This commentary is by Steven Wilkins of Berkshire.
As I continue to read the VTDigger opinion pieces daily, I have come to the simple conclusion that most Vermonters do not understand how to balance a budget. I see opinion after opinion vilifying the idea of budget cuts, but nowhere do I see any other ideas as to how to make this state affordable again.
It starts in the schools. Vermonters love the idea of universal school meals and rightly so. Universal school meals may be the best thing our school system can offer students. Remember that, according to MYNBC5, 69% of school children cannot read at a proficient level. Universal school meals are a luxury that we cannot afford at this time.
People hate the idea of school consolidation, yet complain when their property taxes increase year over year over year. It is a numbers game. We are spending more than we can afford and cuts must be made. Nothing can be had for free, everything costs money that we do not have.
Then there is the failed hotel/motel free housing program. Democrats at large insist on extending the expensive program, yet fail to realize how unsustainable it is. Yes, shelter and housing is indeed a necessity, but taxpayer-subsidized housing is a luxury, and frankly we cannot afford it. Extending the program will only increase the demand for taxpayer-funded housing.
The Democrats in Montpelier haven’t offered anything other than increased spending. At the same time the local media hates on Gov. Phil Scott for attempting to reel in spending. We as a state will go bankrupt if we do not cut spending somewhere.
We citizens cannot trust the government to spend our money wisely. Remember, before President Trump cut the funding, Vermont was set to spend $9.3 million of federal funds on 11 EV charging projects. That is nearly $850,000 per station. You cannot tell me that it costs $850,000 to build a charging station.
I feel that Vermonters have been lied to about how much we can do as a state. We simply cannot afford all of the items that Democrats wish to fund. Democrats prey on the compassion of Vermonters and trick them into opening their pocketbooks wider and wider.
And instead of helping Vermonters who lost their homes to flooding, Democrats blame the president and turn around and throw money at a “safe” injection site. If Montpelier stopped wasting our money, perhaps we would have our own money to help our own communities.
