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Turn to page 11 to see how you can support community journalism. Published by Denton Publications, Inc.
March 7, 2020
Serving Addison, Rutland & Chittenden Counties
High property taxes repelling businesses, jobs Vermont ranked among highest taxes of the 50 states By Lou Varricchio EDITOR
You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps if you can’t afford the boot.” —Rep. Tom Stevens
Override: The Vermont State House overrode Gov. Phil Scott’s veto of S23 100-49 on Feb. 25, raising the minimum wage to $12.55 by Jan. 1, 2022. Photo courtesy of the Vermont Dept. of Labor
Vermont House overrides Governor’s veto of minimum wage bill By Lou Varricchio EDITOR
MIDDLEBURY | Democrats and Progressives in the Vermont State Legislature got the final say on the state’s minimum wage controversy. Today, the majority of DemocratProgressive lawmakers overrode Republican Gov. Phil Scott’s recent veto of S23 or Senate Bill 23. As a result of the override, Vermont’s minimum wage will now increase to $12.55 on Jan. 1, 2022. As first reported by an Eagle associate, Guy Page of the Vermont Daily Chronicle this morning, the House vote was 100-49. The Senate voted in the majority earlier to override Scott’s contested veto. “You can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps if you can’t afford the boot,” Rep. Tom Stevens (D-Waterbury) said as
he voted to override Scott. But not all Democrats were in lock step with Stevens. Rep. Cynthia Browning (D-Arlington) expressed her opposition to S23 from the start. “If the cost of something goes up, people will use less of it. Many businesses will….cut payroll,” she said on the House floor today. “(This is) too much, too soon.” S23 isn’t the first time Scott has faced opposition from the legislature in the current session. The two parties also locked horns over H107, the House’s Paid Family Leave Bill. Governor Scott also vetoed that bill. A short time later, Democrats and Progressives attempted to override Scott’s H107 veto. But that effort died on the House floor on Feb. 3. No matter, today’s override of S23 succeeded while the H107 effort did not. See MINIMUM WAGE » pg. 2
MIDDLEBURY | WalletHub, the online personal finance website is at it again. This time, a new WalletHub study places Vermont in a dubious top 10 position: that being the nation’s fourth highest property tax state. “Each year, the average American household spends $2,375 on real-estate property taxes plus another $441 for residents of the 27 states with vehicle property taxes,” said WalletHub’s Diana Polk. Not surprisingly, Polk added, more than $14 billion in property taxes goes unpaid every year. The National Tax Lien Association backs up the that figure. Polk noted that “in order to determine who pays the most relative to their state, we released our 2020 Property Taxes by State report which compares home and vehicle taxes across the nation and features insights from a panel of experts.” States, in descending order, with the highest real-estate taxes: New York, Nebraska, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Illinois, and New Jersey. Regarding Vermont’s dubious high ranking, there are clear reasons why state tax policy works against goals of economic and job development. According to Dr. Mitchell Franklin, chairman of the Department of Accounting of Le Moyne College, “In high tax states (like Vermont), higher property taxes do nothing more than deter business and take jobs to more tax-friendly venues. Business is more mobile than it was in the 1950s. Taxes are currently a large part of the bottom line. If an organization needs to cut costs, and there is a way to cut taxes by moving to an area with lower property taxes, they will go. “When lawmakers and the media look at taxes, the focus is too much on the income tax, and property taxes are ignored. Even with lower income tax rates, property taxes in many areas (like northern New England) are so high, that there is still a disincentive to expand and stay in certain parts of the country,” Franklin added. Surprisingly, WalletHub found that Hawaii has the lowest real-estate tax, $560, which is nine times lower than in New Jersey, the state with the highest at $5,064. Democratic Blue States have 21.12 percent higher real-estate property taxes, averaging $2,542, than lower-tax Republican Red States, averaging $2,099. To view the full report, see: https://wallethub.com/edu/ states-with-the-highest-and-lowest-property-taxes/11585/ ■
“Girls on the Run” comes to Addison County
Four local schools to host activities By Lou Varricchio EDITOR
MIDDLEBURY | Four elementary schools in Addison County will play host to Girls on the Run Vermont activities this spring. Girls on the Run has inspired Vermont girls for 21 years. The organization’s data shows that it has pisiviely impacted the lives of 47,000 girls since its inception. This season, Girls on the Run will be offered locally as well as at locations in northern Vermont. Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based,
positive youth development program that inspires girls in third through eighth grade to develop self esteem through physical activity. According to Richele Young, Girls on the Run’s marketing and communications manager, the all-volunteer led program brings together groups of girls for a ten-week program that encourages personal development, team building and connection to the community. “This season, Girls on the Run will be offered at approximately 80 locations in northern Vermont,” Young said. “Each team will meet twice a week for 90 minutes after school and participate in research-based lessons that use dynamic discussions and fun running games to teach life skills. The season will culminate in a 5k event, on June 6 at the Champlain Valley Exposition, that brings together family, friends and community members to celebrate the girls’ growth throughout the season.” With trained coaches ready to empower these girls, Girls on the Run (grades 3-5) and Heart & Sole (grades 6-8) is currently set to take place at the following Addison County sites: Beeman Elementary, Bristol Elementary School, Mary Hogan School, and Lincoln Community School. Girls on the Run’s Young said the organization is still in need of volunteers in Addison County.
When Girls on the Run Vermont was started in 1999 by Nancy Heydinger, it was with only 15 girls. Now, the non-profit serves an annual 2,700 participants at more than 170 sites throughout the state. Photo provided “Girls on the Run Vermont still needs coaches,” she said. “Coaches do not need to be runners but are required to be a minimum of 18 years old. All volunteer coaches must complete a background check and view online training modules.”
If you are interested in helping, visit Girls on the Run’s website at www.gotrvt.org/ coach for all the details. The program fee for the Addison County program is $100 and financial aid is available to girls who qualify. ■
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