Rob Roper: Who Voted How to Make Vermont So Freakin’ Unaffordable?
The
How did we get into this fiscal fiasco? The following policies passed into law by the legislature – almost all over the vetoes of
Property Taxes and More! Act 183, The "Yield Bill. This is the one that sets the statewide property tax rate, which in this case resulted in the unprecedented 13.8% on-average increase we all just got hit with. Additionally, Act 183 also enacted a new "cloud tax" on internet-based services (
See the detailed report and roll call HERE or https://mailchi.mp/ff9659ecd7b7/new-property-tax-rates-hit-this-month?e=564741814e
Local Representatives and Senators who voted to override
HOUSE
Campbell, Democrat l of
Farlice-Rubio, Democrat of
LaBounty, Democrat of
Masland, Democrat of
Priestley, Democrat of
Templeman, Democrat of
Troiano, Democrat of
Kitchel, Democrat of
MacDonald, Democrat of
Starr, Democrat of
— — —
Higher Home Heating Bills. Act 18, The "Clean Heat Standard." This law commits
The Clean Heat Standard was vetoed and defeated in 2022 by one vote in the House but returned in 2023 following the
Thankfully, the law (Act 18) requires the new legislature that will convene in
Local Representatives and Senators who voted for the Clean Heat Standard/Home Heating Carbon tax include:
HOUSE
Campbell, Democrat of
Farlice-Rubio, Democrat of
Masland, Democrat of
Noyes, Democrat of
Pearl, Democrat of
Priestley, Democrat of
Sims, Democrat of
Templeman, Democrat of
Troiano, Democrat of
Kitchel, Democrat of
MacDonald, Democrat of
— — —
Higher Electric Bills. Act 179, The Renewable Energy Standard. This bill basically forces
The Renewable Energy Standard is estimated to cost
Local Representatives and Senators who voted YES for the billion-dollar electric bill surcharge include:
HOUSE:
Campbell, Democrat of
Farlice-Rubio, Democrat of
LaBounty, Democrat of
Masland, Democrat of
Priestley, Democrat of
Templeman, Democrat of
Troiano, Democrat of
Kitchel, Democrat of
— — —
A New Payroll Tax! Act 76. Starting in
It is worth noting that the 0.44% rate of tax passed in 2023 represents only a fraction of the total desired cost of the subsidized, government childcare program it is meant to fund, and a another massively expensive program that remains on the Democrat/Progressive wish list, government subsidized Paid Family Leave, also targets the newly created payroll tax as a revenue source. So, if you don't want to see this initial bite out of your take home pay get even bigger, vote Republican for State Representative,
Local Representatives and Senators who voted to raise payroll taxes on working Vermonters by overriding the Governor's veto include:
HOUSE
Campbell, Democrat of
Farlice-Rubio, Democrat of
LaBounty, Democrat of
Marcotte, Republican of
Masland, Democrat of
Noyes, Democrat of
Pearl, Democrat of
Priestley, Democrat of
Sims, Democrat of
Templeman, Democrat of
Troiano, Democrat of
Kitchel, Democrat of
MacDonald, Democrat of
Starr, Democrat of
— — —
Higher Health Insurance Premiums, Act 111. For everybody who trusts government to make healthcare and health insurance more affordable, I'm just going to quote this VT Digger piece from
For the third year in a row, the [government's] Green Mountain Care Board has approved double-digit increases in the cost of annual premiums for individual Vermonters and small organizations who purchase their health insurance plans on [the government run] Vermont Health Connect.
The approved premium increases will affect both individual and small group plans available on the state-[government]-run Affordable Care Act marketplace in 2025, affecting approximately 70,000 people.
The state's health care regulator [aka the government] will allow
While Act 111 doesn't account for all of that increase (that took years of meddling by these incompetent lawmakers), the estimates were that the bill would have put upward pressure on premiums amounting to 3-7%. Lesson: when you're in a hole, take the shovels away from the politicians who live to dig. Act 111 passed in the House 104-23. There was no roll call taken in the
Those voting YES on this bill chose to ignore these cost implications and the prudent step of examining in depth what those consequences are likely to be. This is not Good Government.
Local Representatives who voted in the affirmative are:
HOUSE
Campbell, Democrat of
Farlice-Rubio, Democrat of
LaBounty, Democrat of
Masland, Democrat of
Noyes, Democrat of
Priestley, Democrat of
Quimby, Republican of
Sims, Democrat of
Templeman, Democrat of
Troiano, Democrat of
— — —
Heaping All These Taxes/Fees/Etc on You Apparently Deserves a Raise! S.39. Adding insult to all this injury caused by the supermajority, in 2023 they voted largely along party lines (a few
Though the pay raise bill did fall short of a veto override, of the six Democrat senators who opposed it, and therefore killed it, two have since died and three are not running for re-election. So, I'll make this point one last time, if you don't think making our state totally unaffordable for normal, working people is worthy of a 100% raise in salary plus benefits, vote Republican for State Representative,
Local reps who voted YES on S.39 to double-plus their own salary and benefits package include:
HOUSE
Campbell, Democrat of
Farlice-Rubio, Democrat of
LaBounty, Democrat of
Masland, Democrat of
Noyes, Democrat of
Priestley, Democrat of
Sims, Democrat of
Templeman, Democrat of
Troiano, Democrat of
MacDonald, Democrat of
Health Care Advocate and YouTube Star “Doctor Mike” Varshavski Joins Aflac on Their Wellness Matters Campaign, Urging Young People To Develop Better Health Habits
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