Roll call shows Sims voted twice for property tax hike before announcing Senate run
By Paul Bean
Governor Scott took to social media last week to affirm his support of GOP Senate candidate Sam Douglass after his opponent, Katherine Sims, made a misleading social media post where it appeared as she and the Governor were aligned even though Sam Douglass had already received Governor Scott’s endorsement.
On October 11 Sims posted on her campaign Facebook page:
“There she goes again. Katherine Sims is trying to hide her record.” Writes Douglass on October 12 in his response to Sim’s post which also featured a 90 second clip where she paired up Governor Scotts most recent campaign video where he talks about electing more “common sense voters,” and a video of herself giving examples of where she has voted with the Governor.
On October 14 Governor Scott replied in the comments on Douglass’s post:
“She was on the committee that drafted this year’s property tax hike, and voted for it in committee and on the floor,” Douglass said in his post. “She voted for a new payroll tax, a 20% hike in DMV fees, and has voted to override many of the Governor’s vetoes during her short time in the house. I’m proud to have the endorsement of Governor Phil Scott. He knows that my allegiance is to the NEK, and I’ll always be fighting with him to make Vermont more affordable for you.”
As a State Representative, Sims voted twice to override the Governor on the Clean Heat Standard, once in 2022 and in 2023. In 2024 on the Ways and Means Committee she voted for the yield bill that contained the 14% property tax increase. The roll call shows that Sims voted for the property tax increase bill twice on the floor: first on April 23 for second reading and then again on April 24 for third reading.
In the House journal Sims explained her vote: “I vote yes to bring immediate relief to property taxpayers this year, to put in place cost containment measures for next year, and to set us on the path to rethink the funding formula for the future. We are going slow to go fast.”
On Monday April 29, Sims announced her campaign for State Senate in Orleans County. Following her announcement, during the June 17 veto session she did NOT vote to override the Governor on the property tax increase bill, going against her party. The vote to override passed 103-42.
Last Friday afternoon on Friday at Four, Sam Douglass joined us on Creemee Cast to give us an update on this situation as well as an update on his campaign. Click here to find the VDCTV YouTube page