Episode 4

A promotion, a budget address, and cost shifting with John Walters

January 29, 2026: In today's conversation, John Walters of the Vermont Political Observer updates listeners on Nick Deml's new job, shares his thoughts on Governor Scott's budget address, and questions the need for county sheriffs. 

As mentioned:

PAI's 2019 State of Working Vermont Report, looking at underinvestment in public needs: https://publicassets.org/research-publications/state-of-working-vermont-2019

And, in comparison, PAI's 2022 State of Working Vermont Report, looking at how more money is better for households and the economy: https://publicassets.org/research-publications/state-of-working-vermont-2022

Read John's work: https://thevpo.org/

View Artist Kent Monkman's work: https://www.kentmonkman.com/

Theme music by Red Heart the Ticker: http://www.rhtt.net/

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The Montpelier Happy Hour
A show about how things in the State House shake out for the rest of us

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About your hosts

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Olga Peters

Producer and host Olga is a journalist by day and a screenwriter by night. On the Montpelier Happy Hour she combines a newshound's doggedness with a fiction writer's sense of "what if...".
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Emilie Kornheiser

Regular contributor Emilie Kornheiser represents Windham District 2-1 in the Vermont House of Representatives (that’s Brattleboro.) She always appreciates an opportunity to unpack the stories that drive us and hopes her gravestone will read “she asked good questions.” You can find more about her and her work in the legislature at emiliekornheiser.org.