Editor’s note:This commentary is by Thomas Joseph, of Wilmington, who in 2013 initiated fraud litigation against The Brattleboro Retreat, which resulted in a criminal fraud investigation by the Vermont Attorney General’s Office. He also advocated for passage of the Vermont False Claims Act. He can be contacted via his website www.brattlebororetreat.info.
[A]s a candidate for governor, Sue Minter has promised countless new programs that would cost the state of Vermont a small fortune. As a state representative, Sue Minter voted countless times to raise taxes of all stripes. You can bet that if she’s elected governor, she’ll do the same. Her record speaks louder than her rhetoric.
In 2005, Sue Minter voted against an amendment to H.0880 that would have cut the residential tax rate property tax base rate from $0.95 to $0.935 (per $100 of assessed value) and the non-residential rate from $1.44 to $1.425. Again, in 2008, Minter voted against a bill, H.526, which lowered both the residential and non-residential property tax rates by $0.02. If her time as a state representative is indicative of her position on property taxes, Vermonters struggling with their already high property tax bills should be concerned with the prospect of a “Governor Minter.”
Perhaps the taxes that Sue Minter is most fond of are on vehicles and travel.
Sue Minter also voted to raise our income taxes, on several occasions. In 2009, Minter was a co-sponsor on H.177, which would have imposed a 3 percent income surtax on middle class Vermonters making earning between $46,700.00 and $171,950.00, with higher taxes for those earning more. How does that match with her rhetoric of “not raising taxes on middle-class Vermonters?” Minter also voted against the Clark amendment to H.442 that would have removed a 0.5 percent income tax surcharge. Finally, she voted for the disastrous budget act of 2009, which led to a $200+ million projected budget shortfall, slashed workforce training funds, and raised taxes by $26 million. And bear in mind, she supported these pieces of legislation right in the middle of the Great Recession – when countless Vermonters were already struggling.
Perhaps the taxes that Sue Minter is most fond of are on vehicles and travel. In 2008, she voted for an amendment to H.0540, which would have imposed a $150 sales and use tax surcharge on certain vehicles. In 2009, she was the co-sponsor on legislation that would have increased gasoline and diesel taxes by 4 percent of their wholesale price. She voted against the Kilmartin amendment which would have deleted automatic increases in motor fuel taxes without legislative votes. Finally, Sue Minter was the lead sponsor on H.399, which would have imposed a new mileage tax on working Vermonters.
Trust Sue Minter’s record, not her rhetoric. If you want higher property taxes, income taxes, and vehicle taxes, Sue Minter is your candidate for governor. If you want relief from Vermont’s growing cost of living, don’t look to Minter for the solutions.
Sources:
H.0880 Amendment
• Minter voted against Rep. Livingston’s amendment to cut residential tax rate from $0.95 to $0.935 and non-residential rate from $1.44 to $1.425
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2006/journal/hj060323.htm
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/database/status/rcdetail.cfm?Session=2006&RollCallID=3755
H.526–Education Quality and Cost Control
• Lowers the 2008 education property tax rate by an additional $0.02 for both nonresidential and homestead property
• Voted against by Minter
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2008/acts/ACT082SUM.HTM
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/database/status/rcdetail.cfm?Session=2008&RollCallID=3987
H.177–Income Tax Surcharges
• Bill would have imposed a surtax of three percent of the taxpayer’s state tax liability if the taxpayer’s taxable income is between $46,700.00 and $171,950.00, inclusive; a surtax of 6 percent of the taxpayer’s state tax liability if the taxpayer’s taxable income is between $171,950.01 and $307,050.00, inclusive; and a surtax of 9 percent of the taxpayer’s state tax liability if the taxpayer’s taxable income is greater than $307,050.00, for the years 2009 through 2011
• Co-sponsored by Minter
http://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2010/H.177
H.442–Amendment
• Minter voted against Clark amendment to delete income tax surcharge of up to 0.5%.
http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2010/Docs/JOURNAL/hj090415.pdf
http://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/roll-call/2010/64
H.441–Making Appropriations for the Support of Government
• Minter voted to override Governor’s veto
http://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2010.1/H.441
• JFO estimated the bill would leave a $67 million General Fund deficit in FY2011, and a $141 million deficit in FY2012, for a total of a $208 million shortfall
• Spending increases by well over 3%, Human Services spending increases by 5.6%
$26 million in higher taxes (income tax increases, change in how we tax capital gains, elimination of state and local deductions, etc)
• More than 2,000 businesses will see an average tax increase of $3,000
• Uses $4.4 million of one-time ARRA funds “to fund ongoing expenditures of state government building up base spending that will exacerbate our challenges in the coming years.”
• Budget reduces workforce training funds, cuts $500,000 from ACCD’s Vermont Training Program (which will eliminate training opportunities for over 2,200 Vermonters), and reduces funding for the Vermont Telecommunications Authority (VTA) by $500,000
http://www.vermontbiz.com/news/june/douglas-issues-historic-veto-vermont-budget
• Douglas issues historic veto of Vermont budget | Vermont …
www.vermontbiz.com
• Governor Douglas’ promise to veto the Vermont state budget unless lawmakers made drastic changes to the $4.5 billion piece of legislation were made official late …
H.0540 Amendment
• Minter voted for Zuckerman’s amendment to impose a $150 sales and use tax
surcharge on low-mpg vehicles
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfmURL=/docs/2008/journal/hj070418.htm
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/database/status/rcdetail.cfmSession=2008&RollCallID=3927
H.22–Diesel Fuel and Gasoline Taxes
• Bill would have increased diesel fuel and gasoline tax by 4% of the wholesale price, imposed at the time of sale/delivery
• Co-sponsored by Minter
http://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2010/H.22
H.438–Amendment
• Minter voted against Kilmartin amendment to delete automatic annual increases in motor fuel taxes without legislative votes
http://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2010/Docs/JOURNAL/hj090401.pdf#page=5
http://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/roll-call/2010/41
H.399–Establishment of a Vehicle Miles Traveled Fee
• Bill would charge a fee of $0.006 per mile traveled. $300 fine for non-compliance.
• Minter was the lead sponsor
http://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2010/H.399
