by Gregory Thayer

Now that the 2025/2026 Vermont Legislature is seated, and the same House and Senate Democrat-Socialist leadership teams are back in place, I’m sure that most of the big government controls and spending ideas will resurface and be introduced to keep screwing working Vermonters across our great State.

Thank you to the voters of Vermont for voting out many of the Marxist-thinking Democrats and for ending their super-duper majority. Thank you for electing a new Lieutenant Governor and for more common-sense thinking Republicans in the House and Senate under the Gold Dome.

As I toured across Vermont during the 2024 election season, I listened to and spoke with thousands of Vermonters from diverse backgrounds. I heard loudly that people want the government off their backs. They want to make Vermont affordable; to stop the spending in our Schools; and the force-feeding DEI-Equity programs upon our children.

I have some policy ideas that I am working on with some Legislators to make life better for us:

• Stop the over-regulations in our everyday lives. Regulations negatively affect working Vermonters, by adding cost and putting simple investment projects out of reach. This is a major reason for our Housing shortfalls. We must get the government out of the way to release free markets and our innovation. When that happens we will watch the floodgates of opportunities and investments flourish in our State.
• Education funding is a simple fix. I talked about it on the campaign trail. When we adopt a Statewide consumption tax we will repeal/cancel every tax in the Statute: the property tax gone; the income tax gone; payroll tax gone; gas and fuel taxes gone; corporate and business taxes gone, every tax gone, repealed! Border towns will not be affected, local option taxes will not be affected, and second homeowners will not be affected. Efficiencies and effective delivery of governmental services will be much better. This will reduce the cost of delivering programs to Vermonters. Currently, we have a $8.4 billion state budget. Under this plan there would be one tax on Gross Sales at the point-of-sale at every level: raw materials; wholesale; and retail sales transactions and services. We believe there is nearly $165 billion (or $165,000,000,000) in total gross sales across our great State. There is no regressive tax implications. People will simply purchase what they can afford and pay the consumption tax. Remember, there will be no other taxes; NO property tax, NO income tax, NO payroll tax, etc...
• Repeal the Global Warming Solutions Act 153/H-688 2020 (G.W.S.A.). I’m calling on Governor Phil Scott to withdraw Vermont from the U.S. Climate Alliance immediately. When Governor Scott signed Vermont up to be a Member of the U.S. Climate Alliance in 2017, climate change hysteria began to materialize. It is part of the “Paris Climate Accord” that does nothing to help our local climate. If Vermont did not sell one gallon of fuel today that would not amount to anything on the local/global conditions of the climate. Moreover, the G.W.S.A. adds billions of dollars, regulations, and procedures that are costly to every working Vermonters and our business owners. Additionally, the Democrats that approved the provision to allow any organization to sue Vermont is idiotic and must be repealed immediately. A good start to eliminate the unrealistic Clear Heat Standard / G,W.S.A. is H-16.
• Healthcare in Vermont is out of control mainly because WHY… the Legislature’s aggressive Regulations leading us to a Single Payer system. Further, overutilization by people and the current leadership wanting government to be “all things, to all people” and not saying NO. We cannot continue to adopt more regulations and further spending behaviors. I heard across the State that people want choices in paying for their medical costs. Please understand that the Democrat-Socialist leaders confuse people with their words. Healthcare access and paying for healthcare services are two different and distinct responsibilities. Stop saying that healthcare is a right, HC access may be a right, but paying for it is every adult’s responsibility. We must help our less fortunate neighbors, but not make them lifetime dependent on taxpayers. HC costs are out of control and are getting worse. A new reported problem is our aging hospital’s physical buildings and obsolete medical equipment. It is okay to say no. I believe we need more choices and Free-Market solutions to create competition that will bring down costs. Competition is healthy and the right thing for stakeholders.
• Parents’ Rights in Education! It is pretty simple friends, these are our children, not the schools, not the States, and most certainly, not the governments. DEI-Equity, SEL, and the other Marxist teachings are hurting our children. It brings down standards. The Teacher’s Unions and Schoolboards are exploiting our public schools. Our children learn more about pro-nouns than academic proficiencies. Parents have a fundamental right to oversee the upbringing and education of their children. Academic success begins with a solid and respectful relationship between the student, parents, and educators. Parent’s rights are well established in the Constitutions and laws in the United States and Vermont. Adopt the “Parent’s Rights in Education” initiative!
• Mental Health Issues, We need to make tough decisions. Vermont is experiencing out-of-control homelessness, drug abuse, crimes & violence, and joblessness. To me, this is all coming from serious mental illnesses that are not being addressed. State Legislators know these problems exist, but do not have the strength to tackle them. This is not healthy! Developing more programs and throwing more taxpayer money and State resources at these problems is NOT the answer. These “simple” fixes make it worse for the clients, their families, and every citizen because it does not address the root of the problems. We need serious Legislators to have the courage necessary to fix this mess. We need to empower families to step up and help their loved ones and work to address the concerns of a client’s civil liberties. We need leaders, not more government.

Vermont needs genuine people with real vision; with fight and courage to make Vermont the best place to live, work, and play. We need leaders in our Legislature to make tough decisions for working Vermonters and families. Contact your Legislators to discuss your opinions, and help move our beautiful State forward. It’s about you and your family’s future! Contact Legislator’s at 802.828.2228 or me anytime at; thayer4vermont@aol.com #WeThePeople