By Sen. Terry Williams

At some point, higher taxes and more regulation actually reduce economic activity—and reduce the revenue the state depends on.

So here’s the question Vermont needs to answer:

Are we getting close to that point?

Because what I’m hearing from people across this state is consistent:

• Property taxes are rising
• Permits are harder to get
• Compliance costs are increasing
• And more Vermonters are quietly asking whether they can afford to stay

At the same time, we continue to add new layers of cost, regulation, and complexity.

Here’s the part that concerns me most:

We’re not just taxing income—we’re taxing the willingness to live, invest, and build in Vermont.

And when that starts to happen, the system begins working against itself.

But there’s something else going on that most people don’t see.

Many of these decisions are part of long-term planning—land use maps, conservation strategies, and regulatory frameworks—that shape where and how growth can occur in Vermont.

The problem is, most Vermonters never see the full picture.

They don’t see:

– What land is being permanently taken out of development

– Where growth is being restricted—or pushed

– How these decisions affect housing, affordability, and local economies

In short, they don’t see the map.

And when you can’t see the map, you can’t fully understand where you’re being led.

This isn’t about being for or against conservation.

It’s about balance.

It’s about making sure that the people who live and work here are not regulated and taxed out of the very landscape we’re trying to protect.

For years, I’ve said this:

If you’re not writing policy, you’re negotiating theirs.

It’s time for Vermont to step back and develop a clear, transparent, long-term strategy that looks at the full picture and puts Vermonters back at the center of these decisions.

Because protecting Vermont doesn’t just mean protecting the landscape—

It means protecting the ability of Vermonters to live, work, and build a future here.

I’ll share what a better path forward could look like later.  Stay Tuned!