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The assembly heard a reading directing the two houses to meet in joint assembly to receive the governor’s inaugural message. Early in the session a senator identified only as “the senator from Chittenden Central District” moved that a six‑member committee be appointed to wait upon the governor and escort him into the chamber. The motion was approved by voice vote: “The ayes have it and the motion is carried,” the chair said. The chair then named the committee members as the senator from Chittenden Central District (identified by the chair as Senator Behruth), the senator from Chittenden Southeast District (Senator Lyons), the senator from Caledonia District (Senator Beck), Representative Houghton, Representative McCoy of Essex Junction, and Representative Logan of Burlington.

Chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court (named in the session) administered the oath of office to Philip B. Scott. The assembly also recorded the oath being administered to several other statewide officers during the ceremony, including the secretary of state and the attorney general. The event included multiple musical performances and invocations by clergy and a rabbi; ceremonial honors were given by the state police honor guard and members of the National Guard.

Later in the program the chair declared the joint assembly dissolved after the family of the governor and other dignitaries were escorted from the chamber.

Ending: The session was largely ceremonial. The governor used the address that followed the oath to outline policy priorities on housing, education and affordability for the coming legislative session.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Assembly - Governor's Inaugural Message; J.R.S. 3: Thurs., Jan. 9, 2025 at 2:00 p.m.","oneSentenceSummary","Philip B. Scott took the oath of office Jan. 9 in a joint assembly. The Legislature appointed a six‑member committee to escort the governor into the chamber and the assembly was later dissolved after ceremonial proceedings and multiple oaths of statewide officers.","taxTitle","SENATE, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",29455,"location","Vermont","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6394645,"Scott proposes new student‑centered funding formula and simpler school governance",578,3823000,4401000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2102676-7d008306c0a768a36ab15e287e879ac3&start=3823&end=4401","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2102676-7d008306c0a768a36ab15e287e879ac3/thumbnail_3823000.jpg","/articles/6394645/Vermont/Scott-proposes-new-studentcentered-funding-formula-and-simpler-school-governance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394645-3b558082fad31a9f90f1a477c3a445f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164964&Signature=LDbCdBuhdgmBYKJsWqkC5oWTgTL5GaW0owotwCjQYPTwBopcvHliG5At6LSK70RXeRUYlR5A8P9jUI5V5CiVYJ4QwDl1h9jmnu4Uhj13xkxhJHZkzphZsqYtPa4xjqFUqoakvTu~kK7bowg34isjpOmrv28Fu5QzVLJ8V0oRYVUbSyYk~55z~2s390ZkJyvaF6aH6jnXGdT1VnI4pdWlJTukiIHdfnhSYVpMSK-YS4ulyGizciOtPSLd108RJD32bujBMyvpwsXf0OHkdHWZss1w6LQrl8Y2783cI8PCSrRaxcNqXlfC2dmDl6jNAFzvBIOuAL~m6EFW0Guxi4TASw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Governor Philip B. Scott told the joint assembly on Jan. 9 he will propose a multi‑year plan to overhaul Vermont’s pre‑K–12 system that focuses on a student‑centered funding formula, simpler governance, support and “guardrails” for school boards and administrators, and steps to limit the local property tax impact if spending growth is contained.

Scott framed the proposal against demographic headwinds and rising education spending. He cited Joint Fiscal Office data that from 2010 to 2022 Vermont had “14,000 fewer Vermonters under the age of 18,” “28,000 fewer age 40 to 54,” and “48,000 more over the age of 65,” and tied those shifts to fewer students, smaller workforces and rising per‑student costs.

The governor said the Education Fund has grown “from 1,600,000,000 to an astounding 2,300,000,000” since he took office and that “over a third, about $800,000,000 comes from other sources” beyond property taxes. He listed revenue streams directed to the Education Fund, saying “100% of our sales and use tax” goes into the fund, along with portions of other taxes and surcharges.

Scott criticized the current funding and governance structure and said Vermont’s system is “out of scale and very expensive.” He cited operational figures: the state pays for about 83,500 pre‑K through 12 students in the Ed Fund; the system includes roughly 52 supervisory unions, 119 districts and 287 individual schools. He argued those structures contribute to cost pressures and inequities across districts.

Scott proposed three broad reforms to be included in his budget and bill package: an “entirely new student centered funding formula,” a “new simpler governance structure,” and supports for school boards and administrators to reduce cost pressures. He said his budget, to be released in two weeks, would include proposals to lower the immediate tax impact if school boards contain spending growth to projected levels.

Ending: Scott acknowledged the reforms will be difficult and warned of familiar local objections—concerns about school closures, sharing staff, or perceived loss of local control—but said failing to address structural issues would leave the system unsustainable. He did not provide statutory language or implementation timelines in the speech; those details were reserved for the budget and forthcoming legislative proposals.
","In his inaugural address Gov. Philip B. Scott proposed a multi‑year plan to transform Vermont’s preK–12 system with a new student‑centered funding formula, simpler governance, and measures to limit the near‑term property tax impact; he cited demographic trends and Education Fund spending increases.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6394651,"Scott calls for legalizing housing, Act 250 fixes and four-part push to build homes",190,3590000,3780000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2102676-7d008306c0a768a36ab15e287e879ac3&start=3590&end=3780","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2102676-7d008306c0a768a36ab15e287e879ac3/thumbnail_3590000.jpg","/articles/6394651/Vermont/Scott-calls-for-legalizing-housing-Act-250-fixes-and-four-part-push-to-build-homes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6394651-07b6cee49206700284813723d2baa820/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164964&Signature=geqIAaOSH5o0-TOnm8Tem2gnvqxMNHOpT9NcIT4I0Tb6~rtl8ZWnnGH6SUAjbxeiJZQahv9AhqcLij0v6VFgHLczQIDGH6Pb-I8-ftQFOwGixlgcG6yiuUxoi4QBVyq21Ug43RlOu6AbIqIbVD7f0JpJ~YECURHMIf4u8Axecx9OYYmSAc1SgOUKbvytvYauQMfxM~JcNJZ7N0eiL6PFePtk04U42SXJ5vEzSQQ6MSWkUv0CP9RurkYDKzbGKT6wH28Erl14zz4I9dtUEKzUq44fK1yrgp437JM8q41loM-k4L~6mOzrXTORzuy7MXuZzQjy8lOnbuR9foagvKEMBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Governor Philip B. Scott told a joint session of the Vermont Legislature on Jan. 9 that increasing housing supply must be a top priority and urged lawmakers to “legalize housing” through a four‑part strategy that includes infrastructure investment, converting dilapidated properties, encouraging private investment, and reforming the land‑use appeals process.

Scott said the state’s housing shortage is large and quantified the gap: “According to the housing needs assessment, it will take 7,200 homes just to break even,” and that to grow the workforce the state would need “over 8,000 homes a year for the next 5 years,” compared with a current production rate of “about 2,300” homes a year. He framed housing as a central lever in addressing affordability and workforce shortages.

Why it matters: Scott tied housing shortages to workforce and affordability problems across Vermont, saying supply constraints drive up housing costs and push residents and potential workers out of state. Lawmakers’ choices on housing policy will influence the state’s ability to attract and retain workers, he said.

Scott laid out four strategies he urged the Legislature to pursue: strengthen infrastructure and flood‑recovery investment (including expanding the state’s TIP program), convert dilapidated houses into homes and economic opportunity, grow programs that encourage mom‑and‑pop investment such as the Vermont Housing Improvement Program (VHIP), and treat the housing shortage as a crisis by reforming the appeals process he said has been “abused for far too long.” He also called for expanding Act 250 exemptions for select projects and giving rural communities a stronger role in decisions affecting growth.

Scott cited past and current programs to show progress and capacity for scaling: he said VHIP investments “have brought 500 affordable apartments online, with almost 500 more under construction,” and that the average VHIP grant is “about $36,000.” He also pointed to brownfields cleanup funded with state dollars, saying that 42 sites have been remediated and made way for “over 700 new homes.”

Scott urged the Legislature to prioritize housing in the coming session and signaled he would press for related proposals in his upcoming budget and housing bills.

Ending: The governor said the session has a “rare opportunity” to pass an “actual housing bill” focused on the four strategies he described. He did not lay out specific bill language or revenue mechanisms during the speech; those details will be for the legislative process and the administration’s budget materials.
","In his inaugural address, Governor Philip B. Scott urged the Legislature to prioritize housing by expanding infrastructure funding, converting dilapidated houses, boosting small investors through VHIP and reforming the land‑use appeals process; he cited state housing targets and current production shortfalls.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Philip B. Scott sworn in as Vermont’s 82nd governor; joint assembly appoints escort committee

Scott proposes new student‑centered funding formula and simpler school governance

Scott calls for legalizing housing, Act 250 fixes and four-part push to build homes