By Guy Page
A member of the Vermont House of Representatives is proposing legislation to freeze property taxes for three years while the State of Vermont implements education funding reform.
Property tax payers face a 12% increase next year if spending remains status quo, the Scott administration reported last month. Gov. Scott has recommended drawing on reserve funding to reduce the impact of the likely increase.
Rep. Gina Galfetti, R–Barre Town, says skyrocketing education costs and rising property taxes have pushed many Vermonters to the brink, prompting her to propose a three-year freeze on property tax rates while lawmakers work on longer-term reforms.
The Legislature reconvenes tomorrow, Tuesday January 6. No new bills have been posted yet on the legislature’s website. It is likely that such legislation would appeal to many House Republicans, less so to most Democrats. In a statement released today and published as a commentary in today’s VDC, Galfetti said Vermonters are “beyond our breaking point when it comes to affordability,” arguing that recent efforts to overhaul the state’s education system have stalled and left taxpayers exposed to continued increases.
Governor Scott proposed a sweeping education reform package last year, and lawmakers created a special committee—made up of legislators and non-legislators—to redraw school districts and recommend structural changes. Galfetti said that committee failed to complete its assignment over the summer, blaming majority Democrats for refusing to move forward on district consolidation.
“That is the reality of what happened over the summer,” Galfetti said.
She acknowledged that school and administrative consolidations are unpopular but said they are necessary to control costs. “At the end of the day the idea is to save taxpayers money,” Galfetti said. “That means we need to optimize, streamline, and cut.”
Galfetti’s proposal would freeze property tax rates for three years, preventing any increases during that period. She stressed the plan is “not reform” and “not a solution,” but said it would give Vermonters time to survive while lawmakers address what she called a broken system.
Under the bill, any increases in education spending during the freeze would have to be covered by the state’s General Fund rather than through higher property taxes. Galfetti said those costs would be spread evenly across all General Fund budget items, rather than targeting specific programs.
“No favorites here,” she said, calling the approach a “large dose of reality and a stark fiscal reminder” of the consequences of unchecked spending.
Galfetti criticized the state’s education funding system, noting that school spending has continued to rise even as student enrollment and test scores have declined. “The system is not working for the kids, or the taxpayers,” she said.
Speaking personally, Galfetti said she owns a small painting company, does not have health insurance, and struggles to pay her mortgage. “I know that I am one of the lucky ones,” she said.
She urged Vermonters to pressure their representatives, especially as federal funding remains uncertain. Galfetti cited comments made by Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth at a December legislative fiscal briefing, where he said the state would step in to cover any federal shortfalls.
“Vermont doesn’t have large bags of cash or bars of gold stashed in the State House cellar,” Galfetti said, warning that the state lacks the taxing capacity to absorb major federal cuts.
Calling the moment “dark and complicated times,” Galfetti said affordability must be the Legislature’s top priority. “The race is on to save this state,” she said, “and we all need to work together to make that happen.”