How property values and tax increments are estimated is foundational to successfully implementing Vermont’s new Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP). Do you want to gain a strong, practical understanding of your role in CHIP, learn strategies to stay organized, and discover tools to help your community implement CHIP with confidence? This session aims to help you feel prepared, informed, and ready to contribute effectively to your municipality’s CHIP team.
This session
- Introduces tax increment financing and Original Taxable Value; the foundation of CHIP
- Explains how property values are determined and certified
- Explains who creates tax increment projections and how the municipality can review them
- Clarifies key responsibilities for listers, assessors, and treasurers
- Identifies and reviews the information towns must track each year
This recording is designed for municipal listers, assessors, and treasurers who play a key role in property valuation or financial reporting. It is also beneficial for municipal officials in other positions who need a clear understanding of how these roles interact with their CHIP responsibilities. This session is beginner-friendly: no prior experience with tax increment programs is required to get value from it.
Presenters:
Katie Buckley, Director of Municipal Operations Support, VLCT
Bonnie Waninger, Project & Funding Specialist, VLCT
Chloe Wexler, Senior Fiscal Analyst, Vermont Department of Taxes
Sarah Macy, Director of Finance and Administration, City of St. Albans
Mimi Burnstein, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Vermont Assessors and Listers Association (VALA), and Assessor/Lister, Town of Randolph, Town of Shrewsbury, and Vermont Assessment Services LLC
Webinar 3 Recording
This recording's slides can be found in the orange box at the top of this page.
Before a CHIP project can advance into formal application and approval, municipalities need a clear roadmap for the early-stage work that sets up a project for success. This webinar walks you through the full pre-development workflow – what needs to happen, when, and why – and highlights the tools, templates, and technical assistance available to help your community navigate this phase with confidence.
This session describes:
- What pre-development is and why it matters
- How to identify and screen potential CHIP eligible projects
- Key roles and responsibilities for the municipality’s project team
- What data, analyses, and documentation are needed in early stages
- How to evaluate financial feasibility and understand the project’s funding gap
- Requirements for defining a project area and ensuring statutory compliance
- Early community engagement and stakeholder alignment
Pre-development is when municipalities can reduce risk, strengthen project feasibility, and ensure alignment with local goals and CHIP program requirements. This session helps you build a strong foundation before moving into the formal CHIP application process.
Presenters:
Katie Buckley, Director of Municipal Operations Support, VLCT
Bonnie Waninger, Project & Funding Specialist, VLCT
Alex Armani-Munn, Executive Director, Addison County Economic Development Corporation
Samantha Dunn, Founder and Principal, All at Once, LLC
Shannon Barsotti, Assistant Town Manager and Community Development Director, Town of Bennington
Webinar 2 Recording
This recording's slides can be found in the orange box at the top of this page.
If you haven’t heard of “CHIP,” now is the time to learn about the new Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP). It is the largest investment in municipal infrastructure in the state’s history – $2 billion over the next 10 years – and it is available to all municipalities! In this kickoff session, learn the high-level basics of what CHIP is and discover how you might use this new financing tool to build the infrastructure to support the creation of new housing in your community. This session provides a clear overview of CHIP, including:
- How the program works and what makes it different from traditional funding tools
- Eligibility requirements and key guardrails to ensure responsible implementation
- The timeline and expectations for program launch
- VLCT’s upcoming three-year CHIP technical assistance program, “CHIP IN VT” (CHIP Invest in Vermont”)
Whether you’re a town manager or administrator, selectboard member, lister, assessor, treasurer, or local or regional planning or development staff, this session helps you understand what CHIP is and how it can be a game-changer for communities of all sizes. Following the presentation is a Q & A with attendees from across Vermont.
Presenters:
Katie Buckley, Director Municipal Operations Support Team, VLCT
Bonnie Waninger, Project & Funding Specialist, VLCT
Samantha Sheehan, Municipal Policy and Advocacy Specialist, VLCT
Jessica Hartleben, Executive Director, Vermont Economic Progress Council
Webinar 1 Recording
This recording's slides can be found in the orange box at the top of this page.