By Guy Page
The Vermont House yesterday joined the Vermont Senate in giving the next and every future Legislature a steep raise, plus adjournment pay, plus State of Vermont employee-level health care benefits, plus several other benefits that, when toted up, equal almost $50,000 (estimated) per legislator.
S.39 also offers State of Vermont employee-level health care benefits beginning with next year’s Legislature. The weekly pay hike from $811 to $1000 would begin in 2025, rise another $1000 in 2026, and total $1210 by 2027.
In yesterday’s vote, S.39 passed 102-44. The House is scheduled to vote on S.39 again today for the third and final reading. S.39 also would create a commission to study changes in how often the Legislature meets – including, possibly, meeting more often than the current habit of 18-20 weeks.
The House amended the bill slightly from the Senate version, so the two versions will need to be reconciled by House and Senate. Then the bill would go to Gov. Phil Scott, who has said he would support a pay hike if the Legislature could limit itself to three months.
Six Democrats and every Republican voted against S.39. The Democrats No votes are listed in bold:
Andrews of Westford
Bartley of Fairfax
Beck of St. Johnsbury
Branagan of Georgia
Brennan of Colchester
Burditt of West Rutland
Canfield of Fair Haven
Clifford of Rutland City
Corcoran of Bennington
Demar of Enosburgh
Demrow of Corinth
Dickinson of St. Albans Town
Galfetti of Barre Town
Goslant of Northfield
Graham of Williamstown
Gregoire of Fairfield
Hango of Berkshire
Harrison of Chittenden
Higley of Lowell
Hooper of Randolph
Labor of Morgan
Laroche of Franklin
Leavitt of Grand Isle
Lipsky of Stowe
Maguire of Rutland City
Marcotte of Coventry
Mattos of Milton
McCoy of Poultney
McFaun of Barre Town
Morgan of Milton
Morrissey of Bennington
Oliver of Sheldon
Page of Newport City
Peterson of Clarendon
Roberts of Halifax
Shaw of Pittsford
Taylor of Milton
Walker of Swanton
Williams of Granby
Wilson of Lyndon
Donahue of Northfield *
Parsons of Newbury *
Smith of Derby *
Toof of St. Albans Town *
(asterisk denotes on-the-record comments listed in House Journal)
Four Republicans explained their “no” vote in statements recorded in today’s House Journal:
“Rushing to raise pay and benefits in statute to ‘make progress’ for 2025, prior to hearing from a study due back in 2024 that may propose yet further pay and benefit increases, is disingenuous to the extreme.” – Rep. Anne Donahue (R-Northfield).
“Morally I cannot support this bill. To offset the burden of this session’s tax and fee increases, we are raising salaries…for ourselves. Better luck next time Vermonters.” – Rep. Joe Parsons (R-Newbury).
“I truly hope that the voters of Vermont will remember this day. I hope they remember who gave themselves a full-time job and a raise at their expense! This is an embarrassment! Shame on all of you!” – Rep. Brian Smith (R-Derby).
“I vote no because the audacity it takes to raise our pay by 50% while simultaneously raising our budget by 13% and numerous taxes and fees is unconscionable.” – Rep. Casey Toof (R-St. Albans)
Legislators voting yes:
Birong of Vergennes *
Bluemle of Burlington *
Boyden of Cambridge *
Brown of Richmond *
Chase of Chester *
Chesnut-Tangerman of Middletown Springs *
Goldman of Rockingham *
Notte of Rutland City *
Pouech of Hinesburg *
Rachelson of Burlington *
Stone of Burlington *
Whitman of Bennington *
Williams of Barre City *
Andriano of Orwell
Anthony of Barre City
Arrison of Weathersfield
Arsenault of Williston
Austin of Colchester
Bartholomew of Hartland
Berbeco of Winooski
Black of Essex
Bongartz of Manchester
Bos-Lun of Westminster
Brady of Williston
Brumsted of Shelburne
Burke of Brattleboro
Burrows of West Windsor
Buss of Woodstock
Campbell of St. Johnsbury
Carpenter of Hyde Park
Carroll of Bennington
Casey of Montpelier
Chapin of East Montpelier
Chase of Colchester
Christie of Hartford
Cina of Burlington
Coffey of Guilford
Cole of Hartford
Conlon of Cornwall
Cordes of Lincoln
Dodge of Essex
Dolan of Essex Junction
Dolan of Waitsfield
Durfee of Shaftsbury
Elder of Starksboro
Emmons of Springfield
Farlice-Rubio of Barnet
Garofano of Essex
Graning of Jericho
Headrick of Burlington
Holcombe of Norwich
Hooper of Burlington
Houghton of Essex Junction
Howard of Rutland City
Hyman of South Burlington
James of Manchester
Jerome of Brandon
Kornheiser of Brattleboro
Krasnow of South Burlington
LaBounty of Lyndon
Lalley of Shelburne
LaLonde of South Burlington
LaMont of Morristown
Lanpher of Vergennes
Logan of Burlington
Long of Newfane
Masland of Thetford
McCann of Montpelier
McCarthy of St. Albans City
McGill of Bridport
Mihaly of Calais
Minier of South Burlington
Morris of Springfield
Mrowicki of Putney
Mulvaney-Stanak of Burlington
Nicoll of Ludlow
Noyes of Wolcott
Nugent of South Burlington
O’Brien of Tunbridge
Ode of Burlington
Pajala of Londonderry
Patt of Worcester
Priestley of Bradford
Rice of Dorset
Satcowitz of Randolph
Scheu of Middlebury
Sheldon of Middlebury
Sibilia of Dover
Sims of Craftsbury
Small of Winooski
Squirrell of Underhill
Stebbins of Burlington
Stevens of Waterbury
Surprenant of Barnard
Taylor of Colchester
Templeman of Brownington
Toleno of Brattleboro
Torre of Moretown
Troiano of Stannard
Waters Evans of Charlotte
White of Bethel
Wood of Waterbury
“It is a privilege to serve in this body. It is also out of reach for too many. I vote ‘Yes’ to provide others the possibility of this service.” – Rep. Robin Chesnut-Tangerman (D-Middleton Springs)
“In my five years here, I have been disappointed to watch several representatives – from multiple parties – arrive, begin to make an impact for their communities, but then decide they couldn’t remain in office because they simply could not afford to do so. These representatives were primarily younger – working age, raising families. Without an increase in legislative pay we silence the voices of thousands of Vermonters – we essentially lock the doors of the State House to people whose voices would be extremely valuable as we work to best serve all Vermonters.” Rep. William Notte (D-Rutland)
“Public Service shouldn’t equate to poverty. We don’t pay the Governor or other state public servants, so poorly or fail to give them any benefits. Being a State representative and holding a job or jobs isn’t easy, as I, and so many other current and former legislators have experienced.” – Rep. Barbara Rachelson (D-Burlington)