People's Budget Hearings

12/04/12 • 10 min

In the 2012 Vermont legislative session, the People’s Budget Campaign organized for an amendment to the state budget bill which established for the very first time the purpose of the state budget. The 2012 budget bill stated that the budget’s purpose is to “to address the needs of the people of Vermont in a way that advances human dignity and equity." and that "Spending and revenue policies will . . . recognize every person's need for health, housing, dignified work, education, food, social security, and a healthy environment." As part of the amendments to the budget, the state is required to have public participation in the development of the state budget. As a result, on November 13th and 19th of 2012, the state held hearings through Vermont Interactive Television. Many of the people who turned out to VIT budget hearings spoke about what the human rights crisis looks like in their communities. In addition to establishing the purpose of the state budget, the 2012 budget bill also included language to address in inequalities in VT’s revenue raising policies. The upcoming legislative session will be crucial in establishing next steps for adopting a People’s Budget that ensures and fulfills everyone’s human rights in VT For more information, go to www.workerscenter.org

Previous Episode

Governors Conference and the People's Convention

On Sunday July 29th, hundreds of people turned out in Burlington VT to protest a closed door conference of governors and premiers from New England and Canada. Groups from across the region came together to tell elected officials loud and clear that governments must be accountable and transparent, and must both protect our human rights as well as the environment. Many groups were there to speak out against the tar sands pipeline proposed to be built across New England, and to draw connections between climate change and the struggle for human rights. Participants created a human oil spill in front of the hotel where the conference was happening, to draw attention to the danger of tar sands oil. Later in the afternoon, in a dramatic turn of events, the Burlington police used tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters attempting to block the buses carrying the governors from leaving the hotel. In contrast to the Governor’s Conference, the upcoming People’s Convention for Human Rights offers a space for people to envision and articulate a better world. Put People First Radio is a project of the People’s Media Project. For more information, go to www.workerscenter.org/media/radio For more information on the VT People's Convention for Human Rights, go to www.vtpeoplesconvention.org

Next Episode

Day 1 Put People First Rally

On the first day of the legislative session this year, a unified, diverse, and growing movement of organizations called Put People First packed the Vermont Statehouse. Put People First believes Vermont can and must protect and fulfill the human rights of all its people, while ensuring a healthy and livable environment. The movement unveiled its Put People First Agenda and delivered thousands of postcards collected over the past year to legislators, showing the breadth of statewide support for making human rights a reality in Vermont. With the Put People First Agenda, the people of Vermont call on the legislature to take concrete steps to move this vision forward. The Put People First Agenda puts forth a plan for holding Vermont accountable to its obligation to fulfill the people’s human rights by taking action on universal healthcare, dignified work and the right to organize, freedom of movement and access to transportation, inclusion of people with disabilities, the right to a healthy environment and livable planet for all, and a budgeting process that puts people, not money, at its center. Put People First includes 350 Vermont, Green Mountain Self-Advocates, Migrant Justice, Rising Tide Vermont, United Professionals of Vermont/AFT, Vermont Center for Independent Living, VT Early Educators United/AFT, VT Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals AFT, Vermont Workers’ Center, and Voices for Vermont Children. The Vermont Workers’ Center coordinates Put People First.