Vermont’s 6% sales tax compares terribly with New Hampshire’s 0% nonexistent sales tax. And a similar story for the income tax. The temptation to move over the border and pay no state income tax or sales tax should always loom large in legislators’ minds.
When we talk about Vermont’s nearly $6 billion unfunded liability, most of us think about the teachers’ and state employees’ pensions. But these two giant liabilities only account for half of the state’s total unfunded liabilities. Where’s the other half?
Even as legislative momentum for a statewide mask mandate is failing, Vermont’s largest private employer says Feb. 15 will be the last day of work onsite for unvaccinated workers.
The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy on Friday took testimony from several witnesses who said environmental justice must incorporate efforts to fight racism.
In its Jan. 16 legislative update, Campaign for Vermont offers an in-depth look at what lawmakers and the governor have planned for state pensions, fiscal responsibility, workforce and economic development, housing, good government and education.
On Thursday morning, lawmakers in the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on a gun control bill that would prohibit firearms from being brought into hospital buildings — potentially preventing those inside from being able to defend themselves.
As the Legislature takes up the Climate Action Plan’s recommendation to electrify pretty much everything in Vermont by the year 2050, a big question is how are we supposed to create and deliver enough electricity to actually do that. And, of course, how much might it cost.
State Rep. William Canfield, R-Fair Haven, is the sponsor of H.527, legislation that could result in changes to Vermont tax policy with credits for things such as child care and dependents, student loans and workers in industries with labor shortages.
Gov. Phil Scott unveiled what he said was a balanced fiscal 2023 budget that does not raise taxes while using federal federal funds to pay for a variety of new spending initiatives.
Vermont’s fiscal 2022 budget adopted last spring could be adjusted upward, with a 5% increase in spending, if a House panel’s recommendation moves forward.
In total, this budget invests a record $7.7 billion without raising taxes and, in fact, returns money to taxpayers. But I want to take some time to talk through what this means because it is probably the most complex budget we have ever built.
Any cap-and-invest scheme would eventually make Vermont border gas stations so uncompetitive on price that they would go out of business, long before gasoline is banned entirely.