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Focus on Vermont |
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The
name “Vermont” comes from Champlain’s map of 1647 where he
labeled the area “verd mont”, meaning “green mountain”. The
state was originally inhabited by the Native American tribes of
Abenaki and Iroquois. They first came to hunt big game animals
such as caribou and mastodons. Later, as more forest land grew,
they hunted small ga
The
state is the nation’s leading producer of maple syrup. IBM
provides 25% of all manufacturing jobs in the state and is
responsible for over 1 billion of the state’s annual economy.
Other important industries include dairy farming and the
manufacture and sale of “artisan” foods, fancy foods and novelty
items trading in part upon the “Vermont” brand which the state
manages. These food items include Cabot Cheese, the Vermont
Teddy Bear, Lake Champlain Chocolates and Ben and Jerry’s Ice
Cream. Wineries have also become a noted part of the economy
along with tourism. Tourism draws include numerous ski resorts
that host skiers from around the world and summer camps that
attract outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Over the past two
centuries logging has fallen off as a maj Interestingly, “captive” insurance is playing an increasingly large role in Vermont’s economy. It is an alternative form of insurance wherein large corporations or industry associations form stand alone insurance companies to insure their own risks which has substantially reduced their insurance premiums and given them a significant measure of control over types of risks to be covered. It also gives them significant tax advantages. The state of Vermont is the third largest entity worldwide to house captive insurance companies following Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.
The
state is governed by a constitution with the same three branches
as our federal government. The governor and the General
Assembly serve two-year terms. There are n
Vermonters
have historically been known for their independence. They are,
in fact, the only state to have voted for a presidential
candidate from the Anti-Masonic Party. Rules which abolish
Vermont is the only state in the union not to have a balanced
budget requirement and yet it has had a balanced budget every
year since 1991. The general sales tax is 6% which is imposed
upon the sales of tangible personal property and a few other
miscellaneous categories. Exemptions to the sales tax include
medical items, clothing, food and electricity. During the past
three decades, the state’s state and local tax burden has
consistently ranked among the highest in the nation. The top
individual income tax bracket is 9.5% starting at an income of
$349,700. The state’s corporate tax system has three brackets
with a top rate of 8.5% on income over $25,000. The state also
co Vermont is a safe place to live as it has been ranked number two in the nation for safety based on crime statistics. It has been ranked among the best five states in the nation for preventing premature death in people under 75 years of age. It is the third safest state for highway fatalities. It is the 5th best state for fewest uninsured motorists.
The
state has a population barely exceeding 600,000 surpassing only
Wyoming in numbers. Most of the state is forest with the rest
covered in meadows, lakes and wetlands. It has warm, humid
summers The largest ancestry groups are French or French Canadian (24%), English (18%), Irish (16%) followed by German, American, Italian and Scottish. Native Americans make up .4% of the population. Religiously, the United Church of Christ is the largest Protestant denomination. The largest single religious body is the Roman Catholic Church. Over one-fifth of Vermonters identify themselves as non-religious. Vermont is a beautiful state, particularly in the fall with its multi-colors. Maple syrup festivals also abound during that time. |
What
you might not know about Vermont is . . . that it has a sea
monster. In fact, it has two. Locals say the first one lives
in Lake Champlain and they call it “Champ”. It supposedly looks
like a giant snake and is said to be at least 20 feet long. The
French explorer Champlain, for whom the lake is named, claimed
to have seen the giant serpent in 1609 when he came across the
lake while fighting Iroquois Indians. The second one lives in
Lake Memphremagog at the border of Vermont and Canada. There
have been more than 200 sightings of it in the last 150 years.
me and learned to gather berries and herbs
and make maple syrup. Today, the Abenaki that remain continue
these traditions.
or industry due to
initial over-cutting. The cut back on logging has allowed
Vermont’s land and forests to recover. In fact, 77% of the
state is forest land, most of which is second-growth.
o term limits for any
office. There are three types of incorporated municipalities:
towns, cities and villages. On the second Tuesday of each
March, voters in their respective municipalities come together
to discuss and vote on town issues. It is called “Town Meeting
Day”. For over 200 years this has been an important political
event as citizens elect local officials and vote on town and
school budgets and make other decisions for the town. It has
also become an important venue to discuss state and national
issues that affect the state. There is very little provision
for autonomous county governments. All county services are
directly funded by the state. 
smaller parties from a ballot in other states do not exist in
Vermont and as a result, voters often have extensive choices for
general elections. Their independence has led to movements for
the establishment of the Second Vermont Republic and other
secession plans, including becoming an 11th Canadian
province. Despite that, until recently, Vermont historically
has been considered to be reliably Republican. Prior to 1992,
they had only voted Democratic once. In 1992, they supported
Bill Clinton and they have voted Democratic in national
elections ever since. They gave Obama his third largest winning
margin of 68% - 31%. That noted, the current governor is
Republican and one of their U.S. Senators is registered as an
independent.
llects property taxes at the state and local levels. Money
from the state’s lotteries supplies 2% of the annual expenditure
for education. All lottery profits must be spent on education.
and cold winters. Vermont is known for its mud season
in the spring. Annual snowfall averages between 60 and 100
inches depending upon the elevation.