By Dustin Degree 

Senate Democrats were caught red handed this weekend, misleading Vermonters as they claimed credit for Governor Scott’s Tax Relief package from 2025.

Senator Ruth Hardy (D-Addison) penned an op-ed lauding their effort, scolding the Governor, claiming the ideas were “… spearheaded and crafted,” by the Democratic legislature.  (Addison Independent 8/27/26)

Senator Joe Major (D-Windsor) even went as far as to say in a Facebook video on Saturday, “those tax cuts didn’t start in the executive office, they were crafted right in the legislature,” and Senate Democrats “brought those savings to the negotiating table…”  (https://www.facebook.com/reel/896746016563767)

The tax cuts in question include increasing the child tax credit for kids up to the age of six, increasing the earned income tax credit, expanding the income tax exemption on social security, and excluding military pensions from the state’s income tax.

But here’s the problem with their manufactured outrage and attempts to take credit… each of those provisions were first put forward in the Governor’s proposed FY26 budget laid out on January 28 of 2025 and highlighted in his Budget Address given before a joint session of the legislature on the same day.

I’m not shocked that Senate Democrats want to run from their record on taxes, but I’ve been around Montpelier a long time and I’ve never seen such blatant misrepresentation of the truth.

Here’s an excerpt from the Governor’s Budget Address back in 2025:

“We should provide some much-needed relief with a $13.5 million tax reduction package. Here’s what it includes:

As costs have gone up, those on a fixed income are hit the hardest, so we should increase eligibility for our social security income tax exemption.

To help low-income working adults keep more of their paycheck, we can expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for those without dependents.

We can cover more families with the Child Tax Credit by extending it up to age six.

And as I’ve done nearly every year, I propose eliminating the income tax on military pensions – bringing us in line with nearly every other state, attracting a valuable and important part of the workforce, and making sure those who serve our nation can afford to thrive and retire here too.”  (Journal of the Joint Assembly, 1/28/2025)

Act 71, the bipartisan bill that served as a vehicle for those changes, was introduced on February 6, months after the administration began building the budget that included these measures and well after they were presented to the legislature.

Claiming credit for these ideas would literally mean having a hand in drafting the Governor’s budget proposal, which these two Senators, clearly, did not.

I’m not sure what’s more difficult to believe, the fact that they would be so brazen in their attempt to claim credit for the Governor’s plan or that they think Vermonters would buy that Senate Democrats had any interest in lowering taxes on Vermonters. After all, it’s their leadership that has led to the affordability crisis that is crushing our families, farms and businesses and allowed property taxes to increase by nearly 50% in the last five years.

After nearly thirty years of single party control in the legislature, Vermonters are feeling the full force of an agenda that has consistently raised taxes and fees while pursuing policies that make it more expensive and more difficult to live, work, do business and retire here.

That’s why the Governor is focused on electing mainstream, commonsense candidates from across the spectrum that are willing to work with him to provide more tax relief to Vermonters.

One thing is clear; Democrats are worried about their record on pocketbook issues. They must be hearing what I’m hearing: Vermonters are tapped out and looking for a new direction from the legislature. I guess if I were a Senate Democrat, I’d be nervous, too.

The author is a former State Senator from Franklin County and Scott administration official. He is currently campaign manager for the campaign to re-elect Phil Scott as governor. VDC will publish commentaries from other statewide candidates.