by Guy Page
A densely packed crowd of Vermonters gathered in the Cedar Creek Room of the Vermont State House Thursday, April 25 to protest a slew of bills and policies now working through the Legislature.
They were there for a ‘Vermont Values Under ATAX’ rally today, sponsored by the Vermont Traditions Coalition and other grassroots groups.
Taxation, especially of the property tax variety, the unattainable cost of housing, and attacks on the freedom to hunt were among the concerns expressed as people sat in the cafeteria, waiting for a noontime press conference to start.
“Politicians threaten our food, water, and shelter. Vermonters rally,” said a notice published by Mike Covey of the Vermont Traditions Coalition.
The rally drew a diversity of Vermonters threatened by what Covey called undemocratic political initiatives. He and other planners – including VDC columnist Alison Despathy, clean water activist James Ehlers, former state senator John Rodgers, Suzanna Jones, Meghan Wayland had in mind “a protest/rally that cannot be ignored by politicians and media.”
Covey explained the purpose of the rally: “To voice our displeasure with the direction of political leadership forsaking Vermont’s marginalized voices–working Vermonters and our children, those living with the land, our natural communities, and those seeking independence from the taxing and controlling interests currently dominating Vermont politics.”
The rally occurred as the Senate takes up a House bill that ‘reforms’ school funding with two new taxes and a 15-18% statewide property tax, but offers no short-term or long-range cost containment or budget cuts. Also, a Senate housing bill is stalled in the House Environment and Energy Committee, whose leadership want a slowly phased-in, tightly controlled reform of Act 250 oversight of new housing development.
VDC will publish more news about the rally tomorrow.