by Austin Davis, Lake Champlain Chamber
Republished from the Lake Champlain Chamber Advocacy Update Newsletter
Trump is in total control. When he took office in 2017, it was a shock, and he went to work with never-Trumpers in his camp who pushed back, as well as at least establishment bureaucrats in his staff. That won’t be the case this time around, he has a party molded in his image. Here are some ways that this presidency could impact Vermont immediately.
- The Republican trifecta will get to work immediately to address the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act sunset – Republicans are likely cutting income taxes further raiding liberal priorities as payfors (ACA market subsidies, IRA climate monies, SALT, etc).
- Border issues – the last time Trump was President, Vermont’s northern border suffered from staff and funding being sent to the southern border, which had detrimental impacts on commerce.
- J1 Visas and Immigration – Vermont’s resorts and businesses are heavily reliant on foreign workers, and the last time there was a Trump Presidency, these programs were restrained.
- Less federal aid – Vermont is very dependent on federal aid in many places, which might be curtailed or restrained in the coming four years. Unlike the last Trump Presidency, we do not have Patrick Leahy in Washington to advocate for our little state.
- It is not partisan to say that the proposed Trump tariffs will negatively impact the U.S. economy and increase the prices of many goods.