Peter Hirschfeld
ReporterHelp shape my reporting:
The Vermont Statehouse is often called the people鈥檚 house. I am your eyes and ears there. I keep a close eye on how legislation could affect your life; I also regularly speak to the people who write that legislation. The more I hear from you, the better I鈥檒l be at my job. So, what issues do you want lawmakers to focus on? What info do you most urgently need?
I'm eager to hear from you. Get in touch here.
About Peter:
Peter Hirschfeld covers state government and the Vermont Legislature. He is based in 开云体育鈥檚 Capital Bureau located across the street from Vermont鈥檚 Statehouse.
Hirschfeld is a Vermont journalist who has covered the Statehouse since 2009, most recently as bureau chief for the Rutland Herald and Times Argus. He began his career in 2003, working as a local sports reporter and copy editor at the Times Argus.
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A forecast published this week by the Vermont Department of Taxes projects a 5.9% jump in property taxes next year, but Republican Gov. Phil Scott said he is seeking to put forward a proposal that would keep tax bills flat in 2025. -
Republicans now have enough members in both the House and Senate to sustain Gov. Phil Scott's vetoes, and House Minority Leader Pattie McCoy said they plan to use that power. -
While next year鈥檚 forecast isn鈥檛 as dire as some elected officials had feared, Democrats and Republicans say the projected increase is more than many homeowners can bear. -
Next week, the Department of Taxes will issue a highly anticipated letter that will give lawmakers, school boards and the public their first look at how much property taxes are expected to rise next year. -
One third of Vermont鈥檚 high school students say they鈥檙e struggling with mental health issues, and nearly a quarter say they've engaged in acts of self-harm. -
Trump has repeatedly vowed to deport all of the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally. That population includes approximately 1,500 immigrants living and working on Vermont鈥檚 dairy farms, many of whom have resided in the state for more than a decade. -
Defensores locales quieren que funcionarios de Vermont protejan a los trabajadores agr铆colas migrantes y a otros inmigrantes de esfuerzos de deportaci贸n masiva de la pr贸xima administraci贸n de Trump.
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Senate Democrats, who will maintain a slim majority in the chamber next year despite losing six seats on Election Day, say the first week of the 2025 legislative session will be devoted to plans for property tax relief from the administration of Republican Gov. Phil Scott. -
Vermont applied for an enhanced federal match earlier this fall. And last week, President Joe Biden approved an amendment to Vermont鈥檚 disaster declaration that will deliver significant relief to towns that have filed public assistance claims. -
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said he was able to work effectively with the last Trump administration, despite his outspoken criticism of the president. And he said he expects the same will be true over the next four years.
