Henry Raymond
Fairfax News => Political Issues/Comments => Topic started by: David Shea on March 21, 2011, 06:02:19 PM
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Dear Young Vermont Families...Please leave
by Michael Gardner
I don't suspect that you'll see the headline above posted anytime soon by the print-based Vermont media. However, the effect of last weeks change in the Vermont income tax structure will surely send that message.
A glaring omission in the discussion about the proposal to transition from Vermont taxes being assessed on adjusted gross income, versus taxable income, is the enormous impact it will have on young successful families.
Young Vermonters are increasingly finding work in technology related fields, as traditional manufacturing jobs continue to become unsustainable enterprises in the state. A young family is much more likely to be paying a greater amount of interest than principal on their mortgage, they also likely still have student loans (author concedes a portion of student loan interest is accounted for in AGI), and of course would be utilizing all available deductions related to their children. So in one fell swoop the Vermont legislature has been kind enough to send a message to all successful young Vermonters:
Despite what we say about wanting young people to move to Vermont and establish low impact, high paying, technology driven jobs, our actions should clear up any confusion that may be present in our rhetoric.
Our actions say that we don't want you, and we have gone so far as to introduce a great system to penalize you for thinking of moving back to Vermont. If you have a high tech job that depends on add revenue, we will tax you, If you buy a home and want to itemize deductions to reflect your gobs of mortgage interest we will tax you. If you still have student loans and hope to deduct the interest, we will tax you. If you plan on having children and working to support your family we will tax you.
P.S. If you have any unemployed friends, with a knack for procreation, we'll subsidize them.
Posted by Michael Gardner on March 21, 2011 in Current Affairs, taxation | Permalink
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Comments
Lupus Nomen
Another disincentive for young people staying in Vermont is the lack of new, entry level housing. Many young families earn too much for subsidized "affordable" housing, but not enough for much of the market rate housing on the market. The state could take two equally important steps to address this. (1) Expand and upgrade infrastructure in areas where it makes sense. It is very difficult to build at the densities necessary to create entry level housing without sewer and/or water. (2) Reform Act 250 and Local Land Use Regulations. The densities needed to build entry level housing at an affordable price are illegal in many Vermont Towns.
There is a permit reform bill currently before the legislature. It would be interesting to hear more in-depth analysis of it from the commentators on this site.
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Dave, I get an error on that trackback message
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wait until heathcare kicks in we will have plenty of people flooding this state.it pays to be poor
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Don't worry Ed, once everyone floods here and they crush those of us paying the bill, the system will fail and ultimately the crowds will flood away to the next state offering it. Of course, we won't have a pot to p_ss in by that time.
And Dave.... c'mon man, you cannot redistribute wealth without taking from those that earn.
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Henry,
The link to the original article is here. This opinion can be found on Art Wolfe's Web Site, Art lives in Westford, VT.
http://www.vermonttiger.com/content/2011/03/dear-young-vermont-familesplease-leave.html#more (http://www.vermonttiger.com/content/2011/03/dear-young-vermont-familesplease-leave.html#more)
His web site covers issues of the day from a different perspective than main stream media.
Dave
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"The densities needed to build entry level housing at an affordable price are illegal in many Vermont Towns."
I certainly agree with that - even if it is not illegal, it is Impossible.
Vermont has WAY TOO MANY "environmentalist".
Do you know the difference between and "environmentalist" and a "land developer"?
The developer wants to build a house/houses on the hill/water front/ suburbs. The environmentalist already has one.
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I'm not sure what this guy is talking about. There was no proposal last week, certainly nothing out of the Ways and Means Committee. The Blue RibbonTax commission, about which I have written before, does have a proposal to change the way income tax is determined. The Commission claims the change is revenue neutral, (that means raises no more money than the current plan)but it needs closer attention. The Ways and Means Committee plans to look at income tax structure in a couple of weeks. Among the issues examined along with income tax structure are rates, capital gains tax, deductions, health care deductions etc.
I'm watching out for all this stuff, and will definitely write when it gets shape and we can see who will be impacted. I won't go along with anything crazy.
Rep. Carolyn Branagan
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This is a probably a case of "I saw it on the internet, so it must be true."
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Thank you Carolyn!
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Carolyn is accurate. I have not seen this at all.
Gary
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Thanks Gary!
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"See it on the net, must be true." I guess you could say that...
Did you notice "Mr. Gaming Weasel" my post was formulated as a question. I was asking our state representatives for validation.
Mr. Weasel, I am secure with myself and post using my full name, I challenge you to do the same.
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hey chris did you see gary actually replied to something