**SAVE THE DATE**
LEGISLATIVE DAY
Thursday, February 12th
State House, Montpelier
PLEASE SET ASIDE FEBRUARY 12th as a day that you and your organization’s key supporters will spend in Montpelier talking and advocating in the Legislature on the importance of Vermont Housing and Conservation Board funding for your organization and the communities it serves.
Amid ongoing State budget challenges, Governor Shumlin continues to show strong support for VHCB. He has proposed $16.1 MILLION FOR VHCB – $12.2 million from the Property Transfer Tax, $2.8 million from the Capital Budget, and $1.1 million in interest, loan repayments and other miscellaneous revenues. This represents LEVEL FUNDING and, with another $94 million budget gap, is a positive development. Yet the need for VHCB investments in housing and conservation is far greater and easily exceeds the additional $2.9 million VHCB would receive if its statutory funding formula were followed.
We need members to TURN OUT IN FORCE to support the Governor’s request and tell lawmakers how VHCB investments will benefit Vermont communities. Voices are again being raised to say that we can eliminate VHCB’s conservation funding. We need to reaffirm our core message that conservation and affordable housing are both critical economic development investments that must remain a priority for our state.
Tentative Schedule:
7:30- 9:00 – Breakfast meetings with individual legislators (breakfast sponsored by VHCC)
9:00- 10:00 – Welcome and meeting with Governor Peter Shumlin, Lt. Governor Phil Scott, Senate President John Campbell, House Speaker Shap Smith, and other legislative leaders (all invited)
10:00- 11:00 – Joint meeting of Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs and House General, Housing & Military Affairs Committees
10:15-11:15 – Meeting with House Fish, Wildlife & Water Resources Committee
11:00-12:00 – Joint meeting with Senate & House Agriculture Committees
11:00- 12:00 – Senate Natural Resources & Energy Committee
12:00-1:30 – Lunch, and throughout the day – Meetings with individual legislators
1:45- 2:30 – Meeting with Senate Institutions Committee
2:00 – 3:00 – Ice cream social
Time TBA – Senate Health & Welfare Committee, and the House Natural Resources, Human Services, and Institutions Committees
Additional meetings with legislative committees are in the process of being scheduled; a final agenda and detailed invitation with talking points will follow.
For further information, contact:
Erhard Mahnke at 233-2902 or erhardm@burlingtontelecom.net
John Shullenberger at 373-2590 or jdsdiann@together.net
Adam Necrason at 223-9988 or adam@necrasongroup.com
