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By Don Keelan
Every so often, I write a column regarding Vermont’s critical housing situation and offer suggestions on how it might be mitigated. By doing so, I have to endure the wrath of those readers who don’t wish to see change that would turn rural Vermont into a Hoboken, New Jersey—even suggesting that I move. They have closed their eyes to what is happening around them.
I am not responsible for the negative changes that have taken place in Vermont since my arrival in 1986.
The huge decline in the State’s public school population is an example. In 1996-97, according to the State Profile of Public Education and Secondary Education, Vermont had 1,404 Pre-K students and 104,939 K-12 students, for a total of 106,341.
Today, according to a recent report, Vermont State Education Profile August 30, 2024, the stats are: “8,319 and 74,449 in Pre K and K-12, a total of 82,828. A decrease in K-12 enrollment of 30,488.”
Some colleges were recently operating in Vermont, and they are also now gone: Marlboro, Southern Vermont, St. Joseph, Burlington College, Goddard, Vt. College of Fine Arts, New England Culinary Institute, and Green Mountain College.
Change has even taken place in Vermont’s centuries-old Catholic Dioceses organization. A spokesperson and a recent email from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington were quite disheartening. In 1985, there were 100 parishes, now only 66, and the number of Diocesan priests has declined by 57 (from 121 to 64). The latest change to take place for the Diocese was reported in the VTDigger on September 30, “Vermont’s Roman Catholic Diocese, facing more abuse claims, files for bankruptcy.”
The Green Mountain Care Board recently notified the public in August that of Vermont’s 14 hospitals, four need to close or repurpose to avoid a pending disaster in the delivery of health care by 2030.
In Bennington, one specialty practice has a sign posted at the check-out: “No new appointments until Jan. 2026.” Indeed, this was not the case in 1986.
Two long-established state institutions, the Vermont State Police and the Vermont Veterans Home, are finding it difficult to fully carry out their missions. Why? Over the years, their staffing has been depleted and nearly impossible to fill.
A long-time member of the VSP noted to this writer that their ranks are down approximately 60 troopers from an authorized strength of 328 to a force of 268 today.
Also, according to a senior official at the State’s nearly two-hundred-year-old Veterans Home in Bennington, the authorized staffing total at the home is 195 presently. They need to call in out-of-state temps to fill 64 open positions.
If some readers feel the above is concerning, do not fret. Some ‘good news’ has occurred in the past several years.
The VTDigger noted in an article on September 26 by Shaun Robinson that “Vermont regulators (will) stop accepting new retail cannabis applications next month.” The retail market for the sale of cannabis (marijuana) has been spectacular, with the State now having 80 retailers in operation and 21 applications for additional retail stores pending.
Also, in the Digger, on August 23rd, reporter Theo Wells-Spackman noted that as of the Fiscal Year, June 30, 2024, the retail market had $128 million in reported sales, well above the $ 86 million forecasted by the Joint Fiscal Office, back in 2022. The State’s take is 20%.
More positive changes have occurred. Vermont currently has 11 Methadone hub centers. Now that Vermont has adopted sports betting as a new source of revenue, gambling addiction assistance centers will soon open as well.
Some well-known and long-established stores in Burlington have recently left the city, which is not a problem. A ‘safe injection site’ is planned to open soon.
I am not sure anyone could have forecasted the monumental changes that have taken place since 1986 in education, housing, mental/physical health care, homelessness, crime/illegal drugs, population aging, and increases in taxes at all levels.
Vermont needs leaders who have the courage to address the core issues. Let’s hope it is not too late. Seeking tax revenue from cannabis, gambling, and fossil fuels won’t do it.
The author is a U.S. Marine (retired), CPA, and columnist living in Arlington, VT.
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Seems imprudent to not have considered “population aging” in 1986 or any other time. The writing has been on the wall since at least the late 70s. A culture of narcissistic shortsightedness will be the hallmark of the baby boomer generation.
We won’t be around to see what your generation’s Hallmark will be. The Boomer generation brought in lots of innovation, like it or not we got here before you apparently and we had one hell of a good time before America turned into the nanny state is now.
Blaming a generation – heck even using the terms created by marketing companies to sell product to age targeted consumers such as “boomer” – is not useful in my opinion. Every generation has its mix of good and bad. Boomers took the opportunities available to them and ran with them. You or I would do the same thing.
The US came out of WW2 as the only solvent country with an intact industrial base and a population loaded with cash (they earned money in the war effort but had nothing to spend it on). The whole world needed to be rebuilt and the technological innovations of the 1880 to 1930 period needed to be established on the ground. The post WW2 period had low debt, high innovation in mass marketing, high levels of consumer demand for new stuff and massive global export opportunities. Of course the boomers did well.
Since the 1990’s the whole world has rebuilt, debt levels are ridiculously high and new tech innovations are about reducing headcount rather than building new products. The opportunities are more limited.
Politics has become toxic because the real productive pie is shrinking and the protected professions don’t want to give up their goodies. Politicians always want more power and -when everyone feels safe and well – they generally get that. When the tide turns – now – the politicians try to use their new powers to protect themselves and we peons get to see what we have given up.
This round of the struggle for the soul of America is only beginning. In the past we could rally around the flag because the US was predominantly white, middle class and well educated. Today we need to focus on our Christian faith.
Again, just my opinion.
Legislators and liberal government are pushing the state into decline faster than would normally occur. The population is old, new businesses few, young people leaving. I can’t think of anywhere but the Burlington area, Stowe, Killington and Manchester that are prosperous. Most of the villages and towns are in decline. Rutland, Brattleboro, Bennington, Newport, White River Junction, St Albans, Montpelier, Barre, St Johnsbury … all iffy or no growth.
Vermont will become the next national park after they get rid of the human population.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1843680154905686274
Why is Vermont unaffordable, too much government spending and regulation.
They are basically going back the feudal system of Kings and serfs, where peasants can rent from the king if they do their bidding.
You know, “You will own nothing and be happy.”
This isn’t new folks, it’s been creeping this way for at least 50 yrs. Things like act 250, the loss of manufacturing, even agriculture has bailed out leaving VT as a destination. Don’t worry they’ll keep enough youngsters around to keep the lights on and water running
One aspect I believe that should be used in comparison. That’s to use the same identical subjects listed herein to make VT’s statistics to NH. One a Socialistic state and the other a prosperous conservative state. All things relative. We know VT’s status, but too much about NH in this web site. Future writing for Mr. Keelan. Interesting article. Isn’t there a saying about “figures”?
There is a common theme in the comments, things suck! I find a mix of humor and saddness in it. I think our current predicament is on target, and normal based on history. Not one human civilization has ever gone from good to better. Our arrival in the stream of time just happens to coincides with the end of one. What rises from the ashes is any ones guess. Someone told me ” If there’s nothing you can do about it there’s nothing to worry about”.
Vermont is following once-super-prosperous California as it circles the drain, because we have gone down the socialist path…too many people riding in the wagon and too few left to push. We voted for lot’s of free stuff from “the government” and now no one wants to work. Gov. Walz says that socialism is another word for neighborliness…and glamorizing such failed policies and ideologies is a big part of the problem.
Perhaps a way to help us understand where we are is to read “The Fourth Turning” by Neil Howe and William Strauss. A very interesting theory that America operates within its own algorithm. We are currently in the “Crisis” phase. The consolation I find is that after every crisis phase, America trends more toward conservatism.