On Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Phil Scott delivered his first public remarks after his veto of the legislature’s proposed FY 2024 budget. “It raises costs on everyday Vermonters, it relies on a new payroll tax, increases DMV fees by 20%, and grows base spending by more than twice the rate of inflation, which isn’t sustainable,” Scott said. The governor has made it clear for months that he would not approve a budget that he feels makes Vermont more expensive to live in. “With high inflation, the last thing we should be doing is adding to the affordability problem by imposing new and higher taxes, fees and penalties,” Scott said. However, top Democrats believe their proposed budget, which includes universal school meals and universal child care, is what’s best for Vermonters, and people should look at it as an investment into themselves. They also say a payroll tax and fee hikes aren’t as scary as the administration makes it seem. “For example, the payroll tax for the child care bill, for a person making $50,000 a year, that’s only about $2.00 out of their paycheck per week,” said Rep. Jill Krowinski, a Democrat and Speaker of the House. Either way, Scott remains adamant that his budget is the middle ground and best of both worlds because he is able to improve state issues such as child care with a $56 million investment that will expand child care to roughly 4000 more kids and won’t raise taxes and fees.”We actually presented the middle in our budget proposal. So again, I’ve tried to be straight with Vermonters and give them the best path forward that I can see,” Scott said. On Wednesday afternoon Scott also vetoed a bill that would nearly double legislativepay for the 2025 biennium. He believes legislators should be paid a contracted amount for a 90-day session, and the time commitment is a bigger issue for those with aspirations to run rather than the pay. This, along with the budget and a slew of other bills, will be up for veto overrides come June 20, when the veto session begins.
On Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Phil Scott delivered his first public remarks after his veto of the legislature’s proposed FY 2024 budget.
“It raises costs on everyday Vermonters, it relies on a new payroll tax, increases DMV fees by 20%, and grows base spending by more than twice the rate of inflation, which isn’t sustainable,” Scott said.
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The governor has made it clear for months that he would not approve a budget that he feels makes Vermont more expensive to live in.
“With high inflation, the last thing we should be doing is adding to the affordability problem by imposing new and higher taxes, fees and penalties,” Scott said.
However, top Democrats believe their proposed budget, which includes universal school meals and universal child care, is what’s best for Vermonters, and people should look at it as an investment into themselves. They also say a payroll tax and fee hikes aren’t as scary as the administration makes it seem.
“For example, the payroll tax for the child care bill, for a person making $50,000 a year, that’s only about $2.00 out of their paycheck per week,” said Rep. Jill Krowinski, a Democrat and Speaker of the House.
Either way, Scott remains adamant that his budget is the middle ground and best of both worlds because he is able to improve state issues such as child care with a $56 million investment that will expand child care to roughly 4000 more kids and won’t raise taxes and fees.
“We actually presented the middle in our budget proposal. So again, I’ve tried to be straight with Vermonters and give them the best path forward that I can see,” Scott said.
On Wednesday afternoon Scott also vetoed a bill that would nearly double legislative
pay for the 2025 biennium. He believes legislators should be paid a contracted amount for a 90-day session, and the time commitment is a bigger issue for those with aspirations to run rather than the pay.
This, along with the budget and a slew of other bills, will be up for veto overrides come June 20, when the veto session begins.
