A coalition of Montpelier and Barre legislators plans to introduce an omnibus flood relief bill that would provide at least $85 million in tax relief, business grants and funding for mitigation and preparedness efforts following last summer’s devastating flooding.
Four legislators — Rep. Peter Anthony, D-Barre City; Rep. Conor Casey, D-Montpelier; Rep. Kate McCann, D-Montpelier; and Rep. Jonathan Williams, D-Barre City — plan to host a rally on the steps of the Vermont Statehouse on Wednesday, the first day of the legislative session.
The 22-page bill has central Vermont-specific measures, such as commissioning a report on the hydrology of the Winooski River and appropriating funds to remove dams from the river that increase flood risk. Montpelier and Barre were both hard hit in the statewide deluge that struck on July 9.
“We started off this effort as sort of a way to step in and address some of the regional concerns that might not necessarily be addressed by any one piece of legislation,” Casey said. “The water doesn’t see municipal lines. It just goes where it wants to go, unfortunately.”
Much of southern Vermont also bore significant damage. The coalition included many measures that would apply statewide, from creating best practices for rebuilding homes to requiring the disclosure of flood history to homeowners and renters.
High on the priority list is relief for municipalities facing budget shortfalls from property tax abatements and lost revenues.
Barre City could be $1.45 million short in the next year because so many properties were damaged by floods and landslides, Williams said. The budget is squeezed so tight that the city is cutting color copies to save money.
“I believe very strongly that the state needs to make whole all of the flood-impacted municipalities who are facing this loss of revenue,” Williams said.
The bill would also expand the existing Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program with more funding and more flexible rules on how money can be spent. The program has given out $20 million in grants so far for financial losses to businesses and nonprofits.
Williams said he heard complaints that the funding “was only for equipment and damages to property, and it was fairly inflexible in what else it could be used for.”
“Many of these businesses face other costs — lost revenues. They need to cover salaries and benefits. They need to cover indirect and administrative costs. They need to cover inventory,” Williams said.
In advance of the rally, the four legislators sent a letter to Gov. Phil Scott, asking him to make flood relief a central part of the budget he plans to present to the Vermont General Assembly.
Scott has expressed concern about the state’s fiscal situation, telling reporters at a press conference in December that the state may be approaching a “very, very lean year.”
In response, Casey said that his discussions with constituents have shown that the needs are “still so great,” and that inaction could end up costing the state more down the road in lost revenue from struggling municipalities and businesses.
Jason Maulucci, the governor’s spokesperson, said that Scott’s office has not yet reviewed the entire proposal. He said that the budget would look substantially different than in recent years with less new money available.
“The Governor remains committed to leveraging federal funding and available state resources to support victims of this summer’s flooding, while preparing for future disasters,” Maulucci wrote in an email. “The state has been working around the clock with our federal and local partners as we recover and rebuild, and we will continue to do so.”
