Agenda and Presenters

Recommitting to Vermont, Seizing the Opportunity
How to Use the Crisis to Make Vermont Work for Everyone

September 30, 2010 | Capitol Plaza Hotel | Montpelier, Vermont

Agenda

8:30–Registration

8:50–Opening remarks

9:00–The Opportunity

9:10–Investing in People and Infrastructure
Jeffrey Thompson, Economist, Political Research Institute at UMass, Amherst

Jeff’s work focuses on domestic economic policy, especially state and local government finance in New England. Jeff has a Ph.D. in economics from Syracuse University. Prior to his Ph.D. work, Jeff was a labor analyst at the Oregon Center for Public Policy.

10:05–Break

10:15–Vermont budget and revenue context: What’s holding us back from making needed public investments?
Paul Cillo

11:00–Morning breakout sessions

12:30–Lunch

12:50–Keynote address: Cornelius Hogan
Con has served in the administrations of Governors Davis, Salmon, Snelling, and Dean. He was Secretary of Vermont’s Agency of Human Services from 1991 through 1999. He has a Master’s Degree in Government Administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and currently serves on a number of nonprofit boards including that of the Public Assets Institute.

1:45–Afternoon breakout sessions

2:45–Break

3:00–Putting It All Together: Panelists will summarize the discussion from the four breakout sessions and sketch an action plan.

3:45–Wrap up

Conference Presenters

Paul Cillo, Executive Director, Public Assets Institute

Michael Costa, Director, Blue Ribbon Tax Structure Commission

Carlen Finn, Executive Director, Voices for Vermont’s Children

Jack Hoffman, Senior Analyst, Public Assets Institute

Con Hogan, Independent Consultant

Nicole Mace, Research Coordinator, Voices for Vermont’s Children

Julie Lowell, Case Manager/Advocacy Coordinator, COTS

Dr. Frank Perotti Jr., Superintendent of Springfield Schools

Barbara Postman, Policy Coordinator, Voices for Vermont’s Children

Sheila Reed, Legislative and Community Advocacy Coordinator, Voices for Vermont’s Children

Jeff Thompson, Assistant Research Professor, Political Economy Research Institute (PERI), Amherst, MA

David Tucker, Deputy Director of Program, Central Vermont Community Action Council (CVCAC) & Public Assets’ Board Member