Deb Billado: Federal tax reforms benefit Vermont, but it could be even much better

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

In the latest reports for the state of Vermont, we learned that yet again revenue collections were ahead of expectations across all funds by $7.38 million. From the fiscal year to date, the General Fund (which pays for most government functions) is up $10.57 million and the Education Fund is up $450,000.

Deborah Billado, chair of the Vermont GOP

What’s the driving force among these stellar revenue collections that have exceeded economists’ predictions? The answer: higher personal and corporate income tax receipts driven by tax relief from Republicans at the federal level. While federal changes lowered the tax rate and increased the money in the taxpayer’s pocket, it also changed a component of federal personal tax structure that eliminated personal exemptions. These exemptions were “allowed deductions” by Vermont tax law and without a state fix, would have resulted in an “unintended distortion in taxpayers’ Vermont taxable income, even if their earnings stayed the same.” This was recognized by Vermont’s Governor who proposed the “Working Family Taxpayer Protection Act” in 2018, that made changes at the state level to ensure that such savings would not result in a “surprise” state tax increase on Vermonters.

As a result, according to the Legislative Joint Fiscal Office, personal income receipts are up $7.5 million and corporate income receipts are up $1.2 million over targets thanks to the above. These increases reflect the continued economic prosperity driven by provisions in President Trump’s TCJA (including personal and corporate income tax cuts).

Republicans have spearheaded these tax changes which have helped expand economic growth and improve both individual and business-level prosperity. Just imagine the additional positive effect on Vermonters if the liberal, Democrat/Progressive controlled legislature, would get their spending addiction under control? Not only would there be more money in the pockets at the end of the week for workers, but with the stimulus caused by these cuts, more sales, more jobs, more tax revenue for the state and a brighter future without limit for our Vermont. Such could be reality if Vermont voters return us with their vote in 2020 to those days of yesteryear when fiscally conservative Republicans properly managed state government and held government over-spending in check.

The 2020 election is coming and offers us a very real opportunity. Federal tax reforms benefit Vermont, but it could be even much better if Vermont’s political landscape map was once again painted rosy red!

Image courtesy of Flickr/401kcalculator.org

One thought on “Deb Billado: Federal tax reforms benefit Vermont, but it could be even much better

  1. Thanks, Deb, for your clear messaging and knowing what is right for Vermonters. Democrats are experts at spending taxpayer money to create a sense of obligation in those who are on the recipient side of their socialistic type handouts. Once Vermonters catch onto this game and prevent the liberals from using our money as their campaign slush fund, when coupled with all the good happening at the national level thanks to the President’s initiatives and small business friendly reduction in crippling regulations, we will also become partakers in the prosperity seen in the rest of the nation, jobs will be created and our children will not have to leave Vermont to work. The only way that is going to happen is to replace those with a “D” or a “P” after their name in the upcoming 2020 election with those who have an “R” instead.

Comments are closed.