If there is one thing I have heard while talking with my neighbors over the last four years as your State Representative is that we are overtaxed. It seems like every conversation is ‘what are you doing down there to help us out?’ I decided to run to help make Vermont more affordable, more attractive to those trying to take up roots here, and continue to make St. Albans a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
 
There have been many bills introduced, worked on, amended, and passed since I was sworn in January of 2019. You would also be surprised to find out that a majority of bills passed by the Legislature passes with a large majority of support from all members. I have voted for every budget at the end of each legislative session – the one bill that is required to pass before we are allowed to adjourn. That brings us to H.510.

If there is one thing I have heard while talking with my neighbors over the last four years as your State Representative is that we are overtaxed. It seems like every conversation is ‘what are you doing down there to help us out?’ I decided to run to help make Vermont more affordable, more attractive to those trying to take up roots here, and continue to make St. Albans a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
 
There have been many bills introduced, worked on, amended, and passed since I was sworn in January of 2019. You would also be surprised to find out that a majority of bills passed by the Legislature passes with a large majority of support from all members. I have voted for every budget at the end of each legislative session – the one bill that is required to pass before we are allowed to adjourn. That brings us to H.510.
 
House Bill H.510 was presented in the House this week and passed mostly along party lines. The bill is an act relating to creating a child tax credit and was passed out of committee 8-3. In its simplest terms the bill gives a $1200 yearly tax credit for families for each child aged six or younger, and who make less than $200,000 a year (costing the state a total of around $49 million). This bill seems like a win and could help recruit people to Vermont as family friendly and retain Vermonters who have young children, but it still brought up some big questions for me.
 
Why stop at age six and how do we handle the cliff when a child turns seven and all benefit is lost? What will keep families here after that? If we are going to spend this much money on kids, with a loose connection to the fact that childcare is expensive, it would be better if at least some of it was transformational to fix the childcare system. None of this money that the families will receive are mandated to be used for childcare expenses. This $49 million we are investing will do nothing to fix the childcare system.

The Governor, and others, have recommended additional tax relief initiatives that also help young families, as well as older Vermonters, military retirees, Vermonters with student loan debt, low-income Vermonters, nurses, and childcare workers. I think we have an opportunity this year to pass a robust and targeted tax relief package, to help all sorts of Vermonters, not only those with children under age 6 or receiving social security.
 
Only around 36,000 Vermonters would be affected by this bill while the Governor’s proposal would help over 105,000 people. I look forward to helping as many Vermonters as we can by the end of this session. There is a long road to go on our budget, and I wish we could have sent this bill to House Appropriations for them to look at and consider all options in front of us.