The Deeper Dig is a weekly podcast from the VTDigger newsroom. Listen below, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
Before adjourning last weekend, the Vermont Legislature passed a budget for the 2019 fiscal year. Gov. Phil Scott says he’ll veto it over a disagreement about the use of one-time money, but the general framework is not likely to change.
And it provides the answer to an obvious question: How does the state spend its money?
On this week’s podcast, learn about every major spending category in Vermont’s $5.8 billion blueprint, from administering the broad-ranging Agency of Human Services to pricing road salt for winter weather. And to illustrate how those dollars are divided, this episode is split up just like the state budget: the more money in a spending category, the longer you’ll hear about it.
Legislative Chief Fiscal Officer Stephen Klein and Senate Appropriations Chair Jane Kitchel describe where the state’s major agencies are putting their pennies. VTDigger’s Mike Faher reveals how this budget sets the stage for major changes to mental health services. Agency of Education CFO Emily Byrne talks about the tension around education funding. Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn shows how VTrans is more than just snowplows. Plus, VTDigger’s Colin Meyn puts the $33 million debate over one-time money in context ahead of next week’s special session.
Subscribe to the Deeper Dig on Apple Podcasts or Google Play. Hat tip to NPR’s Planet Money for the format of this episode.
