Act 181 and the Northeast Kingdom

Chamber director Loralee Tester recently shared thoughts on Act 181 in an op ed in VTDigger.

"...Act 181 deserves far more scrutiny than it has received. Because if we are not careful, we will repeat an old pattern in a new form: powerful people deciding, with full confidence in their own righteousness, which Vermonters belong in the future of this state and which do not."

She's not alone in her call for added scrutiny. In a recent article from the Caledonian Record, one Concord, Vermont resident explained the impact of such legislation on their ability to build a life for their family.

In a state where we continue to grapple with worsening demographic outlooks and a deepening housing crisis, any policy that restricts a community’s freedom to develop with dignity deserves thorough questioning.

That’s exactly why we’d like to shine a spotlight on a movement of rural voices headed to the Vermont State House, Tuesday March 24th at 12:00 PM.

Act 181 impacts all rural Vermonters equally. We encourage legislatures to listen to rural voices and to weigh the implications of this legislation as written on the cost of living, and workforce & housing shortages.