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By Rep. Lori Houghton
Every year, the legislature passes a yield bill to set the property tax rates that will fund education for the coming fiscal year. The FY27 yield bill is on the calendar for a final vote today in the House.
This yield bill, plus the use of one-time funds, is a significant decrease from the initially projected rate increase, which was more than 10%. There is a careful balance between offering Vermonters much-needed financial relief, providing our children with the education they need, and being fiscally responsible.
Vermonters need property tax relief; this proposal does that. It’s also deliberately focused on multi-year fiscal responsibility, not sleight-of-hand tricks to win elections. If the House passed the governor’s proposal, Vermonters will be facing a 15% property tax increase next year.
The state is projected to have an $80 million budget deficit next year. Governor Scott and elected Republicans are well aware that they have no plan and no money to buy down a 15% tax increase on Vermonters next year. Creative math and significantly increasing the burden on taxpayers in the coming years will do long-term harm in the interest of their own short-term political motivations.
The House proposal offers a measured, fiscally responsible approach that grants us flexibility in reducing rates next year, while providing meaningful tax relief this year. The governor’s proposed buydown to 4% would result in future tax rates that are more than double what’s offered in the House proposal.
Affordability isn’t political. Vermonters don’t need partisan, self-interested politicians trying to buy their re-election by keeping tax increases lower today just to see them skyrocket out of control next year.
Yesterday, many excuses were used by Republicans as to why we are in the position we are today, but there was no mention of the ten years of a Republican administration’s failure to solve the problems we’re still facing today.
Vermont House Democrats will continue to do the work of supporting public schools and the students they serve, while doing so responsibly and sustainably for the taxpayers of Vermont.
The author, an Essex Democrat, is the House Majority Leader.
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Categories: Legislator Perspectives, Opinion
“Yesterday, many excuses were used by Republicans as to why we are in the position we are today, but there was no mention of the ten years of a Republican administration’s failure to solve the problems we’re still facing today.
Vermont House Democrats will continue to do the work of supporting public schools and the students they serve, while doing so responsibly and sustainably for the taxpayers of Vermont.”
No mention of the fact that the democrats and progressives have held a majority or supermajority during that time period and overrode the Governor’s vetos over a dozen times. More lies, deceit and misinformation. 🤬
The democrats can really project their lack of doing anything that truely benefit rural vermonters by trying to shift public opinion against those republicans that are trying to look out for vermonters.
FACT the democrats have controlled the entire legislative agenda for 32 of the last 34 years putting special interest groups wants over the well being of rural Vermonters and therefore all the funding problems are absolutely caused by them.
Democrats….doing what they do best!!!
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
I wish more people would understand this profound statement.
These dumb a$$es just don’t get it. We need tax CUTS, not higher taxes ! Vote them out !
Rep. Houghton needs to take a Civics 101 lesson, and focus on the definition of “supermajority.” This is not a stupid lawmaker. She is, however, remarkably adept at avoiding responsibility for her party’s legislative actions and their consequences.
I like how the Democrats blame Republicans when the Democrats have ruled forever now. More taxes. It’s their only answer.
BAND OF IDIOTS!
What a joke this is trying to place the blame on Republicans.. in my county the town of Woodstock loaded with liberal democrat yuppies just got their “trophy school” bond narrowly voted in. Replacing the high school / middle school will cost taxpayers 112 million dollars. I guarantee you before all is said and done it will cost much more than that.. Democrats have ZERO interest in trimming our budgets to help lower our tax burden.
Spending promoted by democrats is always referred to as an “investment”…
We are being ‘ruled’ and not represented, elected officials see themselves as leaders and rulers not following the Constitutional provision of representing. I see Bernie is going to be in Minneapolis leading the “no kings rally” there with AOC. What does this have to do with his job in Vermont !
OMG! Talk about tone deaf. And no, she is not related to me. Increasing property taxes is not relief. Always acuse the other side of what you are or have been doing. Right out of the demonrat playbook. Unbelievable.
gosh I hope not, you’ve got a bright future, she doesn’t.
As long as there is $1 spent for “climate change” this budget should be voted down. The money we spend on this false narrative will never affect our climate and thus is money thrown away. It’s the biggest scam in Vermont.