The annual discussion over Vermont’s Education Fund and wringing of hands over education property tax rates is an unprecedented mess this year, and that’s being kind. The Dec. 1 Tax Letter projects that, unless school districts back down from increasing their education spending by $207 milli…

I am an example of what Vermont needs to solve homelessness.

It has always been up to the people to move the world in the right direction, stand strong against abuses and hold steady for the future of humanity and planet Earth. It is beyond beautiful what humans are capable of when they come together and commit to a cause and work for what they know i…

The Fair Share for Vermont campaign is calling for Vermont’s wealthiest residents to pay their fair share in taxes so we can build a better state for all of us.

In the heart of Vermont, a market transformation is underway in the world of homebuilding construction, and it’s not your average headline. This isn’t just about bricks and beams; it’s about creating homes that are healthier, more energy efficient, and built to last.

Vermont’s tax commissioner has released his estimate of the 2024 education tax rate. This estimate is the result of complex calculations, but perhaps the most significant factor is the total level of spending adopted by all school districts in Vermont, and based on the information Commission…

First, it is encouraging to see objective reporting on the Israeli/Gaza conflict by such Jewish journalists as Aaron Mate, Katie Halper, Max Blumenthal and Gideon Levy, as well as Amy Goodman of “Democracy Now.”

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Population Media Center, it is an opportune moment to reflect on the organization’s remarkable journey and its vital role in promoting social and cultural change worldwide. Headquartered in South Burlington, PMC has been a beacon of hope, using the…

Lately, as a way to pass time on longer car trips, I have been listening to true-crime podcasts.

Over the last 14 years that I have been editor of The Times Argus, Claire Duke has been a regular visitor to my office and inbox.

In 2013, we lost 81 Vermonters to accidental overdoses. The next year, Gov. Peter Shumlin used his entire State of the State address to sound the alarm about what he called then “a full-blown heroin crisis,” drawing national attention for his directness and focus. What followed was six years…

It is encouraging to see recent developments in Winooski, Burlington and Montpelier taking positive steps toward granting non-U.S. citizens the right to vote in local elections. These noteworthy initiatives have taken root in various Vermont cities emphasizing democratic participation and in…

After I read the answers by a number of state legislators to survey questions asked by and printed in the Rutland Herald, I wanted very much to have this commentary be helpful rather than be critical of some of the state problems legislators want to emphasize in the 2024 legislative session.…

A recent commentary by Reps. Rebecca Holcombe, of Norwich, Erin Brady, of Williston, and Monique Priestley, of Bradford, while making a few fair points about the rising cost of education, unfortunately ended with inflammatory rhetoric about independent schools and the Vermont style of school…

This is adapted from a letter I wrote several weeks ago to our Vermont congressional delegation, asking them to do everything in their power to advocate for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and to stop U.S. military aid to all parties in the conflict. I wrote the letter before the temporary ce…

The Vermont education system, and in particular, its funding mechanism, appears inextricably broken.

At a time when there are significant challenges facing our state, our lawmakers showed courage and dedication by passing the 2023 Child Care Bill — now Act 76. This historic legislation will change the lives of the kids we serve in big ways — and it’s already improving the lives of early chi…

My father always argued U.S. elections take too long, distorting discussion of real issues. I think he was mostly right. Every day, more than 10 months before the elections, we hear too much the latest poll numbers from the media. But I have given up arguing that case and am just going to pi…

Since the spring 2020 announcement of the imminent closure of three of our five Vermont State Colleges System colleges by then-Chancellor Jeb Spaulding, Vermont’s state colleges have endured tumultuous program changes and closures, numerous layoffs and firings of faculty and staff, the expan…

Now that COP28 has concluded, it’s time for a quick climate-change quiz. See if you can identify the climate hero in the scenario below:

Open letter to Reps. Brady, Holcombe and Priestley:

I’m sympathetic to the idea of a homeland where Jews can live in peace and security. I’m also sympathetic to the plight of Palestinians living in what Human Rights Watch and other groups have described as an apartheid state. I’m not here to choose sides in the Mideast conflict. Plenty of oth…

I agree with a recent editorial advice to "be right, make enemies." The problem is that being "right" is not the easier, expedient, monumentally failed policy of humanitarian ceasefires with a war-hungry enemy advocated by the editorial, by Vermont's congressional delegation and by many othe…

In the wake of ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, a pastor friend asked me to describe the difference between antisemitism and anti-Zionism. As an engaged Jew with twenty years of involvement in our local synagogue, the pastor thought I might be helpful.

As the 2024 legislative session approaches, it’s a good time to comprehend the breadth, depth and likely costs of the multiyear campaign to make Vermont the world’s splendid example of bold action to defeat the menace of climate change.

As an 89-year-old widowed woman, I feel very fortunate that my 50-year-old daughter, Eva, invited me to live with her for the rest of my life. I moved in with Eva when I was 82, and since then, I have broken my wrist, broken both ankles, and spent two weeks in bed with COVID. Eva is my full-…

As a parent, educator and troop leader who has worked with youth for years, I spend most of my days trying to help kids and do anything that will help make their lives easier. That’s why I’m a strong supporter of legislation currently before the House, S.18, that would eliminate the sale of …

There’s been lots of talk about affordability from Governor Phil Scott throughout the seven years he’s been in office. In retrospect, though, not much action.

Did you visit one of Vermont’s many lakes this summer?

For many Vermonters, the last couple of weeks have been very stressful. This worrying has had less to do with the holidays, and more to do with the weather. It seems like every time we get a little snow anymore, we can expect a power outage.

Vermont’s legendary Patrick Leahy retired from the U.S. Senate at the very beginning of 2023, but his legacy continues to be felt throughout the nation.

Weighing whims of the few against rights of the many, time goes by and the public still waits for the Agency of Natural Resources to publish its final rule. While acknowledging everyone’s frustration with the delay, we breathe hope into the fact this process is taking so long. After all, so …