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Forum on Vermont’s Future Draws Crowd

BURLINGTON, VT, June 4, 2008 -- Some 150 people turned out at UVM’s Davis Center last night for AARP’s forum entitled “Can Vermont Afford to Grow Old?” The open public forum was held to explore the impacts on Vermont as the Baby Boomer generation ages.  Moderated by State President Jim Leddy, the forum examined the implications for individuals and the state of a rapidly aging population. 

Economist and UVM professor Art Woolf outlined the current demographics and the projected impacts on social programs, the workforce, tax burdens and the economy as a whole. Woolf stressed the decline of the working age population and the growing percentage of the population over age 65 as a troubling combination. He emphasized a focus on economic growth and development as a needed response. 

Barbara McIntosh of the UVM School of Business Administration and a national authority on older worker issues made the case for the how productive older workers will alleviate some of the burdens expected as the population ages.  With 3 out of 4 workers planning to work beyond age 65, it is critical that Vermont employers focus on retaining and attracting their valuable older workers.  She demonstrated that this segment of the population will play an increasingly critical role in the workforce and economy. 

Finally, Lisa Davis, senior vice president and a policy expert at AARP’s national office, lent a national perspective to the debate, detailing the real stresses on the American family, such as health care costs and personal financial challenges.  She stressed that cutting programs is not an answer, but that fixing the health care system, improving quality of health care, making it easier to work later in life and save for retirement as some of the areas that need the attention of leaders and policymakers -- both in Vermont and Washington, D.C.  Davis described the Divided We Fail initiative that includes a coalition of AARP, the National Business Roundtable, Service Employees International Union and the National Federation of Independent Businesses who have joined together to call for bipartisan action by Congress and the next president on affordable health care for all Americans and lifetime financial security.  Divided We Fail is seeking to ensure that health care and financial security are at the top of the national agenda for action.

For more information, go to dividedwefail.org.

In attendance were former and current legislators, Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie, UVM faculty members, hospital representatives, city officials and many local citizens interested in the topic. 

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization with 128,000 members in Vermont and 39 million members nationally. Through a wide array of special benefits, services, and information resources, we help our members make important choices, reach their goals and dreams, and make the most of life after 50.

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  Can Vermont Afford to Grow Old?

AARP State President Jim Leddy invites you to participate in a forum on Vermont’s future.

As more and more Vermonters hit retirement age, what impact will this have on the future prosperity of our state, on individual financial security, and on the key services, such as health care, that we all rely on? Join leading experts as they discuss how Vermont’s aging population will change our state and what we can do to prepare.

Moderator:
Jim Leddy, State President, AARP Vermont

Panelists:
Art Woolf, Associate Professor of Economics, UVM
Lisa Davis, Senior Vice President, Public Education, AARP National Office
Barbara McIntosh, Professor, UVM School of Business Administration

Tuesday, June 3, 2008
7:00 – 8:30 PM
UVM Davis Center, Frank Livak Room
Refreshments will be served

Parking:
Parking for the UVM Davis Center is by the tall blue water tower just east of the building.

Directions:
From I-89: Take exit 14W going towards downtown Burlington. Stay in the middle lane bearing right when the road forks. Continuing in the middle lane, stay on East Ave. until the traffic lights. Turn left at the lights and stay straight through the next set of lights (do not turn to go to the hospital). When the road splits, stay left and park within the parking lot.

From Main St. heading east: Go down Main St. towards Staples Plaza and take right turn at Spear St. and proceed left around jug handle to cross Main St. You are on East Ave. At first set of lights turn left and stay straight through the next set of lights (do not turn to go to the hospital). When the road splits, stay left and park within the parking lot.

Please send this legislative update to your friends and family members and encourage them to be an AARP Vermont e-mail advocate. They can sign up at www.aarp.org/getinvolved 

If you have any questions or comments regarding this legislative update, please do not hesitate to contact Philene Taormina at (802) 951-1304 or at ptaormina@aarp.org  AARP will take you off this mailing list if at any time you’d prefer not to receive it.

 

  UVM Transportation Research Center Awarded $1 Million for Workforce Development Project

BURLINGTON, VT - The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the University of Vermont’s Transportation Research Center (TRC) has been awarded $979,829 as part of a $1.01 million workforce development project to help develop innovative programs to attract and retain skilled workers in the transportation sector of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

“The transportation industry is a major economic sector,” said UVM President Dan Fogel, “and keeping it vibrant is critical to Vermont’s economy and our quality of life. The Transportation Research Center and its partners on this workforce development grant are an excellent example of how UVM can partner with communities to advance Vermont and New England.”

To construct and implement this workforce development program, the UVM Transportation Research Center is partnering with the Vermont Agency of Transportation, Vermont Technical College, AARP-Vermont, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, the Maine Department of Transportation, Vermont Local Roads, and The University of New Hampshire-Local Technical Assistance Program.

Given Northern New England’s demographic changes and the turbulent nature of our 21st century transportation system, the transportation sector will require a comprehensive workforce development plan. The grant awarded to the TRC will fund four new programs to help transportation leaders attract and maintain workers in this challenging environment.

The programs will tackle a host of issues including the need for transportation professionals with interdisciplinary skill sets (e.g. environmental engineering, intelligent technology, energy, public involvement, and innovative financing). While these diverse needs may challenge some with traditional road construction or traffic expertise, this newer approach creates an exciting challenge that can be used to recruit new talent and to retain existing workers.

Also to be addressed is the challenge of recruiting and training skilled maintenance workers, at times a difficult task in northern New England’s rural landscape.

And finally, the grant will fund a program that focuses on the statistics of our aging population by seeking to recruit and train the state’s growing number of retirees. Demographics—particularly in New England—point to the need to make better use of the skills and talents of retirees, from both inside and outside the transportation sector.

“Like all industries, transportation has seen an evolution of skills needed to meet the demands of the 21st century,” explains Director of the TRC, Lisa Aultman-Hall. “However, transportation plays such an integral role in our community and economy and we expect these new programs to be very successful in attracting new talent to work on the complex challenges of the system.”

“The programs are especially designed to address the needs related to finance, energy and environment,” Aultman-Hall said. “We are very pleased to have Karen Glitman, former Vermont Deputy Secretary of Transportation as the program manager for this grant. Her interdisciplinary background and approach is well suited to this challenge.”

The mission of the TRC is to develop integrated interdisciplinary research and education programs that advance the state and regional transportation system that promote a sustainable economy, healthy communities, appropriate land use development and re-development, equitable mobility, minimal environmental impacts and efficient energy use. The Center works with faculty and students in multiple Colleges at UVM. The Center was founded in 2006 with an initial grant of $16M from the U.S. DOT secured by U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy and former U.S. Sen. James Jeffords.

For more information about UVM’s Transportation Research Center, visit its website at www.uvm.ed/transportationcenter.

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  By Jim Leddy, AARP Vermont State President

April, 2008

Health Care, Financial Security and Consumer Protection Top AARP’s 2008 Advocacy Agenda

MONTPELIER, VT—AARP today introduced its top legislative priorities for 2008.  Representing more than 39 million Americans and 128,000 in Vermont, the advocacy organization will work with national and state leaders to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable health care and prescription drugs, lifetime financial security and stronger consumer protections.

“Our work as a state office supports the overall AARP agenda and through our community volunteers, staff and activists around the state we are a strong voice for positive change in Vermont and beyond,” said Jennifer Wallace-Brodeur, acting state director at AARP Vermont.

In Vermont, AARP will be working to provide access to the Catamount Health Plan for small businesses and the underinsured while supporting the implementation of the Blueprint for Health – both are part of the state’s landmark heath care reform legislation passed two years ago.  Further efforts in the Vermont Statehouse will focus on affordable energy and electricity for low income Vermonters.  In addition, AARP Vermont is advocating for a host of housing and transportation improvements impacting older Vermonters.

“We look forward to continuing our work with lawmakers across the country to seek solutions that will protect the pocketbook of every American, reform our broken health care system, and ensure that older Americans have access to appropriate and affordable housing options,” added AARP Director of Government Relations and Advocacy David Sloane.  “Working in a bipartisan fashion, we will strive to end gridlock on the tough issues facing America.”

Sloane noted that AARP is part of the Divided We Fail coalition; a national effort designed to engage the American public and elected officials in finding bipartisan solutions to ensure affordable quality health care and long-term financial security for everyone.

Highlights from AARP’s advocacy agenda include seeking solutions that will modernize and improve health care and contain costs, such as through health IT (including e-prescribing) and greater reliance on evidence-based medicine.

AARP will work to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, expand health coverage for children (SCHIP) and people age 50-64 and make prescription drugs more affordable.  On the financial front, AARP will focus on establishing programs in the workplace that help Americans save for retirement, including automatic enrollment in IRA and 401(K) plans and greater use of payroll deduction through the work place.  AARP will seek broader protections for consumers from financial fraud and abuse as well as improved  transportation and housing options for older Americans.  AARP will work to protect funding for federal housing programs and promote more affordable reverse mortgages.  The organization will also advocate for better utility regulations and more affordable energy.

For the complete AARP advocacy agenda visit: http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/aboutaarp/AARP2008AdvocacyAgenda.pdf

MONTPELIER, VT, February 11, 2008 -- Montpelier High School was presented today with a $10,000 Ethel Percy Andrus Award for Innovation.  The award honors AARP founder and former high school principal, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus on the occasion of  AARP’s 50th anniversary.  The award was presented by AARP Vermont today at a ceremony at the high school. 

Montpelier High School was one of 13 Vermont high schools that applied for the award that was judged by a panel of volunteers from the Vermont Retired Teachers Association.  The award to Montpelier High School was for their Community Sustainability Program integrating the concept of sustainability across the curriculum while reducing the school’s ecological footprint by having students grow their own food. Faculty organizers and students built a greenhouse behind the school that serves as an educational lab, outdoor classroom and teaching tool contributing to the overall mission of all Montpelier public schools.

“The construction of the greenhouse, setting up a composting program and growing food that is then served in our school cafeteria has been one way for students to observe and experience what it means to create sustainable systems,” said principal Peter Evans. 

“The award is a true validation of the hard work of many staff, teachers and students and will allow us to continue this work.”

AARP volunteer and retired teacher Sally Kalinoski made the presentation to the school inside the greenhouse facility today.  “This award recognizes the good work of Montpelier High School faculty, students and administrators and is a wonderful example of how innovative ideas and initiative can impact an entire community.” Kalinoski was one of four former Vermont teachers judging the applications.

In marking its 50th anniversary, AARP is making similar awards in all 50 states this year.  Principals were asked to provide a brief description of a successful program or practice that demonstrates innovation in student achievement or contributed to an improved environment for students, the school or the community it serves.  AARP is donating more than $1 million to support educational programs which have demonstrated a commitment to connect generations and foster greater civic engagement among students and their communities.