By Guy Page

The Vermont House Ways & Means Committee voted this week to meet in a conference committee with their Senate compadres to resolve differences over the education property tax “yield” bill.

Conference committees happen when the two chambers pass different versions of the same bill. 

The Senate version of H.949, the yield bill, drops the local school district excess spending threshold – reputed ‘spending controls’ – from the House’s 118% to 112%, Ways & Means committee members say. The House bill calls for a seven percent property tax increase, while spending about half of the governor’s proposed $110 million ‘buy down’ with reserve funds. 

In contrast, the Senate yield bill would raise the property tax by three percent and buy down virtually all of the $110 million. The Senate also would increase the minimum property tax rebate for one year.

Act 181 reform/repeal goes to House floor – When S.325, the proposed repeal of added Act 250 restrictions on rural development, goes to the floor today, it will include two proposed amendments by a legislator and apple farmer from Cabot. 

Greg Burt (R-Cabot) would include small farms in the ‘smart growth’ planning provisions that currently benefit urban areas. Homesteads, and people who don’t want to live in downtown centers, shouldn’t have to be categorized as ‘sprawl’ for planning purposes, he said. 

Burt also proposes that on-farm businesses such as farm events, or a farm BnBs, would be exempt from Act 250 review. 

Data privacy compromise deplored – As the Vermont House Commerce and Economic Development Committee prepares to vote on S.71, the Vermont Data Privacy and Online Surveillance Act, sponsor Monique Priestley (D-Bradford) says a coalition of more than 1,400 Vermonters from every county and more than 150 towns across the state, including more than 100 Vermont businesses, want the committee to turn back any “weakening” amendments. 

Business groups say the restrictions in the bill as introduced would harm Vermont’s already weak business competitiveness vis a vis other New England states and nationwide.

“A weak privacy bill is not a compromise,” said Priestley. “It is a gift to the companies that are already taking our data, our customers, and our autonomy.”