Failure to do so will mean veto
By Guy Page
Gov. Scott will veto any Act 250 reform bill that doesn’t include significant housing incentives and streamlining zoning and landuse regulations, he said at a press conference Wednesday.
He was responding to the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee’s discussion last night of merging H.687, an Act 250 update, and the more housing-friendly S.311. Scott said he’s concerned the merger won’t do enough for housing. The bill is slated to be passed out of the Senate committee today.
Agency of Commerce and Community Development Secretary Lindsay Kurrle said the administration expects any ‘housing reform’ bill to include:
- Immediate broad exemptions in urban areas with wastewater capacity. H687 would only allow the exemptions after several years of planning.
- Add an environmental judge to expedite Act 250 appeals.
- Change the current appeal process in which any 10 people can’t object to a proposed development.
- Incentivize rehab of blighted properties into permanent housing, by not collecting property transfer tax on the sale of blighted properties.
H.687 is sponsored by Rep. Amy Sheldon (D-Middlebury), who sponsored and shepherded the bill requiring conservation of 50% of all Vermont land area by 2050. VDC asked Scott, “Do you think H687 cares more about bear habitat and land conservation than about building new homes?”
“I don’t know if I would characterize it like that,” Scott demurred. “We need relief now. 687 is something that is going to evolve over years. Pitting one against each other….I think you can have both. But not now, in this environment.”
The Scott administration has floated discussion of a plan to defer payments of school ed funding, providing at least short-term property tax relief. Treasurer Mike Pieciak says the plan would harm the state’s bond rating, thus raising the cost of borrowing money.
Scott said he’s a big fan of maintaining a high bond rating. But he said (editor’s paraphrase) that extraordinary times may require extraordinary measures.
“We need to get creative,” Scott said. “The treasurer could tell us that if the bonding agencies decide to downgrade our credit rating, what’s the effect? How much will it cost?…We have to weigh that out.”
Scott said bond rating agencies might look with favor on a plan that helps the Vermont economy in the long run.
Scott was asked if anyone at the state level is looking at reducing school spending. He noted Vermont has local control of school spending, but that the rejection of school budgets “is having a positive effect.” At the state level, the Legislature might consider reversing or reducing the $30 million allocated for universal school meals.
“Maybe we should take a look at that,” Scott said.
VDC social media director Paul Bean asked why lawmakers who run for office on “we need more housing” appear to de-prioritize the issue during the Session. “I’m as mystified as you are,” Scott said. He noted that housing progress is stifled in key committees. “Is it ideological? Maybe,” Scott said.
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Categories: Housing, Legislation
The legislators and the RINO governor are playing a bad version of “good cop, bad cop”. They all want to continue to flood Vermont with illegals, “migrants”, homeless, and any other demographic who are dependent upon government hand-outs & are easily controllable – all part of Obama/Biden’s “equitable” housing mandates that force changes to zoning to accommodate these pilferers. Kinda like exactly what Vermont is doing with our zoning!
This rabid enthusiasm for “affordable” and “workforce” housing is all about this effort, & it affords average – or God forbid the detestable middle-income Vermonters – absolutely nothing. It will however absolutely hammer the nails in the coffin of the State. Kinda like what we currently see firsthand with the vast dereliction of duty on behalf of these lawmakers and the continued deterioration of this once beautiful state on a daily basis. because of it.
“Affordable” or low-income housing has a long, sordid history of helping no one – though it does create droves of slums and tenements in its wake while further creating and pandering to larger and larger “oppressed” classes subordinate to and dependent on government. Kinda like Communist States!
Governor Scott is a moderate Republican. What would you prefer, a Marjorie Taylor Green? Get real.
And where are the slums and tenements? There aren’t any in my town, where new and affordable housing is being built as fast as the contractors can build them.
act 250///// do you like state control of your property and all the people living off this system/// some think getting a permit adds value to your land and you will find with a higher mortgage payment///
This is not a housing bill. The details indicate that it is a significant expansion of jurisdiction and an attempt to make it more strict. It is a misnamed bill like so many others this year. Done so deliberately to fool us into support. Thieves and crooks at work.
I reviewed a chart from re:venture.app. It shows the property sale inventory chart for Vermont increased 37.7% from 2023 to 2024. Wowza! The State of Florida was up over 50% – Whaaaaat?! The analysis is quite stunning. Partly, the spike is from investors who bought AirBnB/rental properties, or flippers over the past 3-5 years. Now, they are suffering buyers regret from painful financial losses. The mass exodus to places like Texas and Florida is now biting folks squarely in the behind. Vermont appears no different in the analysis. Buying during the inflated housing market, low rates, and incentives galore has now turned to higher rates, raging inflation, rising taxes, and few willing or able to pay top dollar for inflated housing or rental prices.
Vermont being a tourist destination, secondary property hub, and an attraction for leftwit, younger, non-profiteer types, the housing market appears to be much, much worse than the leadership dares to admit? Although it shows a decent 4% increase in average values, that does not bode well for equity gain because that disappears in a downturn market. It also means the State is twisting your propery values to increase your tax because on paper, it appears your property is worth more even though it actually isn’t – it’s all fake.
Side note: The recent judgement against the National Realtors Association has prompted the Department of Justice to open an investigation into the shenanigans of said Association. Source: Office of Public Affairs – US Department of Justice, April 5, 2024:
“Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit lifted restrictions imposed by a lower court that had prevented the Justice Department from investigating potentially anticompetitive conduct by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The D.C. Circuit’s decision confirms the United States’ position that it retains the authority to investigate NAR’s Participation Rule and Clear Cooperation Policy to protect competition for the benefit of homebuyers.
“Real-estate commissions in the United States greatly exceed those in any other developed economy, and this decision restores the Antitrust Division’s ability to investigate potentially unlawful conduct by NAR that may be contributing to this problem,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division is committed to fighting to lower the cost of buying and selling a home. I would like to commend the staff of the Antitrust Division and our colleagues in the department for achieving this important result.” The United States has filed several amicus briefs and statements of interest supporting competition in the real-estate industry and meaningful relief for homebuyers and sellers.”
Boom and boomerang. Collusion and conspiracy to commit fraud no doubt. No wonder there is such panic under the Golden Thunder Dome.
Vermont’s housing “crisis” was created by government. In a period of short supply, such as right now, the only incentive developers need is for the state and local governments to get out of the way. Protracted permitting requiring high up front costs with uncertain outcomes, plus excessive environmental regulations have created this ‘crisis’. Intentionally, in my opinion. The behavior of the legislators with their hands on the throttle is proof that their goal is to reduce the population of Vermont, not support the needs of current and future Vermonters. Vermont may be slipping into an economic death spiral, but in reality it is government-assisted suicide.
H.687 which proposes conserving 50% of VT land would seem to support your statement about reduction of population. Will the govt buy the land to accomplish this, or use eminent domain?