There’s been lots of talk about affordability from Governor Phil Scott throughout the seven years he’s been in office. In retrospect, though, not much action.
No doubt Scott is sincerely and deeply concerned about the cost of living here in the Green Mountain State. We all are. But simply blaming the Legislature for high taxes and regulatory red tape does precious little to help — or do anything about real affordability. Especially when it comes to some of the highest-ticket items in Vermonters’ budgets, like home heating, transportation, housing and child care.
So, what does “real affordability” look like?
Child care is a cost-gobbler, grabbing significant chunks of a family budget for working parents with young children, so they can stay in the workforce.
This year, the Legislature passed a bill to make child care less expensive and more accessible, while paying educators fairer wages. The governor vetoed the bill. The Legislature overrode that veto, and those expanded financial supports are steadily coming online and getting to parents and providers.
How about heating costs? Are your heating costs more affordable?
What I’ve seen are significant increases in the past few years for one of Vermont’s basic necessities: staying warm. That’s why, in 2023, Democrats put forward the Affordable Heat Act, which would significantly lower heating costs for many Vermonters by helping them make the switch to clean, affordable, renewable heat. (I’m a good example: After installing a heat pump, our home heating costs went down 30%.)
Again, the governor vetoed this bill. We were able to override, setting in motion a process to study and draft this proposed program. Early results show big potential savings, and a promising path to transition Vermont homeowners away from dirty, price-spiking fossil fuels.
Transportation costs also vary wildly. We can’t control prices at the pump, so we’re held hostage to Putin and the profiteering international oil market.
Electric cars are part of the answer. They’re cheaper to run and maintain, as well as better for the environment. (An EV “fill up” recently cost me $15, the same day my wife spent $55 to fill her vehicle with gas.) The Legislature has led on offering incentives to help low- and moderate-income Vermonters buy EVs and more fuel-efficient cars, while expanding charging infrastructure all across the state.
Housing is another area of great need, where the administration suggests we don’t need more money, just regulatory relief. In recent legislation, we’ve updated our land-use policies to encourage housing development where we want it — in vibrant, walkable downtowns — while discouraging sprawl. But that answer only gets to half the problem. To build more housing, we also need more funding.
That’s why we call on the governor to support the full measure of funding from the property transfer tax to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. Yet, budget after budget, year after year, Gov. Scott has recommended less — sometimes far less — than the full amount from this important funding source for housing. This year, he also vetoed the state budget, which included critical and time-sensitive funding for housing.
Democrats would love to work with the administration on these and many other issues. We need a partner at the table, though, who brings more than the veto pen.
Going into the 2024 legislative session, we have much work to do to keep Vermont working for all Vermonters. Hard-working Vermonters are accountable to their families and to their home budgets, and the Legislature and governor need to be accountable to hard-working Vermonters. Affordability becomes real when Vermonters can afford to pay child care, heating costs and other day-to-day expenses.
In the Legislature, we work hard — every day — to make life better for all Vermonters across the state, and to ensure no one gets left behind. Democrats are ready, willing and able, and look forward to helping Vermonters see what “real affordability” looks like.
Mike Mrowicki is Vermont state representative from Windham 4 District, Putney and Dummerston.
