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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.”
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Categories: State House Spotlight
Has anyone really looked at why property taxes are continually high? My gUess is it is because of uncontrolled spending. Getting a handle on this culprit is where it needs to start. Done correctly and avoiding spending where a return on investment cannot be realized,, this one factor is where to start. AND, every single line item is to be examined.Done properly and within the confines of “What we can afford”. The Governor for two years has robbed PEter, to pay Paul. Not acceptable. Take charge of your responsibility, school board members.
You might find in the end that taxes could be lowered, as a matter of routine business.
the problem and issues are:
spending problem, it is not a revenue problem
if they want revenue the easy solutioln is to tax all political contributions
more than enough revenue
the teachers unions both state and federal. ever year there are less learning days, add more vacation/holidays, early dismissal. dont we have a daycare issue but they force parents and caregivers to cover more time. the school calendar has never changed. there needs to be more classroom time and less days off. stop teacher workshops wher they close schools. dont tell me its about the kids, the union needs to be pushed back, let the citizens negoiate with unions, go ahead and strike i say but with no pay!
Education, education, education ! 2/3rds of my property taxes go towards the education of kids in my town, and I do not nor have I ever had children, but it takes a village ! There’s a title that defines this political doctrine that states people should devote their life, and livelyhood to the good of the collective, and like it. Darn, it’s right there on the tip of my tongue .
We gave them 9 BILLION dollars and they ran out of money before lunch time.
Notice they are still NOT talking about reducing any expanses?
They will say we need the money for the poor, while they give themselves raises and the poor get less, this is how Marxism works, some pigs are more equal than others.
Vermont is more sophistivpcated in its misuse of public funds than Minnesota, just remember EB5, that was a 5 billion dollar sack where politicians didn’t get so,much as a needs improvement on their job review.
They just wasted a million plus on grant money for towns. Stop all grant money would be a good first thing. Grant money ideas and spending are so bad, nobody would spend their own money on them, tells you right there it’s a bad idea.
The only freeze I am going to see is the ice in my driveway and a much smaller wood pile.
You won’t need any woodpile when they ban wood stoves.
I agree on freezing property taxes, but not as a stand alone. The real focus on educational budgets are out of control school negotiations.
The school boards can never win in today’s standards. The unions will always strike, and hold parents and students and school boards hostage until the parents can’t afford not to work, students losing school time, boards attacked for not supporting teachers. It’s a winless system.
Requiring unions to by law, negotiate only with binding arbitration, no strike’s allowed will support responsible and common sense negotiations.
Police and fire are required to, and no union is complaining, they receive fair and balanced contracts. That doesn’t bust the communities budgets.
Second, establish real school choice for all, where the money follows the students. Most schools need students that already have excellent programs in nearby schools, many others schools that are privately run have lower tuition cost saving the tax payer.
Third, cap property taxes, in all communities , like most states in the country do. At least start with those who are over seventy years old and retired on a fix income, instead of pushing them out of their homes and state!
Pushing them out of their home and state is the idea. That way the rich people escaping from New York can buy up the homes for cash. (Right, Bernie?)
Gina, Bernie’s Mayor buddy in NYC over the weekend says there is no “property right’ and home ownership is white supremacy, planning to confiscate private property
They all agree, you will own nothing and be happy!
Get in your place serf!!!!!!
Take the power from the state and return it to the cities and towns. Let them control their schools and the funding. Totally scrap the debt of education.
Great idea! Now Republicans need to seize the message to the voters. This is an important issue not just for Republicans but for all Vermonters, especially ones on fixed income.
Would this give the municipalities the idea that they can raise the town taxes in order to get more money? I don’t know so someone please let me know if this is a thing or am I just dreaming another one of those crazy nightmares that involves town politics?
Good question !
Freeze? Not good enough. Watch and learn about the real fraud. We want the constitution to be adhered to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdYHbhT6524
Gina, you are correct: At the end of the day the idea is to save taxpayers money,” Galfetti said. “That means we need to optimize, streamline, and cut.”
Consolidation alienates people and reduces local control. The summer committee actually listened to the people. That is something legislators should do more of.
“optimize, streamline, and cut.” We could start under the “Golden Dome” New York’s state assembly gets by with 150 Assemblymen (House of Rep.) the same as Vermont. I suppose I could do the math but I think my point is obvious without me doing that. And how about two Senators per County ? That would cut two Senators, but would help bring balance, and a sense that the rural population matter, as they should. And just think of the extra parking spots on the complex ! 🙂
You go girl ! We need another 149 more in the house just like you ! Thank you !
Strange that next month will be our very first ‘School Board Appreciation Month’.
While I SINCERELY appreciate this move, unfortunately, it won’t go anywhere. The Ds and Ps are TOO in love with our money, working for the teachers union, (instead of the PEOPLE) . I’d love to see some radical changes to the school systems. Vermont has lead the way on so many other changes, it would be nice if they could literally dump the current public school model/system and LET SCHOOLS DEVELOP that can effectively and efficiently teach to the 21st century student. (THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!!) And, no, that doesn’t mean loads more tech. LESS tech, IMHO, would be better. I’m popping the corn to watch what happens this session…hoping whatever they do won’t be one more nail in the coffin to finally leave VT.
The VNEA needs to go ! Their organization needs to be investigated . It’s abuse of tax payers makes me wonder if it is not run by a bunch of Somalies !
Stop voting Democrat and your problems will be solved! They are now listed as Domestic Terrorists
Whoever is in charge of negotiating healthcare insurance premiums for teachers and staff is doing a terrible job. We need someone who can negotiate like Trump negotiates — someone with b*lls. The healthcare costs for teachers is exorbitant and one of the largest items in the school budgets. The state needs to cut its expenses and allow more of the local tax dollars to remain local. We’re tired of our taxes being sent to to Montpelier only to have a large portion of it skimmed off to run the state’s expenses and then only a small portion being sent back to run our schools.
When they try to ban wood stoves, the wood pile on the end of my 45/70 will start a fire on the other end and I love to target practice.
I want to commend Representative Galfetti for introducing a bill to freeze property taxes for 3 years. It appears that she has shown to be the only politician in our legislature working for we the people that you all allegedly work for. Unfortunately Vermont taxpayers cannot afford the present level of property taxes, or any increase of any new or existing taxes and that does not go far enough for the relief that is necessary now. The law makers in the legislature will simply continue overspending and look for new ways to find more money to spend, ie., taxing walking trails, and Kayaking, maybe throw in a toll booth or two, etc. It amazes me how creative they can be to find more money to spend, but never have a thought for decreasing spending. Perhaps a bill that absolutely ends any new or increase in any taxes, with a goal of a reduction in wasteful spending of 3-5% each year for the next three years. The path our lawmakers have been on has only increased VT’s poverty rate, and will continue to grow our homeless problem for those that have not yet left Vermont.
I wouldn’t have an issue supporting a raise in pay for our lawmakers, but that is a hard pill to swallow for the deplorable job they have been doing for their employers, the taxpayer.
Well said sir👍🇺🇲🗽🇺🇲👍