By Guy Page
As Gov. Phil Scott and the Legislature prepare to spar over the record $8.5 billion budget in a veto session next month, state officials reported that revenues have missed their monthly target for two straight months. And for the first time this fiscal year, the General Fund, Transportation Fund and Education Fund have all failed to achieve their monthly consensus revenue expectations.
Year to date, only the General Fund is exceeding the target adopted by the Emergency Board at its January 17, 2023 meeting.
Total revenue was down 3.4% in April, administration officials say. However, cumulative revenue results since January, 2023 are still over the consensus target by about 1.8%.
Gov. Scott has signaled he will try to cut the budget via veto. He could veto the entire budget, or selectively veto big-ticket bills that contributed to the budget’s 13% increase over last year’s base spending.
Monthly revenue reports matter because state spending requires state revenue. The State of Vermont can’t print money and does not borrow to meet its budget. Gov. Scott has warned that big spending now will create big problems later if revenues plunge. Solutions would be either higher taxes, budget cuts, or both.
According to yesterday’s Agency of Administration April, 2023 revenue report,
The State’s General Fund,Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts were a combined $443.0 million, missing the $458.6 million monthly consensus target by -$15.6 million, or (3.4%).
Cumulative results through April 2023, however, remain $32.0 million, or 1.8%, above the $2,714.9 million consensus target set back in January following the January 2023 Emergency Board meeting.
General Fund revenues for April totaled $357.9 million, -$12.6 million, or (3.4%), below the $370.4 million monthly consensus cash flow target:
- For the third month in a row, Personal Income Tax receipts failed to meet their consensus target, missing by -$42.8 million in April.
- Health Care taxes missed their monthly consensus cash flow target by -$3.5 million. There was a combined -$0.3 million miss by the Liquor and Net Property Transfer Tax receipts.
- Corporate Income Tax receipts, however, bounced back from the prior month exceeding their target by $24.1 million. Reinforcing this positive performance were the Meals and Rooms Tax, Insurance Tax, Estate Tax and Other receipts category each exceeding their monthly targets by $0.7 million, $0.7 million, $3.3 million and $5.3 million respectively.
Unlike the previous three months, however, investment gains and excess receipts across multiple targets were not enough to overcome the substantial downside miss in Personal Income Tax receipts.
Revenues in the Transportation Fund also missed their $26.2 million April consensus target by – $3.0 million, or (11.4%), ending the month at $23.2 million.
Year to date, cumulative receipts have fallen below consensus expectations by -$1.4 million, or (0.6%) through the tenth month of fiscal year 2023.
The month of April was also the first month since the January 2023 consensus revenue forecast where receipts in the Motor Vehicle Purchase and Use tax failed to meet its consensus target, missing on the downside by -$1.2 million. Education Fund revenues were slightly ($30,000) below target for April. The -$0.6 million Motor Vehicle Purchase and Use Tax and -$0.3 million Sales and Use Tax misses were almost completely offset by $0.6 million of higher-than-expected net interest revenues and a $0.3 million better than expected performance by the Meals and Rooms Tax.
“The significant downside miss for April by the Personal Income Tax in the G-Fund was troubling,” Agency of Administration Secretary Kristin Clouser said. “The downside miss in the Motor Vehicle Purchase and Use Tax was also concerning because it has been the anchor offsetting many of the previous months’ categorical misses in both the Transportation and Education Funds.
“The State’s unprecedented investment earnings are impressive but are also highly susceptible to interest rate and bank balance fluctuations—especially as COVID funds are spent down,” Clouser said. “The Administration has consistently stated the need to exercise caution and due diligence with regard to how we spend the public’s resources and, given what may be the first indicators of an economic return to a post-pandemic baseline, it is with these lenses that the recent actions of the General Assembly must be scrutinized over the coming weeks.”
Categories: State Government
There is no better time than now to curb the states spending. I can’t just spend more than I project and expect others to chip in for me. Not only is it asinine to expect that, it’s encouraged by our local government. We need a true, nonpartisan, Godly if possible, board to look at all the wasteful spending. We also don’t need legislative wage hikes, this is going to create career politicians. That’s worked so well for Washington, on both side might I add, inclusivity right!!!
Revenues are down and after a session with the spenders in charge with a veto-proof majority, the spending is WAY UP. We voted for this.
The COVID-19 funded aren’t spent down. Some of those funds were redirected to schools under the claim that America is facing a pandemic of oppression. This ideology allowed COVID funds to be redirected from small businesses to schools to implement Equity programs and hire specially trained staff. That money is still sitting in many school budgets. I saw the numbers which are depicted in school budgets as published on the Vermont Department of Education website.
People are leaving VT due to taxes & high cost of living, if they keep raising taxes there will be very few of us left to carry the burden. Just curious where is all the cannibus tax revenue going?
Personal income tax receipts down $42.8 million? “Gov. Scott has warned that big spending now will create big problems later if revenues plunge. Solutions would be either higher taxes, budget cuts, or both.” Brilliant analysis, Phil! Tax and fee collections are down, so let’s raise them higher! Five years too late on buget cuts – they never cut spending unless forced to which is coming shortly. I foresee the State workforce downsizing bigly as they will have no choice. The proof is the failing infrastructure, no-see-um pensions, and Congress is no longer doling out the State welfare. Debt ceiling? There is no ceiling. There is only insurmountable debt. The end game is here for the Treasury and the Federal Reserve banks. The great global ponzi scheme is unwinding. Other States are all ready preparing for the inevitable. Except here, in woefully ignorant, corrupted Vermont. The chicken dance continues until the music stops and there will be no chairs left.