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Supports legislators who support affordability, challenges those who don’t
by VDC staff
Vermont’s rolling hills and scenic vistas are home to a growing economic problem, according to Americans for Prosperity Vermont. The group says decades of tax hikes, regulatory hurdles, and slow wage growth are driving families out of the state and making it harder for those who remain to make ends meet.
“Poverty has climbed to 10.2%, and nearly one-third of Vermonters are struggling just to get by,” said Rachel Burgin, state director for Americans for Prosperity Vermont. “We’re watching young people leave for other states with better job prospects, while those who stay are burdened with unaffordable housing, soaring taxes, and limited opportunities.”
Burgin pointed to Vermont’s high per capita tax collections — third highest in the nation — and a projected housing shortage of more than 35,000 units by 2029 as key drivers of the crisis. She said restrictive land-use laws like Act 250, initially designed to protect the environment, now often create “costly barriers to development” that worsen the housing crunch.
According to the group, property and income taxes have risen sharply to fund education, but the benefits have not kept pace with costs, hitting low-income households hardest. Many families, Burgin said, now spend more than half their income on rent or mortgage payments.
To address these challenges, Americans for Prosperity Vermont has launched the Vermont Affordability campaign, which Burgin described as an effort to “educate and mobilize residents around government accountability and economic prosperity.” The initiative focuses on halting tax increases, reducing housing costs by reforming building restrictions, and eliminating energy mandates that raise utility bills.
Through town halls, digital outreach, and community events, the group is urging Vermonters to contact lawmakers, sign up for action alerts, and volunteer. Burgin said AFP is also recognizing legislative leaders who champion fiscal responsibility while challenging those whose policies “burden hardworking families.”
“The time for action is now,” Burgin said. “Progressive policies are failing, and Vermont’s future hinges on rejecting measures that fuel higher taxes, excessive regulation, and limited opportunities. We want to create a Vermont where affordability thrives, businesses flourish, and opportunity is accessible to all.”
More information about the campaign is available at GreenMountainProsperity.com.
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Categories: State House Spotlight
If our public is uninformed about what is going on, what can you do?
If we have the same team ruining things in government, what can you do?
This is no small problem to unwind, we could solve it within 6 months, because it’s all man made, but there is the problem it’s man made and people are making bank on keeping things the way they are.
If you don’t expose how much money people are making by keeping things the same, we’ll never change.
Thank God for this free speech site!
In Vermont, there are approximately 10,982 entire homes listed on short-term rental sites like Airbnb and Vrbo as of June 2023, according to AirDNA.
Plenty of housing if you ban Airbnb.
Show me the numbers that prove that. And, who’s property is it anyway.
Here is a problem which our legislators can maybe solve:
Do you know that you can apply for a $30K or $50K forgivable loan from VHIP though a comapny called Cornerstone housing which is a part of Rutland Housing…? Do you know that the money that is offered is from your pocket, tax money? Do you knwo that there are so many hoops to jump through to get that money that many people who paid their taxes could have used their own money to better use than this corrupt organization (whose umbrella company is Jamboree Housing out of California)..
You are tapping into the one of many “organizations” filled with organizers, aka marxists NWO pimps. Vermont is FULL of them. Rights and Democracy, right out of Chicago for God’s sake. We are the training ground for marxism…..goes back over a 100 years, John Dewey at UVM….Sanders in Burlington…..look at all the imported legislators that run HARD left….all imports. The new guy from Texas, here 6 months and he’s in office. Like who does that? Whay would you want to run things before you even got settled? Unless the reason you moved here was to be in politics…Howard Dean is another one. What about the gal who ran for Governor, what was her name? Put up a good run.
People for the most part have no idea what goes on in Vermont politics, they read a head line from VTDigger, local paper or 7 days and thinking they are unbiased and fair, and everything is cool.
Nobody is having a debate, the narratives are already determined before the election, the debates, everything is choreographed, censored and protected from questioning.
We need to be playing asymmetrical warfare, this is pepsi vs. coke, David vs. Goliath…..we need to bring a strong ground game, because press is totally controlled, debates totally controlled, parties totally controlled, people in office totally controlled, look, the dems can’t vote freely. Does ANYONE talk about this? No.
When you are going against a very strong, much larger opponent, you don’t fight them head on, arm to arm, dollar to dollar…..you can’t win. When they strike, you step aside and pull them in the direction they were heading and into the wall (truth) for all to see and witness. You rope a dope them, let them use all their funds and energy.
These people are organized, clever, word smiths extraordinaire…..we need to be wiser than snakes and more innocent than doves.
I don’t think “shopping in Brandon” is going to do the trick, just sayin’
While on the housing scam of Vermont.
Did you know there are major forgivable loans on projects?
There are zero and incredibly low interest rates given to the chosen?
The affordable housing racket in Vermont is making people extremely wealthy fleecing the tax payer.
Did you know the TIFF projects in Barre, South Burlington are raiding the school funds? Even California gave up doing tiff because it was such a scam.
Anybody talking about this??? Nope
Friends and family are making bank.
When you start looking under the hood of Vermont politics, you quickly find multiple rats nest, it’s not pretty, it’s a serious mess.
I suggest reviewing your local grand list – if you find a number of properties registered to LLC’s or Trusts – cross reference to Sec of State’s office – reference the dates of formation, property sale dates, addresses, named agents, and principles. Chances are you will see a pattern emerge, see how the “prosperity” is in certain hands, holding positions and seats, Bar Associaton memberships, and professional licenses. It is an exclusive club of family, friends, associates, donors, inlaws and outlaws. The more “charitible” they are – chances are they are running rimshod tax shelters and document fudging under the table and behind closed doors. Reputations are everything when scamming your neighbors and community.
Response to Neil Johnson: Stop housing scams by filing a complaint with the county grand jury. A grand jury can decide to investigate any county issue based on public complaints. A detailed explanation is provided in David Zuniga’s’ book “Grand Jury Awake”.
Appreciate the read recommendation, will investigate.
Question, is it illegal to pay $80 per night or $2400 per month for renting a one bedroom/bath hotel room? Would any sane person choose to spend money this way? No, but is it illegal?
If people who passed the laws had to have homeless in their own property for 30 days prior to getting state assistance, well, it would be interesting.
Is it illegal to build at $600 per sq ft, when it could be done for $200 per sq.ft?
Will definitely investigate this book, thanks.
The younger generations are leaving the state in droves. It’s been the buzz for decades now. Taxes are driving families and businesses out!
The end result??? Vermont somehow will need an additional 35,000 housing units in just a handful of years. Wha????
Same old song n’ dance. Affordable and low income government housing for VT…..housing exactly WHO now? I thought most were leaving or have already left.
Housing for illegals, the homeless from any and every state, and the usual social welfare crowd……Vermont will save the world.
This is a ruse. Need housing? Stay off drugs. Stay in school. Try trade school. Get a job. Try committment. Get married. This isn’t hard. And there’s plenty of houses most can afford. Learn to swing a hammer.
Nix the taxpayer subsidized housing. And VT was always a rural state. Keep it that way@
STOP this leftist garbage disguised as something VT needs. “Workforce housing” – the latest destruction scheme for this state.
Neil Johnson is 100% CORRECT – This BRIGHT BLUE Soros-funded organization that claims VT urgently needs 35,000 units of “affordable” (i.e.: low income) government subsidized (how convenient) housing to help “Vermonters” is NOTHING LESS than a Communist ruse to have VT Continue to welcome & house yet MORE illegal immigrants, the homeless & mentally ill from anywhere & everywhere, and the droves of those they hope shall be released from prison as their sister groups push for open borders & prison “reform” – i.e.: RELEASE!
Anyone find it odd that in one breath they claim that droves of younger generations are leaving VT and families & businesses are exiting en masse — yet Vermont somehow is in desperate need of tens of thousands of Communist-style apartments and freebie housing??!
The VDC ought to do an expose on what is currently occurring to Manchester, VT as the left has finally gained inroads to the legislature and that Select Board as they now plan to build THOUSANDS of units of “workforce” housing (another name scam for this mess plotted for this state) for that beautiful & historic town!
Bennington to the south & their successful quest to destroy that equally historic region was merely the beginning! The radicals now have their sight set on destroying Manchester to the degree that Bennington now is: a drug addicted, business-ridden, low-income housing mecca.
For those who couldn’t quit “complaining” about the peaceful BMW-driving tourists who purchased second homes here whilst supporting your tax base and utilizing very little of your resources – WAIT. The druggies and perpetual social service suckers and criminals & gang bangers are here taking their place with MANY MORE to come unless you CEASE from falling for this chronic bleeding-heart bologna about the “housing crisis” VT has despite the exodus from the Green Mt State!
FIGHT the Communist takeover of your state & FIGHT this housing abomination which is being peddled.
Another nail in the coffin for Vermont, the push for thousands of low income housing units is to open them up for people here illegally so the voter rolls can be tipped further blue, remember motor voter has little to no checks and balances, so there will never Republicans elected to office. Just think more drugs, more crime, fewer small businesses! So much for the ‘Democracy’ the Left pro ports to support!
Very interestingly, a day after President Trump made public 275,000 illegal aliens were booted off of Social Security payments they were not legally entitled to receive, our Senator Bernie and his buddy Schumer announced the ‘keep billionaires out of Social Security Act’. Sounds good on the surface to keep billionaires from receiving benefits, but in reality it is designed to keep DOGE and similar investigations out of Social Security records so more of their favorites receiving benefits illegally can’t be found!
So……
I was an attendee at this meeting. And found it very interesting that Rep Zack stated he and his fellow democrat legislators line up on 7 out of 10 issues. I then asked him if that’s the case why don’t votes on legislation line up that way. His answer was predictable he basically said, the democrats love power more than they the state and the voters. They may feel that way but they vote how they are told to vote. As long as these communists are able to maintain power NOTHING will change.
I attended this event. I find it interesting that to me at least, the most important statistic given by Rep. Harvey not relayed in this article, was that in 7 out of 10 issues he discussed with his Democrat colleagues they agreed on. I then asked him why that was not reflected in votes on legislation. His answer tells us everything we need to know. He said and I’m paraphrasing, the democrats vote how they are told to vote by the leadership. Not to represent the voters or even their own conscience but to represent the people already in power. This is the story the voters need to understand!!! If we can not get the remaining voters with common sense to understand this NOTHING will change. This is the story VDC needs to be investigating and spreading if the media is to start shining a light on the misfeasance in Montpeculier.
Mr. Otterman,
974 Airbnb units in Stowe, 130 Airbnb at Jay Peak, and 140 Airbnb in Burke. That’s a lot of places that could be long term rentals for those earning minimum wage cleaning these units.
If ONLY Vermont’s biggest & most dangerous problem was rental properties for tourists & skiers. It isn’t. And they are merely part of the free enterprise system of capitalism that this country enjoys as OPPOSED to the taxpayer-funded, government sponsored public/”non-profit housing projects that are planned to be built to house the illegal population & drug addicted & assorted non-employed legions that VT seeks to attract and fights to harbor.
As long as the rental property landlords or their renters aren’t engaging in anything illegal, they are simply not at issue. At least they are employed, as presumably are their tenants who are all spending their $$$ in Vermont. WHAT is the problem? This is going on in all 50. Excess noise? Call the police. Drugs or public intoxication? Call the police.
Kathleen is 100% correct. Short term rentals are nothing new in Vermont, been going on for 60 + years. Luxury home rental does not affect affordable housing. Slope side and vacation condo rentals do not affect affordable housing. These two perhaps cover 80% of the short term rentals.
Many people find the laws against common sense rentals make it impossible to take risks on year round tenants. Big rental organizations keep out people who have fallen down or run into trouble. Mom and pop can’t afford to take a chance, because it could be 6-12 months to get a none paying, property destroying tenant out, easily a $40,000 loss of income, property damages and lawyer fees.
Try and get permits for multi family, get back with me.
Vermont is rigged heavily against the common man, that’s the issue, not ski resort rentals.
Not all of these Airbnb units are at the ski resorts. They are in surrounding towns as well. A young hard working couple cannot afford the rents that have skyrocketed in the last five years. Buying a house anywhere near these resorts is impossible. I guess that was my point and my opinion. As a native Vermonter, I am appalled at real estate prices.
So Guy Page. I posted 2 very sensible comments on this page with my name as requested. Neither of them has shown up!! What gives? As someone who was at this event I’m surprised I’m being censored, or does your website have issues?
Hi Joyce, sorry, I’ve been on vacation and it took me a few days to catch up on comment moderation. Thank you very much for commenting
Please VDC Staff!!! I attended this event and it was about a lot more than what is written here! It was about how legislators literally ignored the majority of voters and refused to change anything about the clean heat act or the global warming solutions act. And how democrat and republican legislators have more in common than not in beliefs and ideas but democrats can’t/won’t go against the leadership and vote as their constituents want. NOTHING will change until the voters decide they have had enough of being ignored.
This goes back the story that Paul Bean did where a legislator revealed the agenda is all determined in advance by 10 people. Still waiting for that follow up story, perhaps one of the best inside stories in decades. This backs up the accusation, because we all know that those elected to office cannot vote their conscious or what their people want. When I ran for office it was clear that Planned Parenthood, a lobbyist group was running the entire show, among others. They had a questionnaire, if you voted 100% You’d get $3500, they fund and entire party that way, via taxpayer money no less!
It also exposed that there was no change in unplanned births despite their decades of education, 50% still, which shows their title is a fraud, even on it’s false premise. Their questionnaire made no sense, needless to say I got 0%, best grade possible in my eyes.
Come on Guy/Paul…..dig a bit deeper, there is a good story here with much truth. Vermonters are getting conned.