Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 01:29PM Relying heavily on broad-based taxes, the Tax Foundation ranked Vermont 47th in the nation in its 2012 version of the State Business Tax Climate Index. he Foundation states that it compiles this information to enable business leaders, government policymakers, and taxpayers to gauge how their states’ tax systems compare.
Friday, December 30, 2011 at 02:49PM Vermont has awarded nearly $410,000 dollars in municipal planning grants to 42 communities around the state. The grants are meant to boost town objectives in areas such as economic development, village revitalization and future housing needs.
Friday, July 22, 2011 at 12:08PM Vermont’s econonomy outperformed the U.S. during the past 12 months, with tax revenues that exceeded projections by 2.5%. Nevertheless, state economists cautioned the legislature and administration of the risks to Vermont's economy should national policy makers fail to reach an agreement about raising the U.S. debt ceiling.
Monday, April 25, 2011 at 03:58PM American Express recently commissioned a study of census data that ranked Vermont 45th in the nation for growth in the number of female-owned firms in the past 14 years, with a “stagnant” rate of 26.2 percent.
Link to full articleTuesday, February 22, 2011 at 04:11PM Census data released earlier this month offer tantalizing, if sometimes conflicting, evidence that Vermonters are moving toward established city centers. That’s a contrast to trends in previous population data, which showed residents were attracted to outlying areas, farther from the center of town.
Link to full articleThursday, February 17, 2011 at 03:48PM Heavy on food and agriculture, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin and key lawmakers, appearing at Vermont Butter and Cheese Company, today unveiled a comprehensive package of proposals to promote manufacturing, job training, veterans’ employment, value-added agriculture jobs and more to jumpstart Vermont’s economy.
Link to full articleThursday, January 20, 2011 at 01:18PM Last week the head of the Vermont National Guard informed lawmakers that a large number of soldiers would be without a job at the end of their deployment. "We're thinking around 30 percent are unemployed," said Gen. Michael Dubie, Vt. National Guard.
Link to full articleMonday, December 27, 2010 at 10:36AM Business development experts say opening a restaurant is a popular idea for entrepreneurs, but it can be difficult for chefs to secure traditional financing. Now, some young entrepreneurs are turning to a social media site to raise funds. Kickstarter is a Web site where people can raise money for creative projects. Here's how it works: after a project is approved by the site administrators, the creator sets a goal for the amount of money they want to raise and set a deadline. In exchange for a pledge, donors get rewards - there are no financial returns.
Link to full articleTuesday, December 21, 2010 at 01:41PM Vermont's population grew an anemic 2.8 percent in the first decade of the 21st century, results from the 2010 U.S. Census released today show. That rate of growth was Vermont's slowest since the Great Depression era, when the state's population actually fell 0.1 percent. Population growth in the Green Mountain State lagged both the national growth rate (9.7 percent) and the Northeastern growth rate (3.2 percent).
Link to full articleWednesday, November 10, 2010 at 11:07AM Thursday, September 30, 2010 at 04:11PM Data from a recent release from the U.S. Census Bureau show that Vermont suffered less impact from the national economic downturn than the country at large. The figures show the percentage of Vermonters living below the poverty line was 10.7 percent in 2008 and 11.4 percent in 2009, a change that was within the margin of error, meaning there may or may not have been an actual change.
Link to full articleThursday, September 30, 2010 at 03:14PM Two Vermont projects will share $375,000 in federal funding to create jobs and economic opportunities in rural parts of northern Vermont. The Northern Vermont Fiber Optic Connection project will receive $234,000 to expand a fiber optic cable connection from Stanhope, Quebec, to Norton, Vermont. The Northern Forest Canoe Trail based in Waitsfield will get more than $141,000 for signs, online planning and access infrastructure for the 740 inland paddling trail across New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Quebec. The awards were made by the Northern Border Regional Commission and were announced yesterday.
Link to full articleTuesday, August 31, 2010 at 11:07AM The Vermont Agriculture Innovation Center would like to announce the release of five “Requests for Proposals” to enhance value-added agriculture in Vermont. Senator Patrick Leahy secured one million dollars for the Vermont Agriculture Innovation Center to continue its work and disburse funds for 2010. Senator Leahy comments that “Vermont is reaping a harvest of new businesses and stronger farms with the growth of innovative and value-added agricultural products. It is heartening to see this first round of competitive grants to cultivate these new ventures.”
Link to full articleThursday, August 19, 2010 at 09:22AM A cash incentive from the state will help Westminster Crackers nearly double its work force over the next several years. The Rutland company expects to add 36 new jobs to its existing 45-person work force over the next three to four years at its Howe Center location, Larry Cirina, president of Westminster Crackers, said Wednesday. The company will expand production at its 50,000-square-foot facility with the aid of a $236,246 Vermont Employment Growth Incentive from the Vermont Economic Progress Council.
Link to full articleThursday, July 29, 2010 at 10:44AM Southwest Vermont Career Development Center is one step closer to cooking up a two-year culinary arts and hospitality program after the state recently approved curriculum for the course. The Department of Education also approved the curriculum for two short-block introductory courses at Bennington's technical center that will run from 50 to 60 minutes a day -- one that will teach about artificial intelligence and engineering through model trains and one on water resource management.
Link to full articleVCF Staff
A new culinary arts and hospitality program is on the menu for the Southwest Vermont Career Development Center this coming school year.
Link to full article