MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont Governor Phil Scott made affordability the cornerstone of his budget address this week. Fresh from a strong electoral showing in November, the Republican governor pitched plans to expand housing, reduce school costs, and reign in pricey programs supported by Democrats, including universal school meals and climate mitigation.
From paying your rent to heating your home to filling up your shopping cart, many Vermonters are feeling the pinch.
“Vermonters were clear in November — they’ve had enough. We need to separate our wants from our needs and spend within their means,” Gov. Scott said Thursday, outlining proposals to provide over $13 million in tax breaks on Social Security benefits, military retirement benefits, low-income earners, and families with young kids.
“Keeping Vermont affordable is at the center of this tax relief package,” said Vermont Tax Commissioner Craig Bolio.
The governor also wants to roll back legal requirements to reduce greenhouse gases, saying it will be too expensive for Vermonters to meet those goals. He wants to remove the ability for Vermonters to sue the state for missing its climate requirements under the Global Warming Solutions Act, saying the timelines to decarbonize how we heat our homes and get around will drive up the cost of living for Vermonters. “We agree on the need to reduce emissions but we need to be realistic about what we can do and make sure we are on a timeline that makes sense and doesn’t harm Vermonters financially as a result,” Scott said.
But Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, a former House member, was one of the architects of the landmark 2020 climate law. She says Vermont needs to keep pressing forward and double down on programs like weatherization to meet the goals and that the benchmarks are based on the Paris Climate Agreement, which Governor Scott agreed with.
“It’s appropriate that we have a requirement in law saying Vermont will meet its climate goals and we can do it in a way that helps Vermonters and businesses save money on their fuel bills,” she said.
It’s not clear what state lawmakers will do with the governor’s proposals. Meanwhile, skyrocketing health care costs are also a big concern, but the governor says his administration has to be selective in what they prioritize. He says they are moving forward with other proposals while letting others in the health care ecosystem work to tackle costs.