Mountain Times – Volume 49, Number 17 – April 22-28, 2020

The Mountain Times • April 22-28, 2020 • 7
Something to write home about
By Sen. Dick
McCormack
Closing state colleges? This issue is still in play, and what I
write on April 18 may be outdated by press time. But the basic
frame of the discussion is likely to persist. If we approach the
question as pure book keeping, as supply and demand analysis,
a case can be made for closing three state colleges. Enrollment
is off, expenses outstrip funding, the taxpayers are unwilling to
pay more than they already pay.
But on the other hand, an economic case can be made for
keeping colleges open. Closing would cause unemployment,
undermine local businesses, remove an incentive for young
people to come to Vermont and spend their flatland dollars,
and remove an incentive for young Vermonters to get their educations,
and pay their tuition here. These state colleges allow local students to commute,
for many the only economically viable way to go to college.
Johnson, Lyndon, and VTC are essential parts of their communities. They’re local
resources; meeting places, artistic and intellectual venues. In many ways closing these
institutions could hollow these communities out.
McCormack > 26
Clarkson > 26
Two weeks ago Governor Scott indicated
that as circumstances
allowed us to ease the “Stay
Home Stay Safe” restrictions,
that he would do so,
but only a quarter turn of
the spigot at a time. This
past Friday, April 17, we saw
the first of those turns. Beginning
Monday, April 20,
his latest order authorizes
A turn of the spigot
By Rep. Jim
Harrison
Submitted
outdoor businesses and
construction operations
with crews of two or fewer
to reopen. Additionally
some single-person lowcontact
professional services, such as
appraisers, attorneys, realtors and others,
can operate if specified safety requirements
can be met.
This follows data that indicates Vermont
is beyond the peak with the growth
rate of number of new cases
down to under 4%. The governor
also announced we can expect
farmers’ markets to open on May
1, with certain measures in place
to be defined by the Agency of
Agriculture. The RestartVT Team
will also evaluate how to reopen
outdoor recreation, retail,
restaurants and bars, travel and
other activities, focusing on the
conditions needed to prevent
further Covid-19 outbreaks.
The latest order also requires
that employees must wear nonmedical
cloth face coverings (bandana,
scarf, or nonmedical mask, etc.) over
their nose and mouth when in the presence
of others.
The Chancellor of the Vermont State
Harrison > 26
Remote voting,updates from the House
By Zachariah Ralph, Rep. WDR-1 Hartland, Windsor, and West Windsor
This weekend truly felt of weeks, and we just comprehensive look at
like spring had arrived and finished our trainings the current situation, and
that summer will come for meeting and voting we avoided being “pornbombed”
presently. I personally am remotely. With 150 legislators
on Zoom meet-
looking forward to the arrival
calling in we had to ings before they became
of morel mushrooms make sure that everyone password protected.
and planting my seedlings still had a voice while
VSC closures
in my garden. A lot has maintaining some sort of I received many emails
been changing on the order. We should begin from folks about the announcement
governance front, too. voting on legislation this
to vote on
Remote voting week. This all took a bit closing three of the State
The Legislature has longer than I would have College (VSC) campuses.
been working remotely liked, but at least this way This was very alarming
over the last couple we are able to have a more news. The VSC system pro
Ralph > 26