by Rob North

Yes, gas prices are high. Almost as high as they were in 2022. Yet, if federal inadequacy were the primary cause of our affordability problems, we would not be seeing such wide disparities across the 50 States.  But we do.  Data tell us that Vermont ranks particularly poorly in many categories as a direct result of our state statutes that have been enacted by the current majority party over the past 30 years. 

• In Education: we are all by ourselves in the bottom right corner of the cost vs. performance graph — extremely expensive and poorly performing. (source)
• In Healthcare: we have the most expensive average benchmark insurance premium in the entire country, and 3x more expensive than neighboring NH. (source)
• In Tax Burden: we are in the top 3 highest tax burden states as a percentage of personal income, 50% more expensive than the most affordable half of the country. (source)
• In Energy: we are in the top 8 most expensive electric rates, 30% higher than the national average and 56% higher than the national median. (source)
• Tax the Rich? We already do! We’re one of the most progressive income tax states in the nation with the top 1% of earners paying nearly a 1/3 of the income tax and the top 10% of earners paying nearly 2/3. The bottom 50% of earners pay essentially nothing or get money back. (source)

All these problems are the direct result of state level policies, not federal policies.   The federal government is not going to save us.  We need a change in the direction of legislative leadership in Montpelier if we are to address the crisis facing Vermont. 

The author is a member of the Vermont House of Representatives, representing Ferrisburgh, Vergennes, Panton, Addison, New Haven, and Waltham.