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Tax Day! I recently came across these lines from one of the first newsletters I sent out, just prior to my first session in the legislature:

Tax Day! I recently came across these lines from one of the first newsletters I sent out, just prior to my first session in the legislature:

"This year in Montpelier I promise to turn the tide, but that might not mean all the new laws right away. What takes years to pull away might also take years to put back together. We need to slowly rebuild trust in state government. We need to remember what our taxes are for, and how they improve our communities. We need to build out the capacity of government to carry out progressive legislation. We need to look at the intersection of our laws—how one might bring in revenue while the other might be costly but will improve the economy or the environment in the longer term."

I feel wistful about the consistency of my vision, and proud of all that I’ve accomplished towards this goal. This year, on Tax Day: let’s remember that taxes are the investments that we make in our democracy and our collective good. It’s an incredible exercise in trust to pitch in towards infrastructure both physical (like roads) and social (like family medical leave). It is such an honor to make good on that trust with y’all, every day.

Read on for details about bills coming to the floor and in committee, fun rallies on the statehouse lawn, and more opportunities to get involved.

powerful rallies on the statehouse lawn

Trans Day of Visibility: On March 31st hundreds of queer youth came to the capital and spoke their truth to an audience of legislators, activists, friends, teachers, and family. We read a powerful resolution on the House Floor in celebration and solidarity. While many states are signing horrific violations of human rights into law, Vermont is passing a series of bills to protect gender affirming care, workplace protections, and safe schools. However we are not an island of tolerance— youth spoke to the pain they experience, Vermont republicans are sponsoring hateful legislation, and we have so much more work to do. Watching those kids, standing with megaphones and microphones, gave me hope that we will find the courage and humanity to do what is needed.

Climate Rally: On Friday youth came from all over the state (including a crew from Townsend that I got to chat with) to support our work this session to address climate change. We talked about the affordable heat act, the need for public transportation that works on our back roads, and how to mitigate damage to communities in the flood zones. We also talked a bit about tax policy and how best to respond to the number of second homes in our communities.

Courage to Care: Hundreds of families came to Montpelier on Wednesday for the Courage to Care Rally to show support for state lawmakers in getting a child care solution over the finish line this year. I shared a few remarks with the crowd:

We’ve made important strides in improving family well-being for fellow Vermonters with last year’s passage of the child tax credit, expanded EITC investments in housing and more. We can fulfill a promise to Vermonters with the passage of universal family and medical leave, and affordable accessible child care funding. We know that when caregivers are supported and kids’ basic needs are met, we’re stronger as a state.

Y’all out here today, standing next to each other for something that matters. You know this– We care best when we are connected. When we have stable ground to stand on, in our families, in our communities, in our workplaces. That care returns to us– in stronger communities, a more vibrant economy. We can build a state where people can make it work, maybe even thrive. Let’s each, together, law makers, advocates, and caregivers– Vermonters– find the courage to invest in that care.

If you’re coming up from Brattleboro (for a rally or a meeting or just to sightsee) please reach out so we can connect!

Votes on the Floor

The chamber is fairly quiet lately as committees focus on work that needs finishing before adjournment in May. But two important (and very different votes) came to the floor for passage this week.

Brattleboro’s charter change amendment! Brattleboro residents approved Article 2 on March 5 on 2019 in a 908-408 vote. On Thursday, the Vermont House of Representatives voted to pass this charter change with a roll call vote of 103-33. Specifically, the bill amends the Town of Brattleboro’s charter to allow 16 and 17-year-old youths (and early voting 15-year-old youths if they will be 16 by election day) to vote for candidates for Brattleboro’s Selectboard and Town Meeting Representatives. This is the third biennium we’ve brought this charter change to the floor and I’m hoping no further pandemics or governor’s vetoes will stand in the way.

S.3 is a bill to prohibit paramilitary training camps in Vermont. We are currently the only state in New England without an explicit ban on such facilities, though they are clearly illegal due to both the U.S. and Vermont Constitutions. (S3) passed the House on March 14th with some pushback from republican members. In floor remarks, a member from the judiciary reminded us all that Speaking on the House floor on Thursday, Rep. Will Notte, D-Rutland City, said much of the legislature’s work is “in anticipation of problems we might have. There are things that may happen somewhere else in the country (and) we would like to avoid problems in Vermont,” he said. “But this is a problem that has come home for our state.”

Big Bills In Committee You can find these bills (and all the others) on our legislative website.

S100 is this year’s housing omnibus bill that started in the Senate and has recently arrived in the House committees of jurisdiction. The bill contains major changes in zoning standards for municipalities, shifts in Act 250 statute, and expands our investments in new housing development, housing rehab, and homeless services.

S5, termed the Affordable Heat Act, creates a market for “clean heat” to incentivize fuel importers and dealers to weatherize, transition, and help Vermonters move off of fossil fuels and towards healthier, lower-cost, alternatives. Many fuel dealers are already transitioning from selling just fossil fuels to becoming more diversified “energy service providers” that also provide weatherization, biofuel, heat pumps, and/or wood heat. This is important as demand for fossil heating fuel is already on the decline (for instance, sales of fuel oil have been steadily dropping, from about 144 million gallons in 2019 to 121 million gallons in 2022. We don’t want Vermont businesses or low income Vermonters to be left behind.

Vermonters are being exposed to greater and greater financial and health risks as a result of unregulated and volatile prices for thermal heating fuels. The price of fuel oil alone increased over $2 a gallon in the span of just two years. This past summer was such a stressful one, when so many of us were struggling with the decision to pre-buy oil in an unstable environment, worried that it wouldn’t be enough or we would be wasting limited resources buying too much. Vermonters who can afford it are getting off fossil fuels to save money. A significant portion of AHA credits must be delivered to low-and moderate-income homes, so these families can better afford to do the same thing. The bill will also contain specific provisions and strategies for Vermonters living in manufactured housing (such as in Mountain Home.)

Right now, Vermont can pair this policy with unprecedented federal funding to make this transition in the most cost-effective and equitable way. In the past two years, the state has committed almost $250 million for weatherization, home electric and hot water-heater upgrades, point-of-sale rebates for appliances, municipal building efficiency improvements and more — with a core focus on helping low- to moderate-income Vermonters. This includes almost $60 million in direct grant support from the Inflation Reduction Act — a new federal program that, over the next decade, will expand many tax credits for clean energy, efficiency, and electrification technologies like weatherization, cold climate heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and more.

I live in a converted barn. I heat with oil (and a mediocre wood stove when the power goes out.) I can’t imagine pulling together the personal resources to convert to another source without significant credits, discounts, and technical assistance. But I’m also not sure I can afford another winter like this one. This work is expected to reduce thermal sector emissions by 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. That’s a big deal for both people and planet!

In S56 we are making good on a promise to Vermonters that we kick started last biennium: no family should pay more than 10% of their income for childcare (many will pay less) and that the amazing, patient, resilient, kind, folks who work in childcare settings should be paid a living wage— these two parallel investments are how we transform a broken system to create affordable, accessible, high-quality childcare for ALL of our kids. I’m hard at work to iron-out details and design a financing mechanism that is equitable and sustainable.