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The Big Picture
“In total, across all funds, I’m proposing a $9 billion budget. It doesn’t raise taxes or fees, and invests to grow our economy, make Vermont more affordable and protect the most vulnerable.”
“$3.1 billion is federal money, which – other than the half-a-billion dollars for transportation – primarily supports Medicaid and other human service programs. So, we don’t have much control over that spending. Of the $5.9 billion that comes from state funds, almost half goes to pre-K-12 education. Because on top of the Ed Fund, the General Fund pays $225 million for teachers’ pensions and other benefits. And $340 million goes to Transportation. So, what’s left is about $2.9 billion… which has to cover everything else.”
On Housing
“The data tells us we need over 7,000 units just to keep our head above water. With the lack of supply, it’s no surprise that a quarter of renters spend half their income on housing. Or that the median home price increased by 43% in just four years.”
On Energy and Climate Policy
“Reducing emissions is a goal we share. Where we’ve often differed is how to get there. Because when people can’t afford it, we can’t achieve it. So, we need changes to the Global Warming Solutions Act.”
“If we want to protect Vermonters, we have to remove the provision that allows special interests to sue us, which, by the way, is already happening – and it will slow down progress. And instead of working towards arbitrary deadlines we know we can’t meet; I will direct the Agency of Natural Resources to develop a practical plan that figures out what it will actually take to reach the 2050 goals and how much it will cost. This is what we did for clean water. And just like our clean water plan, we can do it without costing Vermonters more.”
“Efficiency Vermont has been an important partner in helping businesses and residents reduce the use and cost of energy. Let’s capitalize on what they’ve built by expanding their mission to include climate action and directing $15 million from the energy efficiency surcharge to reduce climate pollution. With this strategy, we can lower the energy burden and continue our significant climate investments.”
“We will also propose changes to last year’s Renewable Energy Standard, taking a commonsense approach to reduce the cost for ratepayers. And we should revisit the climate superfund bill because it is already costing taxpayers money as we defend the first of what could be many lawsuits. This session, let’s focus on the fundamentals, pass climate policies with real solutions to achieve our goals, and worry less about making national headlines, and more about what Vermonters can do and afford.”