News

Weeks after a Vermont state legislative committee rejected a Shumlin administration request to make it easier to give involuntary treatments to mentally ill patients, the administration is asking for reconsideration.

Governor Peter Shumlin has signed Vermont's new five-year emergency plan, molded by the state's experiences in responding to and recovering from 2011's Tropical Storm Irene.

Vermont state employees will see 2.5 percent pay increases in each of the next two July’s, as well as improved dental coverage under terms of a tentative contract deal.

A New York state senator from the Hudson Valley is introducing legislation to bring unfunded mandate relief to counties.

Democratic state Senator Terry Gipson is sponsoring two bills he says will help bring mandate relief during this era of a 2-percent-mandated property tax cap.

The Williamstown Theatre Festival has named a new artistic director.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright in which the Supreme Court ruled, unanimously, that defendants in criminal cases deserved legal representation in state courts. If defendants could not afford counsel, the state would have to provide it. Those lawyers are known as public defenders. 

The tax bill for most property owners in Massachusetts’ third largest city will be going up next year

The Springfield City Council voted to keep the residential property tax rate unchanged for fiscal year 2014 at $19.71 per $1,000 valuation.  But, the tax bill on the average single family home in Springfield will go up by $91 because, for the first time in several years, property values have increased, according to Richard Allen, Chairman of the Board of Assessors.

The Essex County Board of Supervisors is debating whether to implement a 15 percent tax levy to help restore the county’s fund balance.

Two start-up insurers in the New York health exchange, one promising unlimited telemedicine, say customer queries have been rising rapidly and they expect enrollment spikes by the new Dec. 23 deadline for coverage next year.

The state reports 27,000 more approved applications over the past week, bringing the total to 284,440. About one-third have enrolled in plans, 50,119 with the 16 commercial and nonprofit insurers and 40,984 in Medicaid.