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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


3.06.2007

 

From the gym floor

I spent my Town Meeting Day in Westford, where the chili was just right and the meeting kept to a good pace.

When Westford residents hear the report about their school budget, taxes and the like, they are getting it from none other than Martha Heath, who chairwoman of the Legislature's House Appropriations Committee as well as chairwoman of the Westford school board. I can assure you that residents in many other towns are not getting as thorough or as knowledgable a run-down on Act 68.

From the audience's questions, it was apparent that some were well abreast of the discussion. I have a feeling others were not. Heath concedes every time lawmakers make repairs to the spending system, it adds a layer of complication.

There are new things to learn about it all the time. This year, of course, Vermonters with household incomes of less than $105,000 will no longer get prebate checks to help pay their property tax, but instead that amount will be applied directly to their property taxes. In Westford, residents pay their property taxes in four increments. A resident asked if the "prebate" will be applied to each payment or the first or what?

The answer, in Westford, is that it will be applied to the first. So what can residents who pay their taxes through their mortgages expect? Well, that's probably up to the mortgage company - whether to adjust the monthly payments or provide a refund. Yikes. That should be easy enough to explain to the person on the other end of the phone of a mortgage company based in New Jersey.

- Terri Hallenbeck

Comments:
Impeach Martha Heath!
 
I like Martha Heath but hearing her speak it is very apparent that she has no clue as to how Vermont taxpayers are feeling about their ever increasing tax bills. As chair of both the school board and the state appropriations committee she has the power to make changes to help lower taxes..instead she chooses to maintain the status quo and pander to the many special interests ie the VT-NEA
 
Shouldn't there be a law to prohibit someone from serving as both a local elected official and a member of the legislature? Isn't there a conflict of interest in holding jobs in two levels of government at the same time?

After being subject to some public pressure, Bob Kiss resigned from the legislature after he was elected mayor of Burlington? Westford is a lot smaller than Burlington, but shouldn't the same principle apply to Martha Heath as to Bob Kiss?
 
Impeach Martha Heath!
 
Many lawmakers serve on school/selectboards, etc..many are JP's, Harry Monti was Mayor of Barre and still served as a Rep. I don't see any real conflict here
 
$105,000 ???

Why are people making $105,000 getting prebate checks?

Median and average incomes in Vermont is $35-40k. This makes no sense to me.
 
Impeach anonymous bloggers !!
 
Impeach Snacks !
 
Impeach my feet !
 
Impeach Bernie's hair!
 
"Why are people making $105,000 getting prebate checks?"

That's $105K of HOUSEHOLD income. NOT individual income.
 
Impeach Terri Hallenbeck !
 
Impeach Snarky Boy. He's become way too pedestrian and self absorbed. A Freyne protege?
 
"That's $105K of HOUSEHOLD income. NOT individual income. "



RIGHT, and given two bread winners 2 times $35-$40k is $70-80k, not $105k.

BUT, thats not really the way it works either. One doesn't simply multiply median or average individual income by two to get median or average household income.

Median household income in VT is about ~$45k.


(http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/histinc/h08b.html)
(http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/Unemployment/RDList2.asp?ST=US)
(http://www.nextag.com/home-mortgage/3/bystate/Vermont/0.html)
 
Impeach Bernie!
 
Impeach Bernie!
 
Impeach my wife!
 
Impeach Shumlin!
 
^^^ Impeach your brain! ^^^
 
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