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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Kentucky State Penitentiary found 72-year-old Gary Scheafer experiencing a severe medical event on Sunday. -
Gov. Phil Scott called on Vermonters to not let the incident escalate tensions or incite more hate.
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State Treasurer Mike Pieciak said the plan will use money on hand in the state treasury to underwrite $15 million in low-interest loans to municipalities.
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An all-volunteer effort that’s sprung up to help central Vermonters recover from the flood is drawing volunteer labor from some unlikely places.
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When the value of a property is reduced due to a fire or flood, municipalities can provide tax abatements that acknowledge the loss of value. Those abatements mean less property tax revenue for the statewide education fund.
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As concerns mount for the hundreds of Vermonters whose homes still aren’t repaired from the summer floods, the state is launching a new disaster case management system as a “last resort” for displaced survivors.
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A new coalition that wants to increase taxes on Vermont’s highest earners is calling on lawmakers to pass legislation next year that it says will generate close to $100 million in state revenue annually.
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Vermont Center for Independent Living wants the state to reboot the program, but the state says there isn't federal funding for it.
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The Department for Children and Families unveiled a policy Monday that will provide unhoused Vermonters with free motel rooms for three months this winter. But some advocates say the plan will still expose vulnerable residents to the elements.
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During the last legislative session, lawmakers overrode Gov. Phil Scott’s veto to pass a clean heat standard. When lawmakers reconvene in January, they’ll take up legislation that seeks to decarbonize the state’s electric grid.
