View source for Government of Vermont

{{Short description|Government of the U.S. state of Vermont}}
{{Infobox political system
| name                          = Government of Vermont
| native_name                   =
| image                         = Vermont state seal.svg
| image_size                    = 150
| caption                       = [[Seal of Vermont|Great Seal of the State of Vermont]]
| type                          = [[Presidential Republic]]
| constitution                  = [[Constitution of Vermont]] 
| legislature                   = [[Vermont General Assembly|General Assembly]]
| legislature_type              = [[Bicameral]] 
| legislature_place             = [[Vermont State House]]
| upperhouse                    = [[Vermont Senate|Senate]]
| upperhouse_speaker            = [[John S. Rodgers]]
| upperhouse_speaker_title      = [[List of lieutenant governors of Vermont|President]]
| lowerhouse                    = [[Vermont House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]
| lowerhouse_speaker            = [[Jill Krowinski]]
| lowerhouse_speaker_title      =  [[List of speakers of the Vermont House of Representatives|Speaker]]
| lowerhouse_appointer          =
| title_hosag                   = [[Governor of Vermont|Governor]]
| current_hosag                 = [[Phil Scott]]
| appointer_hosag               = [[Election]]
| cabinet                       = 7 Executive Agencies
| cabinet_leader                = Governor
| cabinet_deputyleader          = [[List of lieutenant governors of Vermont|Lieutenant Governor]]
| cabinet_hq                    = [[The Pavilion (Vermont)|The Pavilion]]
| judiciary                     = [[Judiciary of Vermont]]
| courts                        = 
| court                         = [[Vermont Supreme Court]]
| chief_judge                   = [[Paul Reiber]]
| court_seat                    = [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]]
}}

[[Image:VtStateHouseGrounds.JPG|thumb|[[Vermont State House]]]]

The '''government of [[Vermont]]''' is a [[republic]]an form of government modeled after the [[Government of the United States]]. The [[Constitution of Vermont]] is the supreme law of the state, followed by the [[Vermont Statutes]]. This is roughly analogous to the Federal [[United States Constitution]], [[United States Code]] and [[Code of Federal Regulations]] respectively. Provision is made for the following frame of government under the Constitution of the State of Vermont: the [[executive branch]], the [[legislative branch]], and the [[judicial branch]]. All members of the executive and legislative branch serve two-year terms including the governor and senators. There are no [[term limit]]s for any office.

The Vermont state capital is [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]]. In 1791, Vermont [[List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union|joined the United States as the fourteenth state]].

An in-depth evaluation of government in 2008 ranked Vermont high compared to other states. It ranked highest in "small discrete issues and huge global ones." It performed poorly in the issues in-between and planning for the future.<ref>[http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/Grading-the-States-2008.pdf Pew Report 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028183611/http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/Grading-the-States-2008.pdf |date=2008-10-28 }} accessed March 26, 2008</ref>

== Civil rights and liberties ==

The [[Vermont Constitution]] guarantees broad rights for its citizens. Adopted in 1793, it contains in its first article ("Declaration of the Rights of the Inhabitants of the State of Vermont") a far-reaching [[bill of rights]], one of the most extensive in the world at the time of its adoption. Predating the ratification of the [[United States Bill of Rights]] by 14 years, the 1777 Constitution prohibited slavery and [[indentured servitude]] and provided for [[universal male suffrage]], with no property ownership requirement for voting rights. It also set forth broad protections of religious freedom and conscience while erecting a strong [[separation between church and state]] by prohibiting establishment or promotion of any faith by the government or compulsion to worship. The "Declaration of the Rights of the Inhabitants of The State of Vermont" is believed to have been a model for France's [[Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen]] later.

==Legislative branch==
Vermont's [[State legislature (United States)|state legislature]] is the [[Vermont General Assembly]], a [[bicameral legislature|bicameral body]] composed of the [[Vermont House of Representatives]] (the [[lower house]]) and the [[Vermont Senate]] (the [[upper house]]) meet at the [[Vermont State House]]. The Senate is composed of 30 state senators, while the House of Representatives has 150 members.

State legislators are paid $536 per week while the legislature is in session plus $87 per diem.<ref>[http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=14244 Legislative Pay] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207215629/http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=14244 |date=2012-02-07 }} accessed February 9, 2008</ref>

With the current estimated population of Vermont from the last [[U.S. Census]], there is approximately one Representative for every 4,059 residents.<ref>[http://www.leg.state.vt.us/reports/02Redistricting/Redistricting_Standards.pdf Vermont Legislature Redistricting] accessed February 9, 2008</ref>

==Executive branch==
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Elected Executive Officers of Vermont">
File:Phil Scott.jpg|[[Governor of Vermont|Governor]] [[Phil Scott]] (R)
File:John S. Rodgers, 2024.jpg|[[Lieutenant Governor of Vermont|Lieutenant Governor]] <br> [[John S. Rodgers]] (R)
File:Sarah Copeland-Hanzas at Secretary of State Democratic Party Primary Forum (cropped).jpg |[[Secretary of State of Vermont|Secretary of State]] [[Sarah Copeland-Hanzas]] (D)
File:Charity Clark.jpg |[[Vermont Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[Charity Clark]] (D)
File:Mike Pieciak on All Things LGBTQ (cropped).jpg |[[Vermont State Treasurer|State Treasurer]] [[Mike Pieciak]] (D)
File:Doug Hoffer (cropped).png|[[Vermont Auditor of Accounts|Auditor]] <br> [[Doug Hoffer]] (P)  
</gallery>

The Executive Branch consists of the [[Governor of Vermont]], and state agencies. The executive branch enacts and enforces the laws of the state. The Governor is the supreme executive. The current Governor is [[Phil Scott]], a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]].

The offices of the Governor are located at [[The Pavilion (government building)|The Pavilion]] in [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]], the state capital. The governor is paid a salary of $181,646.40 annually.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://data.vermont.gov/widgets/jgqy-2smf|title = State of Vermont Employee Salaries &#124; Open Data &#124; State of Vermont}}</ref>

Vermonters elect a state [[governor]] and [[lieutenant governor]] on separate tickets.  For example, when Republican Governor [[Richard Snelling]] died in office in 1991, the Democratic Lieutenant Governor [[Howard Dean]] succeeded him for the remainder of that term. In addition to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Vermonters elect four other officials on a statewide ballot: [[Secretary of State of Vermont|Secretary of State]], State Treasurer, [[Vermont Auditor of Accounts]], and [[Vermont Attorney General|Attorney General]].

The executive branch had about 8,000 employees in 2005, making it the largest employer in the state.<ref>[http://www.vermontpersonnel.org/htm/pdf/WorkForceReportFY05.pdf Vermont Personnel report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509122916/http://www.vermontpersonnel.org/htm/pdf/WorkForceReportFY05.pdf |date=2008-05-09 }} accessed February 3, 2008</ref> This high number is due, in part, to Vermont (and New England's) practice of assuming the functions, and therefore the budgets of the county government which is nearly non-existent. In 2008, there were 8262 people working for the government.<ref name="bfp100701">{{cite book | author = Remsen, Nancy |title = Administration cuts 150 jobs in government | publisher = Burlington Free Press | date = July 2, 2008}}</ref> The average salary of a state employee was $50,014 in 2008.<ref>{{cite book | author = Remsen, Nancy |title = Budget awaits job-cut list | publisher = Burlington Free Press | date = February 19, 2009}}</ref> In 2010, state employees agreed to take a 3% cut in salary and wages so that the government could balance the budget.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Nancy | last=Remsen | title=Share the road. It's thee law | publisher=Burlington Free Press | location=Burlington, Vermont | pages= 1A, 54A | date=1 July 2010 }}</ref>

There are three levels of bureaucracy: at the highest are secretaries and agencies; the next level are commissions; the third are departments and offices. Some commissions still retain their old name of "Department", as well as agencies, e.g. "Department of Transportation" is an agency.

There are seven agencies run by appointed secretaries: Administration, [[Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets]] (Agriculture), [[Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development|Commerce and Community Development]], Digital Services, [[Vermont Agency of Human Services|Human Services]], Natural Resources, and [[Vermont Agency of Transportation|Transportation]]. The salaries of the secretaries range from $109,000 to $128,169 annually.<ref name="salaries">{{cite book | author = Hallenbeck, Terri |title = Salaries for Vermont's top administrators | publisher = Burlington Free Press | date = November 8, 2008}}</ref>

There are 21 commissions run by individual appointed commissioners: Aging and Independent Living, Buildings and General Services, [[Vermont Department for Children and Families|Children and Families]], Corrections, Disabilities, Economic Development, [[Vermont State Board of Education|Education]], Finance, Financial Regulation, Fish and Wildlife, Forests, Health, Human Resources, Information and Innovation, Labor, [[Vermont Department of Liquor Control|Liquor Control]], Mental Health, [[Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles|Motor Vehicles]], Parks and Recreation, Public Safety, [[Vermont Public Service Board|Public Service]], Taxes, and Tourism. The salaries of the commissioners range from $83,387 to $121,596 annually.<ref name="salaries"/>

The bureaucracy is structured as follows:

The governor, with approval of the legislature, appoints people to boards. Six boards govern the following commissions: a) Banking, Insurance, Securities, and Health Care Administration; b) Education - Run by Vermont State Board of Education; c) Labor; d) Liquor Control; e) Public Safety; and f) Public Service (advocacy).

The remaining commissions are under the following agencies along with various departments as indicated:
<!---may need integration with the above--->
*Administration Agency:
**Buildings and General Services Commission
**Finance and Management Commission
**Human Resources Commission
**Libraries Department
**Tax Commission
*Agriculture Agency
*Commerce and Community Development Agency:
**Economic Development Commission
**Tourism and Marketing Commission
**Housing and Community Affairs Commission
* Digital Services
*Human Services Agency:
**Department of Children and Families
**Department of Corrections
**Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living
**Department of Health. The commissioner of health is Harry Chen, M.D.<ref>[http://healthvermont.gov/admin/about/about_vdh.aspx About the Department of Health - Vermont Department of Health]. Healthvermont.gov. Retrieved on 2014-04-12.</ref>
**Department of Mental Health.
**Department of Vermont Health Access
*Natural Resources Agency:
**Department of Environmental Conservation
**Fish and Wildlife Commission
**Forest Parks and Recreation Commission
*Transportation Agency:
**Highways
**Motor Vehicles Commission
**Aeronautics and Public Transit
There are more than 100 transportation-related fees in the state including the usual drivers licenses and vehicle registration.<ref>{{cite book | author = Editorial |title = A tax by any other name smells the same | publisher = Burlington Free Press | date = December 14, 2008}}</ref>

===Department of Financial Regulation===
Among other functions, the Department of Financial Regulation (DFR)<ref>[http://www.dfr.vermont.gov/ Department of Financial Regulation]. Dfr.vermont.gov (2014-02-19). Retrieved on 2014-04-12.</ref> regulates individual budgets for Vermont's fourteen hospitals.<!---among other things---> They approved an average increase for 2007 of 6.3%. The average increase for 2008 was  9.5%. Individual hospitals received approval for increases from 3.8% to 11.8%.<ref>{{cite book | author = Remsen, Nancy |title = Rate increase approved for Vermont's 14 hospitals | publisher = Burlington Free Press | date = September 16, 2008}}</ref>
<!--hospitals, for the record are -Brattleboro Memorial, Central Vermont Medical Center, Copley, Fletcher Allen, Gifford Medical Center, Carlos Otis Health Center, Mount Ascutney, North Country, Northeastern Vermont Regional, Northwestern Medical Center, Porter Medical Center, Rutland Regional Medical Center, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center and Springfield---->

==Judicial branch==
{{Main|Vermont court system}}
The state's highest and the sole appellate court is the [[Vermont Supreme Court]] made up of five justices who serve six-year terms. The Chief Justice is the head of the judiciary and, with the other justices of the supreme court, oversees the judicial branch. Vermont has three additional courts and one division.  Vermont is one of only nine states without an intermediate appellate court.

Appointments to the state supreme court, superior court, and [[district court]]s are made by the governor, from a list of names submitted by the state's [[Judicial nominating commission|Judicial nominating committee]] <!---articles on Nominating committees are separate for each state. We need one--> and then are confirmed by the Senate. At the end of each six-year term, the General Assembly votes by joint ballot (each member, senator or representative, getting one vote) on whether to retain the judge or justice (known as a [[Retention election|judicial retention vote]]). Judges on lower courts are elected on a partisan ballot. The [[Vermont Constitution]] spells out the process of judicial appointment and retention in Chapter 2, Sections 32 through 35, 50 and 51.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/const2.htm|title=The Vermont Statutes Online|website=www.leg.state.vt.us|access-date=2018-04-16}}</ref>

*The [[Vermont court system#Superior courts|Superior Court]] is the court of general jurisdiction and the only which provides for jury trials in [[civil law (common law)|civil]] and [[criminal law|criminal]] cases. [[Superior court]]s in the state are made up of eight judges serving a term of six years.
*The state's [[Vermont court system#Probate courts|Probate Court]] has jurisdiction over [[trusts]], [[Will (law)|wills]] and [[estate (law)|estates]], [[adoption]]s, termination of parental rights, name changes, [[guardianship]] of incapacitated persons, guardianship of minors, [[Partition (law)|partition]] of property and [[Involuntary commitment|involuntary admissions]].
*The [[Vermont court system#District courts|District Court]] hears cases involving families, juveniles, minor crimes and [[Infraction|violations]], and civil matters under $25,000.
*The [[Vermont court system#Family courts|Family Division]] has jurisdiction over divorce, custody/support and [[domestic violence]] cases.

Vermont is one of twelve states that have no [[Capital punishment in the United States|death penalty]] statute. After 1930, there were four executions, the last two being in 1954. Capital punishment was effectively abolished in practice in 1964, with the statutes being completely removed in 1987. State law allows children as young as ten years to be tried as adults, the lowest age limit currently specified by any of the 50 states.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/juvenile/stats/states.html|title=Stats - State Laws {{!}} Juvenile Justice {{!}} FRONTLINE|website=www.pbs.org|access-date=2018-04-16}}</ref>

The Vermont prison system is administered by [[Vermont Department of Corrections]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.doc.state.vt.us/|title=Vermont Department of Corrections|website=www.doc.state.vt.us|language=en}}</ref> There are about 2,200 inmates as of May 2007.<ref>{{cite book | author = Lefebvre, Paul |title = This week in the Legislature | publisher = the Chronicle | date = May 2, 2007}}</ref> There are nine prisons in Vermont:

An unusual feature of Vermont Courts is the use of [[side judge]]s, elected laymen who sit with the judge in certain cases and also serve as county administrators.

== Finances ==
Vermont is the only state in the union not to have a balanced budget requirement and yet Vermont has had a balanced budget every year since 1991.<ref>
{{cite web| title = State Balanced Budget Requirements
 | publisher = National Conference of State Legislatures
 | date = 12 April 1999
 | url = http://www.ncsl.org/research/fiscal-policy/state-balanced-budget-requirements.aspx
 | access-date = 2013-12-30
 }}
</ref><ref>
{{cite news
 | last = Goodnough
 | first = Abby
 | title = Vermont Exercising Option to Balance the Budget
 | work = [[The New York Times]]
 | date = 23 April 2011
 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/24/us/24vermont.html
 | access-date = 2013-12-30
 }}
</ref> In 2007, [[Moody's|Moody's Investors]] Service gave its top rating of AAA to the state.<ref>Burlington Free Press, February 6, 2007, Business, page 7A, ''Moody's gives highest bond rating to Vermont.''</ref>

The state uses enterprise funds for operations that are similar to private business enterprises.  The Vermont Lottery Commission, the Liquor Control Fund, and the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund, are the largest of the State’s enterprise funds.<ref>[http://auditor.vermont.gov/interior.php/sid/2/aid/9/nid/125 State Auditor: Lottery is a highly visible government activity] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080804182756/http://auditor.vermont.gov/interior.php/sid/2/aid/9/nid/125 |date=2008-08-04 }} August 3, 2007 by Tom Salmon, CPA, Vermont State Auditor, Retrieved March 8, 2009</ref>

=== Taxes ===
<!--I'm wondering if this and the next subsection shouldn't go under "Statues" or some other place in the article "Government of Vermont" instead of here?--->
In 2007 Vermont stood 14th highest out of 50 states and the District of Columbia for state and local taxation, with a per capita load of $3,681. The national average was $3,447.<ref>DatabankUSA,''AARP Bulletin'', April 2007, compiled from figures from the US 
<!---Okay to change this after investigating why the rankings used different per capita tax loads. Be sure to give a footnote/reference. These are just statistics. No one is trying to rain on anyone's parade here.--->Census</ref> However, CNNMoney ranked Vermont highest in the nation based on the percentage of per capita income. The rankings showed Vermont had a per capita tax load of $5,387, 14.1% of the per capita income of $38,306.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/pf/0704/gallery.tax_friendliest/8.html | work=CNN | title=Where does your state rank? | first1=David | last1=Ellis | access-date=May 4, 2010}}</ref>

Vermont collects personal [[income tax]] in a progressive structure of five different income brackets, with marginal tax rates ranging from 3.6% to 9.5%. In 2008, the top one percent of the residents provided 30% of the income tax revenue. 2,000 people had sufficient income to be taxed at the highest marginal rate of 9.5%.<ref>Smith, Win (2009-06-16)."My Turn: Taxes put sustainability at risk."  Burlington Free Press, page 6A</ref>

Vermont's general [[sales tax]] rate is 6%, which is imposed on sales of tangible personal property, amusement charges, fabrication charges, some public utility charges and some service contracts (some towns and cities impose an additional 1% Local Option Tax). There are 46 exemptions from the tax which include medical items, food, manufacturing machinery, equipment and fuel, residential fuel and electricity, clothing, and shoes. A [[use tax]] is imposed on the buyer at the same rate as the sales tax. The buyer pays the use tax when the seller fails to collect the sales tax or the items are purchased from a source where no tax is collected. The use tax applies to items taxable under the sales tax.

Vermont does not collect [[inheritance taxes]]; however, its [[estate tax]] is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws and therefore the state still imposes its own estate tax.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tax.vermont.gov/individuals/estate-and-fiduciary-taxes/estate-tax|title=Estate Tax {{!}} Department of Taxes|website=tax.vermont.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-04-16}}</ref>

==== Property taxes ====
[[Property tax]]es are imposed for the support of education and municipal services. Vermont does not assess tax on [[personal property]], though individual towns or cities can opt to do so.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tax.vermont.gov/sites/tax/files/documents/AnnualRpt_PersonalPropertyTaxation_2018.pdf|title=2017 Personal Property Taxation in Vermont|date=2017-04-01|website=tax.vermont.gov}}</ref>

Property taxes are levied by municipalities based on fair market appraisal of real property.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tax.vermont.gov/property-owners|title=Property Owners {{!}} Department of Taxes|website=tax.vermont.gov|language=en|access-date=2018-04-16}}</ref> Rates vary from .97% on homesteaded property in Ferdinand, Essex County, to 2.72% on nonresidents' property in Barre City.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vermontproperty.com/newsltr/2005effectivetaxrates.pdf|title=2005 Combined School And Municipal Effective Property Tax Rates|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231210937/http://vermontproperty.com/newsltr/2005effectivetaxrates.pdf|archive-date=2006-12-31|url-status=dead}}&nbsp;{{small|(111&nbsp;KB)}}</ref> Statewide, towns average 1.77% to 1.82% tax rate.

In 2007, Vermont counties were among the highest in the country for property taxes. Chittenden ($3,809 median), Windham ($3,412), Addison ($3,352), and Windsor ($3,327) ranked in the top 100, out of 1,817 counties in the nation with populations greater than 20,000. Twelve of the state's 14 counties stood in the top 20%.<ref>{{cite book | author = McLean, Dan |title = Property tax bills among highest | publisher = Burlington Free Press | date = December 17, 2008}}</ref>

To equitably support education, some towns are required by [[Act 60 (Vermont law)|Act 60]] to send some of their collected taxes to be redistributed to school districts lacking adequate support.<ref>[http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/laws/act60.html Laws & Regulations: Act 60 Links & Resources] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510194000/http://education.vermont.gov/new/html/laws/act60.html |date=2013-05-10 }}</ref>

<!---is this part of act 60 or something? Pretty unusual for a state to get real estate taxes--->
The state collects 86 cents per $100 of real estate valuation for residential properties and $1.35 per $100 for commercial and vacation properties.<ref name="bfp100701"/>

====Cigarette taxes====
<!---other "sin" taxes could be placed here if necessary with a renamed subsection--->
In an attempt to raise money and discourage smoking, the state raised taxes on cigarettes over the past decade. The tax in 2002 was 93 cents per pack; in 2010 it was $2.24 per pack. This resulted in cigarette revenue in 2002 of $24.5 million; $64.5 million in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news | first=Pat | last=Willwerth | title=N.Y. smokers welcome in Vt. | publisher=Burlington Free Press | location=Burlington, Vermont | pages= 1A,5A | date=14 July 2010 }}</ref>

=== State lottery ===
Money from the [[Vermont Lottery]] supplied about 2% of the annual expenditures for education in 2007, contributing $23 million,<ref name=":0" /> of the $1.3 billion of school spending.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070128/NEWS/701280392/1041/LEGISLATURE|title=Lawmakers faced with thorny choices|date=2007-01-28|website=Rutland Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081003081023/http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20070128%2FNEWS%2F701280392%2F1041%2FLEGISLATURE|archive-date=2008-10-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> Prior to 1998, profits from the lottery went to the state government's general fund, but since then all profits are required to be spent on education.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.vtlottery.com/faqs/faqs.asp|title=FAQ's|work=Vermont Lottery}}</ref>

==Local government==

===County government===
{{Main|List of counties in Vermont}}
As in most of New England, Vermont counties have very few autonomous functions. Counties serve mainly as dividing lines for county and state courts, with several countywide elected officers such as a [[State's Attorney]], two Assistant Judges, [[Probate Judge]], [[Sheriff]], and [[High Bailiff]], and five to fifteen [[Justice of the Peace|Justices of the Peace]] elected from each municipality within the county.  Unlike other states, Vermont counties are not responsible for a road network, old-age homes, or other infrastructure or services. All county services are directly funded by the state via property taxes levied within the constituent towns.<ref>
{{cite web
 | last = Secretary of State
 | title = Chapter 5: County officers; powers and duties.
 | work = Title 24: Municipal and County Government
 | publisher = State of Vermont
 | url = http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/sections.cfm?Title=24&Chapter=005
 | access-date = 2014-01-01
 }}
</ref>

===Municipal government===
{{main|Vermont municipality}}
Internally, Vermont's 254 [[Municipality|municipalities]] comprise ten [[cities]], 237 [[town]]s and five unincorporated gores, governed by guidelines set by the state statutes and constitution.  Towns govern themselves by direct citizen participation via [[Town meeting#Vermont|town meeting]]. Between town meetings, town affairs are managed by a [[Board of selectmen|selectboard]]<ref>
{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/fullsection.cfm?Title=24&Chapter=033&Section=00872|title=Chapter 33: Municipal Officers Generally; Sub-Chapter 03: Organization Of Selectboard; Appointments; Powers24 V.S.A. § 872. Selectboard; general powers and duties|last=Secretary of State|work=The Vermont Statutes Online|publisher=State of Vermont|access-date=2014-01-01}}
</ref> or a town manager.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24/037|title=Title 24: Municipal and County Government Chapter 37: Town, City, Or Village Managers|last=Secretary of State|date=November 2018|website=The Vermont Statutes Online|access-date=2019-07-07}}</ref> Additionally, an elected [[town clerk]] keeps track of the town's records, manages licenses, convenes civil boards, and runs elections.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pantonvt.us/uploads/3/1/6/7/31673701/clerk_hdbk.pdf|title=Handbook for Vermont Municipal Clerks|last=Staff|date=2000|website=Vermont League of Cities and Towns|access-date=2019-07-07}}</ref>

As in most of New England, any town that grows too large to be governed by a town meeting can opt for a city form with a mayor and [[city council]]. Towns and cities may also have town managers<ref>
{{cite web
 | last = Secretary of State
 | title = Title 24: Municipal and County Government Chapter 37: TOWN, CITY, OR VILLAGE MANAGERS
 | work = Vermont Statutes Online
 | volume = Section 1231-1243
 | publisher = State of Vermont
 | url = http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/sections.cfm?Title=24&Chapter=037
 | access-date = 2014-01-01
 }}
</ref> and [[mayor]]s responsible for the management of municipal affairs. Cities also have a [[board of aldermen]] in place of a selectboard.

<!---Intended to describe local executive function--->
There are three types of incorporated municipalities in Vermont, towns, cities and villages. As in the other New England states, towns are the basic unit of municipal government. Cities are independent of and equivalent to towns. Villages are included in towns but assume responsibility for some municipal services within their boundaries, usually water, sewage and sometimes local roads. Vermont is the only New England state with incorporated villages.

As is the case in most of New England, nearly every square foot of the state is within the borders of an incorporated municipality; only a few hundred people live in the unincorporated gores.

In 2010, as a result of a [[Homeland security grant]] for Operation Stonegarden, various local city police throughout the state were used to help patrol the [[Canada–United States border|Canada–US border]] area for [[illegal immigrants]]. The money was managed by the [[Vermont State Police]].<ref>{{Cite news | first=Joseph | last=Gresser | title=Operation Stone Garden | publisher=the Chronicle | location=Barton, Vermont | page= 2 | date=17 February 2010 }}</ref>

In most New England states, municipal governments derive all of their power from the state, though in practice the laws regarding their authority are so broadly construed that they have the form, if not the substance, of [[home rule]]. This is not the case in Vermont. Towns and cities in Vermont are subject to [[Dillon's Rule]],<ref name="NACO">{{cite web|url=http://www.celdf.org/downloads/Home%20Rule%20State%20or%20Dillons%20Rule%20State.pdf|title=Dillon's Rule or Not?|author=Coester|first=Adam|date=January 2004|publisher=National Association of Counties|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019114311/http://celdf.org/downloads/Home%20Rule%20State%20or%20Dillons%20Rule%20State.pdf|archive-date=2010-10-19|url-status=dead|access-date=2010-09-07}}</ref> which holds that municipal governments only have the powers that are expressly granted to them by Vermont or federal law, plus any powers that are necessarily implied by the express powers and any powers essential to the municipality's existence.<ref>{{cite web |title=Municipal Corporation|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3437703005.html|author=West's Encyclopedia of American Law|year=2005|access-date=2009-12-14}}</ref><ref>
{{cite journal
 | last =  Vanlandingham
 | first = Kenneth E.
 | title = Municipal Home Rule in the United States
 | journal = Wm. & Mary L. Rev.
 | volume = 2
 | issue = 2
 | pages = 269–314
 | year = 1968
 | url =  http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmlr/vol10/iss2/2
 | access-date = 2014-01-01}}
</ref> Vermont is one of ten states that does not grant municipalities even limited home rule,<ref name="NACO"/> and one of three "strict" Dillon's Rule states which impose particularly close limits on municipal power.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vlct.org/assets/Advocacy/2014-5_self-governance.pdf|title=Self-Governance|publisher=Vermont League of Cities and Towns|date=October 2014|access-date=2016-12-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607061948/http://www.vlct.org/assets/Advocacy/2014-5_self-governance.pdf|archive-date=2016-06-07|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Federal ==
As in the rest of the United States, the state government does not take direction from the federal government. However, the people of Vermont elect representatives to the federal government which pass federal laws and also recommend federal judicial appointments each of which may ultimately affect Vermont citizens.

=== Congressional Delegates ===
{{Further|United States congressional delegations from Vermont|Vermont's congressional districts}}
Based on [[United States Census|U.S. census]] data, Vermont has had [[Vermont's at-large congressional district|one member]] in the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] since 1933.

Like all states, Vermont has two senators in the [[US Senate]].
{| class="wikitable"
|+Congressional Delegation of Vermont
!Chamber
!District
!Officer
!Party
!Term Start
!Term Ends
|-
| rowspan="2" |Senate
| rowspan="2" |At-Large
|[[Peter Welch]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democrat
|2023
|2029
|-
|[[Bernie Sanders]]
|{{Party shading/Independent}}|Independent
|2025
|2031
|-
|House of Representatives
|[[Vermont's at-large congressional district|At-Large]]
|[[Becca Balint]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democrat
|2025
|2027
|}

===Judicial===
Federal court cases are handled in the [[United States District Court for the District of Vermont]], which are subject to review by the [[Second Circuit Court of Appeals]] headquartered in [[New York City]]. By law judges and attorneys are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

==Joint authority==
There is at least one agency which is jointly run by the Legislative and Executive branches. This is the Vermont Telecommunications Authority, which is supposed to make high-speed internet access available to all Vermonters by the end of 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2008/acts/ACT079.HTM|title=NO. 79. AN ACT RELATING TO ESTABLISHING THE VERMONT TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY TO ADVANCE BROADBAND AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT THE STATE|date=2007-06-09|website=www.leg.state.vt.us|access-date=2018-04-16}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Politics of Vermont]]
*[[Elections in Vermont]]
*[[Judiciary of Vermont]]
*[[Impeachment in Vermont]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.vt.gov/ Official Website]
* [http://www.leg.state.vt.us/jfo/Appropriations/235883-v1-FY2009_APPROPRIATIONS.XLS 2009 Appropriations]{{dead link|date=March 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{XLSlink}}
* [http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/fullsection.cfm?Title=32&chapter=015&section=01003 Salaries of State Officers]
* [http://academics.smcvt.edu/vtgeographic/textbook/borders/vermont_borders.htm Vermont political divisions]

{{Vermont}}
{{Governments of the United States}}

[[Category:Government of Vermont| ]]
[[Category:State governments of the United States|Vermont]]
[[Category:1791 establishments in Vermont]]