By Guy Page

Rep. Chris Taylor (R-Milton) reportedly has resigned from the Legislature due to work conflicts. 

Taylor, vice-chair of Education, is also the Town Manager of the Town of Milton.

The new Milton rep is Kumilia Long, a real estate agent and elected municipal official. He is due to visit the House later this week. According to Gov. Scott’s press release about his appointment, Long is a real estate broker, combat veteran, and former Chair of the Milton School Board. A resident of Chittenden County, he has spent more than a decade combining military service, civic leadership, and professional experience in Vermont’s housing market. Long has worked as a licensed real estate professional, primarily serving Chittenden County. He’s also served on the Milton School Board, including two years as Chair. In that role, he helped oversee district policy development and management of public budgets. His approach to leadership is grounded in the research, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills he developed through both military service and real estate.”

Rep. Topper McFaun (R-Barre Town) also has resigned his House seat, due to family health concerns. This week is his last full week in the Legislature. 

State environmental officials cry foul over refusal to vote on wetlands – When Rep. Michael Boutin (R-Barre City) introduced an amendment to H.632, the miscellaneous environmental bill, it was yanked off the floor and the bill has not been brought up for another vote. The amendment would have redrawn the wetlands buffers to allow 20-30 more homes in Barre City.

Republican lawmakers and Agency of Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore are distressed that the House majority is so opposed to any wetlands housing development changes that it will kill committee/agency bills that also contain many provisions supported by both the Scott administration and the Democrat House majority. Moore wrote March 26 to Krowinski:

“I wanted to reach out following the decision to table H.632 – An act relating to miscellaneous environmental amendments. 

“For the second straight year, my staff have put significant time into preparing and refining this package of technical corrections with our jurisdictional committees in the House and Senate, and for the second year running it has been tabled. 

“At this point, as opposed to scrambling to look for different bills we can try and move sections of H.632 into, we’re going to stand down and not chase the needed amendments further this session – I wanted you to hear that directly from me.” 

Moore disputed that the failure to vote was caused by scheduling.

“With respect, the explanation that this was a scheduling decision is hard to square with the facts – it feels decidedly more like a political decision. H.632 contains many beneficial provisions, reflects a considerable investment of my staff and your committee’s time, and passed through the House Environment, House Ways and Means and House Appropriations committees with strong support. 

“Given this, we had no reason to believe it wouldn’t cross over to the Senate. That was until fears that the minority would use H.632’s germaneness to field a wetlands amendment surfaced. As it seems unlikely any such amendment would have the votes to pass, from my vantage, it certainly appears that the bill was tabled to avoid giving members a recorded vote that either their constituents or environmental groups might hold against them in the next election.”

House approves $82 million Homeless Response bill – H.938 passed the House Tuesday, March 31 by a 137-4 roll call vote. It allocates $82 million for homeless care next year and caps hotel/motel room costs at $80/night. The four reps voting against were: Brenda Steady (R-Milton), Todd NIelsen (R-Brandon), Wayne LaRoche (R-Franklin) and Joe Luneau (R-St. Albans).