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By Guy Page
The Vermont House this morning overrode Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of H.687, the Act 250 reform bill, and H.887, the school funding bill that would fix property taxes at 13.8% and create two new taxes to pay for a $200 million school spending shortfall.
The House this morning also overrode the veto of H.289, the Renewable Energy Standard mandating zero carbon emissions from electricity generation and 70% instate renewable power generation. Gov. Scott and an early legislative study said the RES would cost ratepayers an additional $1 billion over 10 years. Supporters say the added expense is much less.
The four bills now go to the Vermont Senate. If the morning’s three override votes are any indication, the Democratic supermajority intends to stay united this afternoon during consideration of the other four vetoes on today’s agenda.
With 145 members present, 107 voted yes, 38 now on the Act 250 bill. 97 were needed to override. Sponsor Seth Bongartz praised it for updating Vermont land development regulations and conserving wildlife and wildlife habitat.
The bill saw only one negative comment during the floor debate, signifying perhaps that the GOP caucus knows it could not effect an override of the bill. Rep. Patti McCoy (R-Poultney) noted that “Vermont is starved for housing” and that this bill does nothing to resolve this crisis.
After the vote, a tearful Rep. Terri Williams (R-Granby), who is not seeking re-election, rebuked fellow House members. She represents most of the towns in Essex County, where housing and other development will remain substantially restricted under the Act 250 reforms.
“You should be ashamed of yourselves …. I am sick and afraid and defeated and sad… you have no idea or care what you are doing to my county.”
On the school funding ‘fix’ bill, H.887, the House voted yes 103, No 42.
Gov. Scott’s veto of H.289, the Renewable Energy Standard bill, was overridden by a vote of 102-43. Rep. McCoy highlighted the Public Utilities Commission plan that would deliver zero carbon electricity sooner at “significantly less” cost than the plan contained in H.289. The plan was discounted by H.289 supporters.
“In a time where Vermonters are struggling just to make ends meet, whether it be school taxes, mortgage payments. cost of housing including rent housing, H289 is only going to severely increase that burden. That’s not even going to take into account the environmental damages, will be massive,” John Brabant of Vermonters for a Clean Environment said at the State House during a break in the veto session.
The House also overrode the governor’s veto of H.72, the ‘safe injection sites’ bill, 104-41. If also overridden by the Senate, the new law will allow the creation of a law-enforcement free zone for illegal drug use. Supporters say it will reduce overdoses, opponents say it will institutionalize harmful drug use.
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Categories: Legislation
Sorry, Vt. isn’t starved for housing any more than the 49 other within the Union are. Maybe stop begging for refugees, close the Godforsaken border, and deport!!!!
As far as “safe” injection sites – the entire concept is a violation of federal law just like pot shops are. Maybe Trump can finally restore rule of law & national unity, tho in all honesty, the utter insanity & lawlessness has likely gone on undeterred for far too long. Remember “no” means “no”? Well, maybe someone should have explained that to state legislators. About 15 years ago.
Obviously you have not had to shop for a house, at least not with a budget recently. I have known young families who have searched for a year or more to find suitable housing. In one case, the house they found was owned by a man who was only willing to sell to a young local family. Rental properties are equally scarce. I understand that some areas like the NE Kingdom, (going from memory, don’t shoot me if I’m wrong), where the market is less stressed, but certainly not in in the central/southern regions. The market value of our house for instance has roughly doubled in the last five years.
You are right on target. In our town, 2 respectable motels were turned into housing for homeless who were brought in during the night time by bus from Burlington airport, with no advance notice to the police, Town Selectboard or even word one from the Governor’s office. This was all cooked up by the U S Govt and our Montpelier do gooders and the motel owners who cannot be trusted as far as they can be thrown. Leading up to this debacle, the numbers of homeless in our town could be counted most of the time, on one hand. Housing crisis all across VT?? I say let the ones who created that situation fix it.
There are 3,208 houses for sale just on Realtor.com right now.
Where’s the starving buyers? Oh yeah, between Joey Biden’s nearly 8% interest rates and many not willing to re-enter the workforce again post-Covid, the starving are waiting for Bernie’s promise to come to fruition that everything in life will soon be “free”, “free”, “free”!
There is a cancer in this country that must be excised. It’s called “Democrat”.
It seems to me that this cancer started around 1964 and has grown bigger sense.
Honestly, I am beyond being indignant about this current situation. Let home taxes be unaffordable. Let rent costs skyrocket. Freeze in your unlit homes because you can’t afford the energy costs. Live in fear as criminals break into your homes and shoot you on the streets. Let our beautiful safe cities degrade into crime infested, needle ridden, unaffordable shells of what once was. Vermonters will now understand the true cost of their choices at the voting booth. If you were one step ahead of the progressives, you should survive this. For those that weren’t, I am sorry.
You are completely spot on.
Unfortunately I have been saying this for years. This ship (state) will have to sink before we can fix anything. We are too far gone and it is not bad enough yet for people to vote differently. So stay and go broke while they spend (waste) your hard earned money or get out while you can, which can be hard. I get it!!
This state is turning into a bedroom for the wealthy. I’m tired of subsidizing people that are cable of working and not working.
I’m voting Republican across the board. If no republican… I’m leaving it blank.
May God hold accountable all of those who voted to override the vetoes. If not in this life, then in the next; in just proportion to the suffering their callousness and thoughtless virtue signaling will cause.
As Biden says…
“Bottom up-Middle out”
What he forgets to add is, TOP DOWN!!! 😡
Breaking the working class backs! Destroying America. The government can’t fix potholes, but want you to believe they can fix “global warming!” Wow! Wake up people!!!
There’s nothing that makes sense about a safe injection site. What I hear is that most addicts are angry at police and EMS when they get narcanned. Many of these people have been “saved” multiple times. It’s a ridiculous use of tax $$.
What housing shortage, drive around the state with new buildings everywhere, the problem is who can afford them ?? overpriced properties and over-taxed workers looking for a home
Then you have the gaggle of fools in Montpelier that think letting junkies shoot up with their ” illegal drugs ” under their watchful eye, does that make sense to any level-headed person ……. where do we get these idiots, this is just another reason to vote these pathetic fools out !!
Wake up people, they don’t care, it’s all about an agenda within the” Stupid Majority ”
and H.72 proves it……………………………..
but, we are vermont strong and we love pain/////////////
As Biden says, “bottom up, middle out, but conveniently forgets to say, TOP DOWN! This override will continue to break the backs of the working class. Destroying America is the intentions of the paid implants who voted for this. They can’t fix potholes, but want you to believe they can fix “global warming” with the (need more money) green bill. It’s just so wrong.
Vote only for Republican Candidates regardless of what they promise you!
Sorry Kevin, But yes, we live on a limited budget as most Americans do & my parents finally had the fiscal ability to purchase a 1600 sq. ft home within the town they always wanted to live in here in 2021. We have a substantial mortgage as do they, as do virtually each of our friends. Home ownership isn’t some kind of “right” – it requires planning & responsible-decision making & choosing occupations or trades wisely. That’s why it’s called the American DREAM, and not the American “right”.
It often requires renovation, ingenuity, & “buying & selling up” over decades to attain the house you really want where you want. It always has & always will. There is NO “housing shortage” in VT or anywhere else, but there IS a “shortage” for “equity housing, low-income & “workforce” housing for the refugees & the illegal immigrants that this country has imported by the tens of millions. Stop the SCAM! Stop taxpayer-subsidized housing!