February 9, 2012
House Passes Property Tax Rate Increase

Browning-Scheuermann Amendment to Reduce Property Taxes Defeated

Included in last year's final budget was a rebasing of the formula that calculates the General Fund Transfer to the Education Fund. This rebasing caused a permanent $27 million reduction in that transfer, thereby permanently increasing the statewide property tax on Vermonters by almost three cents.

Inevitably, issues arise and provisions are put into legislation in the final days and hours of the session. And, inevitably, members sometimes don't understand the implications of such provisions. I would argue that this was the case with this permanent rebasing.

During the House debate on a bill this year to increase our statewide property tax rate, Representative Cynthia Browning (D-Arlington) and I offered an amendment that would have repealed the rebasing of the formula and return the $27 million to the Education Fund. This was an opportunity to show Vermonters that we a) realized had acted too quickly last year; b) didn't realize the real implications of the provision; and c) wanted to ensure the change gets a full, open, transparent debate. If it had passed, this amendment would have resulted in a much-needed two cent decrease in the property tax rate.

Unfortunately, the House defeated the amendment to provide this tax relief, and continued the clever shell game that has resulted in the General Fund budget being balanced on the backs of property taxpayers.

By approving our amendment, the House would have told Vermonters that we actually support transparency; that we support full, open, and honest debate on issues of such importance; that we hold ourselves accountable for a bad decision; and that we understand the pressures being placed on local property taxpayers.