By Guy Page

The Vermont Supreme Court on June 30 overturned Environmental Court decisions that had prevented the City of Essex Junction from enforcing its zoning regulations against a landowner’s duck-raising and cannabis-cultivation operations.

The high court held that state statutes concerning agricultural practices and cannabis cultivation do not grant a blanket exemption from all municipal regulation.

The case involved landowner Jason Struthers, who raises and sells ducks and duck eggs, and also operates a licensed outdoor cannabis growing operation at his property. Neighbors, Stephen and Sharon Wille Padnos, appealed decisions that allowed these operations to continue despite the City’s zoning regulations which do not permit agricultural or cannabis establishments in that district.

State will run a surplus – The State of Vermont will likely conclude the 2024-25 fiscal year with a budget surplus, according to state officials.

Vermont state revenue collections for April 2025 significantly outpaced expectations, with General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts totaling $538.9 million—exceeding the monthly consensus target of $470.9 million by 14.4%, according to the latest report from the Agency of Administration.

The General Fund led the gains with $444.3 million in revenue, outperforming its $379.1 million target by 17.2%. This growth was driven by broad strength across most revenue categories, offset only slightly by underperformance in the Meals and Rooms, Insurance, Estate, and Other tax categories, which fell a combined $8.2 million below projections. 

Transportation Fund revenues came in at $27 million, just above the $26.8 million target. Gains in the Gasoline Tax, Motor Vehicle Purchase and Use Tax, and miscellaneous fees were slightly tempered by lower-than-expected returns from the Diesel Tax and Motor Vehicle Fees.

Meanwhile, the Education Fund posted revenues of $67.7 million, outperforming the $65 million forecast by 4.1%. A $3.2 million surplus in the Sales and Use Tax was the main contributor, partially offset by a modest underperformance in other sources.

“Once again, cumulative General Fund receipts finished well above consensus expectations, leaving little doubt the State will end fiscal year 2025 with a surplus,” said Secretary of Administration Kristin Clouser Clark. “The Education Fund remains on track to exceed its target, though by a narrower margin. At this point, the Transportation Fund presents the greatest risk of underperformance, as consumer behavior and travel may be impacted by the threat of new tariffs during the early summer tourism season.”

AIDS Memorial Quilt panel on display this summer – from June 3 – August 2, the Vermont Historical Society on Main St. in Montpelier will display a panel of the AIDS Memorial Quilt.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt is part of the National AIDS Memorial, which is dedicated to sharing the story of the AIDS pandemic. Conceived in 1985, the Memorial Quilt is considered the largest community arts project in history.

The Quilt was first displayed with nearly 2,000 panels at the National Mall in Washington DC in October 1987. Today, the quilt consists of more than 50,000 individual panels, each recognizing an individual who died of AIDS-related complications. 

Eight panels are grouped into blocks. VHS will display Block #4007, on loan from the National AIDS Memorial, which contains a panel honoring Joseph Anthony Dattilo, the brother of Vermonter Mary Ann Boyd. The block will be hung in the museum lobby. Admission is not required to view the quilt.