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 here.
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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Just like last July, Barre City was one of the hardest-hit communities in the state. And many of the neighborhoods that experienced severe damage last year watched helplessly Wednesday night as their homes got inundated again. -
Much of northern and central Vermont is expected to get 2 to 3 inches of rain Wednesday, with localized areas getting 4 inches or more. A tornado watch is also in effect until 9 p.m. -
Doug and Rhoda Mason found a place to live after their home was destroyed in a landslide last July, but the Barre City couple is still very much displaced. -
New data from the Vermont Department of Corrections shows a 25% increase in detainees in prisons from five years ago. Officials said it could be due to the pandemic-era backlog of cases. -
Interviews with flood survivors, state and local officials and current and former FEMA employees reveals a pattern of administrative bloat at a federal agency that, to many Vermonters, seemed less interested in providing assistance than in finding ways to reject requests for aid. -
The governor’s willingness to use his veto pen — and Democrats’ ability to erase it — represents a deepening partisan chasm in Montpelier. -
Republican Gov. Phil Scott says the 'renewable energy standard' will increase electricity costs at a time when Vermont is becoming increasingly unaffordable. -
Earlier in the week the governor cited an "enormous amount of concern" from Vermont businesses about the requirements in the bill. -
Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s highly anticipated plan to lower statewide property tax bills next year is being panned by Democratic lawmakers as a “fiscally irresponsible proposal” that would compromise the state’s financial health for years to come. -
The veto comes three weeks before the end of the fiscal year for public schools in Vermont and sets up a potentially high-stakes negotiation as the clock winds down.
