Peter Hirschfeld
ReporterHelp shape my reporting:
The Vermont Statehouse is often called the people’s house. I am your eyes and ears there. I keep a close eye on how legislation could affect your life; I also regularly speak to the people who write that legislation. The more I hear from you, the better I’ll be at my job. So, what issues do you want lawmakers to focus on? What info do you most urgently need?
I'm eager to hear from you. Get in touch using the form below:
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About Peter:
Peter Hirschfeld covers state government and the Vermont Legislature. He is based in Vermont Public’s Capital Bureau located across the street from Vermont’s Statehouse.
Hirschfeld is a Vermont journalist who has covered the Statehouse since 2009, most recently as bureau chief for the Rutland Herald and Times Argus. He began his career in 2003, working as a local sports reporter and copy editor at the Times Argus.
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Heavy rains and melting snow are forecast for our region, and that could cause area rivers — like the Otter Creek at Rutland and the Winooski at Waterbury — to rise and overflow their banks. -
The Vermont Human Rights Commission is asking lawmakers and the governor to nearly double its annual budget to address a lack of capacity at the agency. -
Democratic lawmakers on Saturday declined to hold a vote that would have measured support for incumbent candidate Jill Krowinski, a Democrat from Burlington who’s served in the speaker’s post for the last four years. -
A forecast published this week by the Vermont Department of Taxes projects a 5.9% jump in property taxes next year, but Republican Gov. Phil Scott said he is seeking to put forward a proposal that would keep tax bills flat in 2025. -
Republicans now have enough members in both the House and Senate to sustain Gov. Phil Scott's vetoes, and House Minority Leader Pattie McCoy said they plan to use that power. -
While next year’s forecast isn’t as dire as some elected officials had feared, Democrats and Republicans say the projected increase is more than many homeowners can bear. -
Next week, the Department of Taxes will issue a highly anticipated letter that will give lawmakers, school boards and the public their first look at how much property taxes are expected to rise next year. -
One third of Vermont’s high school students say they’re struggling with mental health issues, and nearly a quarter say they've engaged in acts of self-harm. -
Trump has repeatedly vowed to deport all of the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally. That population includes approximately 1,500 immigrants living and working on Vermont’s dairy farms, many of whom have resided in the state for more than a decade. -
Defensores locales quieren que funcionarios de Vermont protejan a los trabajadores agrícolas migrantes y a otros inmigrantes de esfuerzos de deportación masiva de la próxima administración de Trump.
