Republican Gov. Phil Scott used the opening remarks at his weekly presser to remind Vermonters of his policies focused on affordability and economic growth, and to warn of a coming showdown with state lawmakers over the budget.
“I presented a budget to the legislature that was balanced, I prioritized Vermonters and communities, helped make Vermont more affordable with tax relief, and made investments in shared priorities like childcare and climate change mitigation, infrastructure, workforce and more,” the governor said Wednesday.
However, the supermajority of Democrats and Progressives in the House and Senate put forth a budget that could cost Vermont taxpayers a half-billion more per year.
BAD ECONOMICS: Vermont families could end up paying more than $1,200 in new annual expenses under the latest state budget proposal.
“The good news is the legislature included funding for most of those initiatives, the bad news is they had spent a lot more money than I have proposed,” Scott said.
The governor has been convincingly reelected three times by focusing on affordability, spending limits and no new taxes. He routinely has boasted that budgets under his administration are level-funded, meaning no new taxes for new expenditures.
Such may not be the case this time around.
“[The public] have also been loud and clear with me that they didn’t think Vermont was affordable even before this legislative session. That’s why I have serious concerns about the financial impacts of what they passed,” Scott said.
Some of the new expenses to be placed on Vermonters include more than $100 million in new payroll taxes, $20 million in new DMV fees, $30 million in new property taxes, and more. There will also be $180 million in potential ‘clean heat mandates’.
“That works out to roughly $1,200 per household per year,” Scott said, citing single mothers and seniors as two groups that will likely see their cost of living go up without seeing any benefits.
The governor and state lawmakers have five weeks left to come to some kind of an agreement about the budget. Scott said they can override his veto, or work on a compromise.
The legislature is out of touch?
The governor suggested that the current lawmakers are not sharing the economic hardships that regular Vermonters are experiencing.
“[An economic downturn] happens quickly,” the governor said. “And I don’t know that everyone in the legislature has experienced that.”
Scott pleaded with lawmakers that they go for compromise over conflict.
“We share the same goals, we both support making historic investments in shared priorities,” he said, “but I believe we must do it in a way that Vermonters can afford. We have five weeks before we come back at the end of June. Vermonters want us to work together and I’m ready to do just that.”
Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.
And we wonder why young people leave Vermont?
I’m retired and the legislature is doing everything they can to make it more difficult for us to live here. That’s the thanks we get for spending our whole life in this state, trying to improve it, paying taxes.
The saddest part of this whole scenario is that every 2 years Vermonters have the opportunity to completely reverse and nullify this insanity locally, statewide and nationally…and instead we double down. That’s a hell of a price to pay because people are afraid of being triggered by mean tweets and insensitive nicknames.
$ 100 a month. Gone. $ 100 a month. This is what they voted for. This is what they got. Good going, Vermonters. Good going.
What I don’t get is political budgets…b.u.d.g.e.t. The lottery was supposed to help pay for education and lower property taxes, nope don’t see that anywhere. This state sues businesses and other states for millions of dollars every year…where does it go? The legislature constantly cries poverty but somehow they manage to buy property, houses, fancy cars. If you look up the budget for the state you can’t tell where one line item begins or ends. It is all BS! Stop taxing the citizens of VT to death. It has gotten to the point where one can’t afford to live, and you sure as Hell can’t afford to die!
You wonder why our young people are leaving the state You r making it impossible for middle class and low income to live here In our beautiful state
I can’t afford to live in Vermont now, If taxes go up I will have to move to another state.
Can anyone name just 1 thing that liberals have done to make life better?
Pony it up, folks…what did you really think you were voting for when you elected demoprogs?
Just another reason why my adult children will never move back to Vermont
There is an excellent Letter-to-the-Editor expressing four specific concern over Vermont legislators voting themselves raises – published on (drum-roll please)…. VTDigger.
Who’d have thunk it. But there it is.
https://vtdigger.org/2023/05/18/letter-to-the-editor-wish-i-had-the-ability-to-give-my-future-self-a-raise/
she nailed it………to the statehouse wall!
I am a Democrat but I think Phil Scott’s plan sounds very good. I am also not a communist. The legislative people should have our jobs to see if they can survive on the money we make.
$1,200 on top of potato head joes bidenflation of 7-12K per family lost income and 1/3 of their retirement funds. Shows how much the current leftist commie legislature thinks about the average taxpayer. Wake up you stupid D/P voters, your ignorance is hurting us all.
WOW .. $1200. Per household ..
I don’t know how some of us, ONLY ON
Social Security, are going to be able to afford this .. And I’m not taking about a High Social Security Income …..
With Appraisals going up , Food going up , clothes going up , cars prices going up,
Insurance going up , gas going up and down , Heat prices going up , I could go on and on …
And now this … WHAT more can WE GIVE UP
I agree with you 100% !
Will you be supporting the articles of impeachment filed by MTG?
Of course the legislature is out of touch. They just want our money because they think they know how to better spend it. I can’t tax anyone to make up budget so once again I will have to cut back. Thank you, Legislature!!!