford, and Wheelock.Running for the Vermont Senate is a[Read More…]

CRAFTSBURY – This session, I introduced bills and supported policies that reflect the priorities of our district. As co-chair of the Rural Caucus I fought to correct bills that didn’t adequately address the unique needs of our rural communities. I voted no on policies that threatened the wellbeing of my[Read More…]

CAMBRIDGE “No one is the winner in this” was the comment from Dick Sears, the longtime senator from Bennington this week as the Senate took up the confirmation of Zoie Saunders for Vermont Secretary of Education. Many of us felt the same as Ann Cummings from Washington County when she[Read More…]

WORCESTER – I am writing to let everyone in the Lamoille-Washington House district and others know that I will not be seeking re-election as one of the district’s two State Representatives for the next term which begins in 2025. This decision was not any easy one. I have thought and[Read More…]

WORCESTER – With only a few more weeks remaining in this year’s session, activity is focused on resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of numerous bills, major and minor. And there will be legislation taken up in the House this week dealing with education property taxes. The House[Read More…]

CRAFTSBURY – As your representative, my job is to ensure that your values and your needs are not ignored and that our towns can thrive for generations to come. Like other rural regions of Vermont, the Northeast Kingdom’s priorities don’t align neatly with the agenda of a particular party–and neither do[Read More…]