….and why some Vermonters won’t vote for a more frugal Legislature
With the help of guest Rob Roper of Behind the Lines, Guy Page and Paul Bean dive into Vermont’s affordability crisis – what’s causing it, what can be done, and why more hasn’t been done already.
In brief, there are at least five big drivers of Vermont’s affordability crisis:
1. Another big property tax hike expected next year from the Legislature.
2. The Legislature’s Clean Heat Standard, which if implemented will add $1.80 and $2 per gallon to heating oil. The cost of propane and natural gas will rise steeply as well.
3. The Renewable Energy Standard, which will add hundreds of millions of dollars to the cost of electricity in the next decade.
4. The cost of housing, which the Legislature has largely failed to address by streamlining Act 250 regulations, especially in rural areas. Vermont has the fastest growing cost of housing in the nation.
5. More legislated costs and fees, including a 20% increase in DMV fees, relatively new stormwater development fees, and new taxes such as short-term rental and the childcare payroll tax.
Rob, Guy and Paul discuss what Vermonters can do to make Vermont more affordable – in short, vote wisely – and why many Vermonters won’t vote for more frugal legislators.