Editor’s note: This commentary is by Deb Billado, chairwoman of the Vermont GOP.

Let the legislative computer games end. Pull the plugs. Turn off the WIFI. It is time for the stay-home legislators to cease getting pay-checks for playing expensive computer games with and inflicting pain on Vermonter’s lives. They should finish by dealing with the budget and transportation bills and do no further damage.

Deborah Billado, chair of the Vermont GOP

It costs the taxpayer $250,000 each week extra for the lawmakers to stay home and play legislative computer games with your tax money.  They need to let the dust settle on the damage caused by the shutdown ordered as the result of the COVID-19 scare and not add more to the costs and burdens on hard working and hurting Vermonters.

The Democrat super-majority is loving the power and opportunity to impose reckless policies with a key stroke or two.  Even though we’re facing a massive budget gap that the Governor has wisely proposed to close without raising taxes, the Democrat leadership  cannot help themselves in following Rahm Emanuel’s advice of not letting a crisis go to waste.

Still on their radar are the following that will cause more pain to our citizens, damage their ability to survive and provide a living for their family.

• A massive regulatory bill designed to address climate change through permitting new rules and red tape, including the possibility of banning wood stoves and ATVs;
• A barrage of tax hikes, including raising the sales tax, taxing clothing, bringing back the cloud tax, the sugar tax, candy tax, tax on services like salons, carpenters and landscapers and more.
• The Vermont Democrat leadership’s solution is $167 million in new taxes and that is like tossing a drowning person a steel anchor instead of a life preserving flotation ring.
• Resurrecting a disastrous Act 250 bill to make economic growth even more challenging in Vermont; and
• Creating a retail market for marijuana sales even though recognizing that any revenue will take years to realize, if ever, and the need for large input of taxpayer money (in the neighborhood of $1 Million Dollars) to pay for the commission and to initiate the process of licensing.

They consider these things priority but at what cost to us all.  It is time to pull the plug and stop them from playing expensive computer games while at the same time staying home and receiving a paycheck.  Many Vermonters have been forced to stay home, but they are getting nothing to help them with their expenses.  Tell your legislators to sign off and close the session.  We do not need any more harm done to us.

Less than six months until the election.  We can use our computers too but will use them to do good things for the people.  Spread the truth that Republican leaders offer a bright light of hope of good governance for Vermonters, something that has been lacking for decades under Democrat rule.  Run for office, support good candidates, vote, and encourage others to do the same.