MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont Gov. Phil Scott is scheduled to give his annual budget address to a joint session of the Legislature Tuesday afternoon.
He is expected to once again make affordability a central theme of the address, as well as reversing the tide of an aging demographic.
The governor is expected to focus on major initiatives including housing and deregulating how the state approves projects, as well as funding for fixing up blighted homes and apartments.
Disagreements over state spending have sparked friction in recent years between Scott and Democrats but with new GOP gains in November, the democratic majority will now have to compromise with the administration on some priorities in the $7 billion budget.
In order to keep costs in check, the governor has asked departments to keep spending in line with inflation — at about three percent. However, keeping costs low has proved difficult as health care continues to drive the cost of labor.
Economists say Vermont’s economy is healthy but that there are still lots of unknowns on how the new Trump administration will impact it.
WCAX will carry the budget address online at 1 p.m.