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by Michael Stack
The 2024 Election results are in the books, and the new Trump administration agenda is starting to present itself. That being the case, over this past week Vermont’s congressional delegation dropped into a defensive scrum. What emerged from the huddle, tired “fear bating” rhetoric, projecting a major hit to Children and Seniors from what they labeled “dangerous move towards authoritarianism” by the Trump administration.
Summary up front, that sucking sound that you’re hearing is what little political capital our state (3 electoral college delegates) and its representatives had swirling down the drain. All elections have consequences. Vermont bet big on the wrong horse, and unfortunately the horse that won is keen on loyalty. Vermont’s reputation as a test bed for extreme left leaning social policies, example; taxing unrealized capital gains will seriously handicap its status on the national and hence the local level over the next 4 years.
Yes, the Trump administration recent decision to freeze Federal Funding should be seen as a shot across the bow. Secretary of State Rubio, in a recent Meghan Kelly interview stated that the freeze was about getting recipients attention. Essentially if you cut off their funds they tend to respond, he stated. All Federal programs will be required to “re-justify” their spending to the administration and as was made clear in the run up to the election they do not share the same social agenda that the last administration held.
Job number one, reverse the worst inflation this country has seen in the past 30 years. Inflation a stealth, highly regressive tax was dropped on the middle to lower-income classes by the Biden administration’s economic policies. Polls indicate that was the number one reason many traditional democratic voters abandoned their candidate. Trumps campaign commitment to reverse inflation will be the hammer used to cover many stone-cold political decisions.
While Governor Scott did not see the recent halt to Federal funding, his common sense told him that we need to take a proactive look at spending, specifically where the state depends on funding from the federal government. Many of those Federal dollars that once supported infrastructure, renewable energy and Teacher headcount are going to be eliminated.
Any attempt to download the lost Federal funding onto Vermont’s small tax base will result in an unmitigated disaster. State taxpayers are already straining under the pressure of a significant property tax burden to fund double digit growth in the state’s education fund. We saw a record number of local school budgets fail last year and a very clear message was sent to Montpelier “stop the out-of-control spending”.
Speaking of tired rhetoric, the response from Montpelier so far “we won’t be controlled”, ”we will look to the state’s reserves (that means you taxpayer) to fill the gap”. Guess they missed the memo from the super majority loss. The lack of self-awareness kind of boggles the mind.
Prediction time again.
Last April I predicted a peaking in the political power of the Democratic super majority based upon their belligerent tax and spend attitude.
Stack: When the taxpayer just stops paying – Vermont Daily Chronicle
My current prediction is a double down. Maybe not quite as unconventional and out there as last April’s call. However, if the Democratic party attempts to tax and spend their way through their loss in Montpelier and on the National level they will continue to lose power. I will go as far as to say they could sow the seeds for a previously unimaginable swing to a conservative dominated (financially conservative, socially liberal) state of Vermont.
The author is a If we have learned anything post the pandemic, based upon the hundreds of millions of ESSER dollars dumped, our challenges are not going to be solved by simply throwing money at the problem.
This may be a contrarian viewpoint. If Vermont’s out of control spending continues unabated this will create more problems ahead for all.
Michael Stack is a retired financial industry professional and a former Bellows Falls Union High School Board member.
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Categories: Commentary
VT is one of the top states dependent on Federal Bucks.
That gravy train is leaving the station fast.
Tighten those belts folks. It’s gonna get rocky.
Mike;
It’s not my forte’, but looking at the consolidated financials for the School for International Training in Brattleboro, which I understand is (was) a beneficiary of USAID largesse:
https://www.worldlearninginc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2023-and-2022-World-Learning-Inc-Consolidated-Financial-Statements.pdf
I see about $60 mil/year in federal grants and contracts. Now that USAID is being shut down, it should be interesting as a test case, not only for SIT, but for Brattleboro (local faculty and staff), Windham County, and the entire state of VT, to observe the effects of having the spigot turned off. And now the Department of Education is in the crosshairs. Do you have a take on this?
I think the answer is what Vermont should have done the last election, replace all democrats with republicans. Including the charlatan democrat now occupying the governors position.
THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP!!
It’s long overdue for our Vermont Government to get a sober wake up call! It’s so easy to spend ….. spend ….. spend when you are depending on the Federal Fund Feeding Trough for so much of your spending!
33% of Vermont’s Budget for 2025 depends on Federal Funds. Link below:
https://ljfo.vermont.gov/assets/Meetings/Joint-Fiscal-Committee/2025-01-31/GENERAL-380269-v1-Overview_of_Federal_Funds_in_the_Vermont_Budget-002.pdf
Remember:
The only monies local, state, and federal governments have is tax monies collected from the same source, “We The People.”
Please Take Note:
You’ll see the report I linked in my email says 36%. Other reports say 33%.
What has been revealed in the USAID scandal is so amazingly corrupt and I bet the Vermont media will not touch it because it shows how deep the deceptive democrats will go to accomplish their twisted agenda. The USA has been saved by electing Trump. I know all the liberals will gag over that statement but look how DC is gaslighting right now about shutting down their slush fund, USAID. More will be coming in the real news.
As BH Obama once said that elections have consequences, so Vermont better tighten its belt.
Yes, tighten our belts until we replace all democrats and rinos, or move to an affordable red state.
“The task of weaning various people and groups from the national nipple will not be easy. The sound of whines, bawls, screams and invective will fill the air as the agony of withdrawal pangs finds voice.”
Linda Bowles, “The Weaning Process,” Washington Times, December 20, 1994.
This is what Chapter 11 bankruptcy is, folks. It’s a reorganization that’s required when revenue can’t keep up with expenses. And as Hemmingway so aptly put it… ‘bankruptcy occurs gradually, then suddenly’. Linda Bowles coined her remark 30 years ago. Unfortunately, our elected officials weren’t listening.
While it won’t be easy, I hope to see you all on the other side.
I would like to return to the Vermont I found in 1970 and stop looking for another state to move to. What ever happened to the republicans back then that they allowed Vermont to decay so much?
To Skippy: I would like to return to the state I was born in, Vermont. I didn’t leave Vermont, it left me about 40 years ago. If I was younger, I would leave.
Lack of federal funds will not stop the bonding of debt. Vermont can not print money, they can only borrow it with debt structures. Now you know why they keep bonding more debt to keep this phony economy from a total collapse. Vermont will not allow a bond default and your property is used for collateral. Stop the bonding. But never fear PICKPOCKETPOWELL and the FEDERAL RESEARVE will bail you out with more inflation, Enjoy your three dollar orange.
Thank you for keeping the Bond issue forefront in our minds by repeating it. I mean this with great sincerity. I will be reaching out to my Rep as she is on the commerce committee. Any further information you wish to share please do get Mr Page to put it up as an Op Ed. Thank you Mr. Day!
Trump knows that 30-40% of Vermonters are fully on board with his agenda despite our shy reluctance to wear MAGA hats or sport bumper stickers, out of a rational concern of having our cars keyed or worse. The real death knell to our federal largess was when Pat Leahy stepped down. With our civic “leaders”, elected and otherwise, displaying their overt Trump resistance, that will put us on the radar screen for some tough love that we so richly deserve. We will see how “our brave little state” fares without it’s lavish federal trust fund. When the choices are lead, follow or get out of the way, our local democrats and progressives will choose to glue their hands to the road to block the MAGA re-enlightenment of our Country.
What pleasure for the middle and low income folks, (and the high income folks, now that the purse strings have become to tighten on their households as well), to finally see VT lose the taxpayer funds that keep the evil, nasty, Marxist/Globalist grifters from robbing The Peoples’ money and using it against them, destroying their livelihoods and this Nation! Can’t wait to watch these evildoers squirm as they try and justify their evil ways. Maybe some will find comfort in another country soon? Time will tell. Maybe some will come clean and do a complete 180? Time will tell. It’s Accounting & Accountability Time, and yes, there is and will be consequences to pay for their evil actions against The People. Bring it on President Trump and his administration – Thank You!
Can’t wait for the Department of Education to get analyzed. Shall it be said that it is a can of worms? Should be quite interesting. Hmmmmm, maybe the days are numbered, and the conclusion similar to USAID.
Bureaucrats are all the same: ” It’s our free money, so let’s spend it on nonsense.” things like ” pet projects ” just muddy the waters, and no one will see what’s up as no they never check, or if they do it too late, today we have “NO” accountability !!
I agree we need clarification and audits on all government spending be it at the Federal or State level, it’s like everyday citizens living within their means, so why isn’t the government doing the same ??
Overspending for emergencies is one thing, and should be done, but spending just because you can is something of a different matter, overspending and bloated budgets, accountability should be front and center if our elected officials cannot state why, then they need to go, if they worked for any other corporation they would all be fired for incompetence, Wake up people, it’s your money, be wasted so lets ” Open the Books”, and watch who cries the loudest, keep an eye on what Vermont’s DC connection is stating ??
“Trumps campaign commitment to reverse inflation will be the hammer used to cover many stone-cold political decisions.”
Inflation is the increase in the supply of money. Trump will do NOTHING to prevent the increase in supply of money. Print baby print!
Thank you so much Mike. This is spot on as usual.
If not for divine intervention, we’d have Nicki Haley as president and Mike Pompeo as VP.
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 21:1)
He’s not supposed to be alive. They had a similar plan to the one in Nov 22nd, 1963 texas…..There is no way that day in Pennsyvania could have been planned by mortal men, the turning and placing of his head at the exact time. There are no marksmen who could have pulled that off to “benefit” Trump.
Thank you, Lord.
I’ll take guns and bible for $200 Alex…..
It is amazing to me how many celebrate while federal employees are being summarily dismissed from their federal employment. People with children, mortgages, health issues, etc. just like them. Imagine tomorrow losing your livelihood. I don’t understand the cruelty of so many. They celebrate our morally reprehensible President and care so little for all the people including children who will suffer from his actions. Shame on them and him.
So, you think that these out-of-control, often redundant federal budget items should constitute a jobs program? I am more concerned about the beleaguered American taxpayer who also have children, mortgages, health issues etc.