Governor Scott's Vision and Agenda for 2024
State of the State
On January 4, Governor Scott laid out his 2024 priorities in a State of the State address to the Vermont Legislature. The Governor outlined challenges and opportunities for the state in the coming year, and highlighted how Vermonters can help the State in its work to revitalize communities in all 14 counties. He called on legislators to prioritize three key issues this session – housing, affordability and public safety – which sit at the heart of the state's demographic challenges.
"This session, let’s honor Vermonters' resilience and strength, kindness and generosity – not only in flood recovery, but by working together to address persistent problems, like demographics, housing, affordability, and recent increases in violence and crime.
"To meet this moment, we are going to have to prioritize, set aside good things that are less urgent, and rise above the toxic polarization of America’s political parties to focus our work directly on these fundamental issues. If we do, we’ll turn catastrophe into opportunity once more."
Read his full State of the State.
Budget Address
On January 23, Governor Scott delivered his Fiscal Year 2025 budget proposal and his budget address to the Vermont Legislature. As he did in his State of the State, the Governor asked lawmakers to work with him to address the core challenges of affordability, public safety and housing, outlining new proposals and funding for each. And he urged the Legislature to recognize the budget pressures in a year after record spending and with pandemic aid drying up.
"I don’t think there will be a lot of disagreement about what’s in this budget. The disagreement will lie in what’s not in it. But pretending we can fund everything isn’t realistic.
"We have to be honest, just pushing more and more money at problems and needs, hasn’t always equaled progress. Not in education, pensions, state colleges, housing, homelessness, and other areas where we’ve funded, but have not fixed, the problem.
"I believe there is a better way. A middle majority of this Legislature can help Vermont find the sweet spot, where we do the hard policy work and invest in the things that help people, without pushing them further behind, or making it too expensive for young workers to get started here, and without forcing our anchor employers out of state, or “Main Street” mom and pops out of business. You see, I’m not even asking you to cross the aisle, which I’ve done for over twenty years. I’m just asking you to meet me in the middle."
Read Governor Scott's Past Addresses:
- 2017 Inaugural Address
- 2017 (FY18) Budget Address
- 2018 State of the State Address
- 2018 (FY19) Budget Address
- 2019 Inaugural Address
- 2019 (FY20) Budget Address
- 2020 State of the State Address
- 2020 (FY21) Budget Address
- 2021 Inaugural Address
- 2021 (FY22) Budget Address
- 2022 State of the State Address
- 2022 (FY23) Budget Address
- 2023 Inaugural Address
- 2023 (FY24) Budget Address