By the 1930s, “nearly 90 percent of U.S. urban dwellers had electricity, but 90 percent of rural homes were without power,” according to University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives Research on the Economic Impact of Cooperatives.
“Investor-owned utilities often denied service to rural areas, citing high development costs and low profit margins. Consequently, even when they could purchase electricity, rural consumers paid far higher prices than urban consumers.”
Vermont has state-of-the-art communication technologies. We have cell service throughout much of our state and wireless internet solutions in areas where the topography works. We have middle-mile fiber, cable, and DSL that all connects residents and businesses to the global economy, to their doctors and to public safety and even provides phone service through VOIP (voice-over-internet protocols).
Modern life is possible in much of Vermont. Still, it's no secret that access to wired and wireless phone and internet is unevenly available in the Green Mountain state.
At the end of this year's regular legislative session, both education finance/tax and state budget bills passed by large tripartisan majorities. Governor Rick Scott vetoed both, citing the property-tax increases that the bills allow to go into place. I voted for both because I believe they struck a good...
Serving my first two years as your representative in the Vermont House of Representatives has been a privilege and an honor. On your behalf, I worked hard every day to learn the legislative process, forge productive relationships with my colleagues, and use my experience and voice to assist our...
Last week, the Vermont House of Representatives passed a bill that will raise additional funding to expand Internet to approximately 30,000 unserved and underserved Vermonters. H.870 will increase the universal-service fee on phone bills by half a percent, raising roughly $1.6 million per year. The language was approved 96–31 in the House. A resolution, also approved by the House last week, underscores the urgent need for that preliminary funding. House Resolution 19 asks the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities...
A discussion with far-reaching implications is happening at school board and community meetings across Vermont right now. The discussion, required by this past Legislative session's Act 46 - “the Unification Act” - is about things we all hold very dear: our children, our communities, and our future. In terms of public participation, this discussion still seems to be flying under the radar. As a state, we have had some challenges with our education system prior to Act 46. The state...
For many years, I worked in the oft-maligned hospitality service jobs of the Deerfield Valley region, jobs that allowed me to make a decent living with maximum flexibility while I had small children. The last service industry job I had was as a waitress at Dot's Restaurant. This was a very busy, and therefore fairly lucrative job a few days a week, allowing me maximum time with my three young children. My interest in economic development began there. Folks treasure...
RE: “Economic group offers community findings” [News, July 10]: We have asked for several corrections to this article about the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategy (SeVEDS) and the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) project process. The most critical inaccuracy regards funding of CEDS projects: “Shortlisted projects - five to 10 of them - could receive federal or community resources.” This is 100 percent false. As we write on our website: “The CEDS is a regional plan for growth of the...