by Guy Page

Vermont Sen. Andy Perchlik on Wednesday squarely blamed President Donald Trump for pushing the state into the unusual position of funding news media, arguing that sustained attacks on the press have helped destabilize local journalism and threaten democracy itself.

Speaking at a State House press conference announcing Vermont’s first Local Civic Journalism Awards, Perchlik said the program is a defensive response to a national political climate he attributes largely to Trump.

“The press is under attack,” Perchlik said. “We have a president who says the press is the enemy of the people.” He described the new grants as “almost like a vaccine to fight against the infection” created by those attacks, particularly by Trump and his supporters.

Vermont this week awarded $100,000 in grants to 16 local news organizations, marking a notable step into publicly supported journalism. The awards, administered by the Secretary of State’s Office, provide either $5,000 or $10,000 to small, mostly locally owned outlets. 

Half of the funding came from the state budget, with the other half matched by the Vermont Community Foundation’s Press Forward initiative. The taxpayer-funded half was inserted into the state’s general budget by Perchlik near the end of the 2025 Session of the Legislature. 

Perchlik, a Washington County Democrat, emphasized that the grants are modest but symbolic, framing them as a way to shore up independent, fact-based reporting at a time when trust in institutions has eroded.

“We should be supporting it just as we support a free and independent judiciary, we want a free and independent press corps,” he said, adding that he has always viewed the press as “the fourth branch of government.” Perchlik also addressed concerns that government shouldn’t be paying the independent news media covering it. 

The press conference, held in the Cedar Creek Room, also featured leaders from the Vermont Journalism Coalition and the Vermont Community Foundation, who released a new report on the state’s news ecosystem. The Vermont News & Information Ecosystem Report found that while Vermont has more than 60 news and information providers — about 80% locally owned — most operate with limited staff and face uncertain futures.

According to the report, 92% of Vermonters surveyed said local news should be available to everyone, and 70% said well-informed communities benefit all residents. At the same time, barriers persist for some audiences, including youth, LGBTQ+ residents, immigrants and refugees, who often do not see their experiences reflected in local coverage.

Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said her office’s involvement in administering the grants reflects a civic, not political, goal.

“In order to get involved, we need access to information about what’s going on in our communities and the actions of our leaders,” she said. “A robust network of independent local journalism is crucial to that effort.”

Perchlik said Vermont’s move should be seen in the context of national trends, where the decline of local news has coincided with increased polarization and misinformation.

“We are seeing across our nation and world the collapse of decency, democracy and dedication to facts that follows the loss of local, professional, and independent journalism,” he said. “We can’t let that happen here.”

Recipients of the inaugural awards, representing a cross-section of print, digital, radio and television outlets, were recognized at the event.