MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont Democrats flexed their political power in Montpelier on Monday, using their supermajority to override six of the seven vetoes issued by Gov. Phil Scott.
In a one-day special session, lawmakers enacted the statewide property tax bill, Act 250 reform, a renewable energy standard, a safe injection site in Burlington, a bill to expand restorative justice and another to ban certain pesticides.
They failed to override one last veto of a bill dealing with data privacy.
A veto session like this is anything but business as usual. This was really a historic day. Not only has Republican Gov. Phil Scott vetoed more than twice as many bills as any previous governor, but the Legislature is setting new records for overriding his vetoes. In the first 171 years of state history, there were six successful overrides of gubernatorial vetoes. This year’s Legislature matched that in one day.
Democrats gathered for their veto session costing about $70,000 on Monday, set on challenging all seven vetoes the governor issued at the end of the session.
That included the biggest issue of the year– the property tax bill funding schools and setting the average statewide property tax rate just shy of 14%.
“My constituents as a whole have reached out begging for relief in this arena. Why we are not working to find a solution for relief now is beyond my comprehension,” said Rep. Michael Morgan, R-Milton.
“Our education funding bill is in short responsible governance fulfilling responsibility to communities and setting us up for a more equitable and affordable future,” said Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, D-Brattleboro.
Lawmakers in the House and Senate overrode the governor on a slew of bills: renewable energy, neonicotinoid pesticides, restorative justice and a sweeping Act 250 bill which supporters say balances housing and conservation.
“We are together making a good faith effort to move on from the status quo,” said Rep. Seth Bongartz, D-Manchester.
But critics say it starves many of economic opportunities.
“It actually expands Act 250 jurisdiction which will be detrimental to rural communities long into the future,” said Rep. Pattie McCoy, R-Poultney.
The day was not without political and procedural drama. The override of the safe injection site bill initially failed in the Senate by a single vote. But then, in a rare procedural move, Republican Sen. Richard Westman, who voted to sustain the governor’s veto, moved to reconsider the override vote, telling us he lost track of which bill they were on and he meant to vote to override.
In a nail-biting vote, lawmakers gave it the greenlight.
“These are not people taking drugs for recreational reasons; these are sick human beings,” said Sen. Ginny Lyons, D-Chittenden County.
In a statement in response to the slew of override votes, Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, said: “Today is a sad day for Vermonters who simply cannot afford further tax burdens and cost increases. Many will talk about these votes as a major loss for me, but it’s really a major loss for Vermont taxpayers, workers and families.”
The one veto lawmakers failed to override was on the data privacy bill, which would have regulated what information companies can buy and sell. The House voted by a landslide to override but the Senate failed to override the bill.
The governor actually vetoed eight bills during the session. One came early in the session dealing with flavored tobacco. The Senate ultimately decided it did not have the votes to override that one so it was never part of this veto session.