What Vermonters are seeing now in Montpelier is not what we consider responsible. The State puts a bigger and bigger squeeze on middle class household budgets every year. Responsible budgeting means the same thing at the State House as it does around the kitchen table. Do the math first and have a plan. Needs before wants. Money out less than or equal to money in. Vermont is an expensive place to live already. Going forward, we need to make sure State spending increases do not outpace increases in household income. Vermonters do not want to see tax to income ratios get worse every year.
The State Legislature forced through a 13.8% property tax increase statewide. Vermont families cannot afford this. The maximum household income that qualifies for the Vermont property tax rebate has gone down 13% since 2017. Caring about affordable housing means caring about all Vermonters, including the ones who work hard to take care of, and stay in, the homes they have. We need to revitalize our rural communities by empowering Vermonters to build homes that are affordable.
The cost of household goods and food today is no joke. A trip to the grocery store will remind you. Some folks are uncertain about the future of their savings and how far they will go. Of course the Vermont Senate does not have control over Federal interest rates or currency supply, but that doesn’t mean the State is out of the picture. Now is a bad time for higher taxes and policies that drive up consumer costs. Wage increases have not caught up to inflation rates.
Vermont roads are simply underfunded. Roads are not optional and many roads in the State are below a minimum acceptable condition. State grants for road and bridge projects are in short supply and have barely increased in amount in the past 20 years. Towns are handed increasingly high standards for road construction but not much funding to implement them. It is this sort of single-sided policy that puts an additional burden on residents of small towns to foot the bill. Smart policy needs to include holistic solutions, towns don’t have many good options to keep up with rising costs.
School budgets have been the topic of the year. Vermonters are proud to provide our children with a good education but spending needs to be realistic. In 2023 Vermont spending per pupil was the third highest state in the nation. That was before this year’s school budgets hit. Our funding system for schools in Vermont is broken. Property taxes are tapped out. We need a future-forward sustainable plan that reduces the impact of school budgets on homeowners while also setting responsible funding limits. This is going to be tough and it is going to take a tremendous amount of work and debate, but it needs to happen now.
All Vermonters have a right to express themselves and to speak their mind. Our society has become so quick to judge the appearances, expressions, and words of others. We need to remember how to listen and learn about each other. Freedom is inherently about the ability to be different from one another and make our own choices.
Vermont is not friendly to new business. Taxes are high, the labor market is overstretched, location is isolated, and developing land is very difficult and time-consuming. Our rural communities need businesses and we have the space. We need to craft policies that remove barriers to business startup and growth, not policies that creates barriers.
Governor Scott is the voice of reason in Montpelier and he needs help. If he doesn’t have support in the House and Senate, his veto decisions will continue to be steamrolled. Phill Scott is the most popular leader in the entire state, winning over 70% of the vote in his 2022 reelection. Vermonters have spoken but their voices are not being heard. Bring balance back to the Vermont General Assembly so both parties are forced to work together.