Editor’s note: This commentary is by Paul Ralston, of Middlebury, a local entrepreneur who is the owner of Vermont Coffee Company and a former Democratic member of the Vermont Legislature.
[I]t’s time to end the budget standoff between the Legislature and the executive.
It is the constitutional duty of the Vermont House to present a bill (a budget) regarding appropriations of revenue of the state of Vermont.
It is the constitutional duty of the governor to agree to such a bill and sign it, allow it to become law without his or her signature, or to veto the bill and message objections to the Legislature.
The Legislature has presented two versions of their budget to the governor, and both times, the governor has vetoed their bills. The governor has made it clear that he will veto any bill that raises taxes on Vermonters this year.
This is no longer a fiscal issue; it is a political issue with both sides holding very different views, and both sides making their case to Vermonters.
Political issues are decided at the ballot box, and fortunately, both sides have only to wait a few months for voters to weigh in on this controversy in November. During the upcoming election, candidates for the Legislature, governor and lieutenant governor can make their case to voters about this and other issues.
If Vermonters want a governor who will raise their taxes in a year when the state has an estimated $44 million budget surplus, the voters can throw out this governor and choose from one of the many gubernatorial candidates who may be more than willing to raise their taxes.
One could not want a more clear campaign issue. Let candidates make the case why they would raise taxes on Vermonters this year.
During the campaign, we must ask every candidate – for governor, lieutenant governor, the House, and the Senate — where they stand on this issue. Do they want to raise taxes on Vermonters even in a year when state revenues are $44 million over projections?
We must ask, under what conditions would candidates vote against an increase in taxes on Vermonters.
Let’s end this budget standoff now and decide the issue at the ballot box in November.
