A veto will cost the taxpayers a lot of money.

The GOP is not offering any concrete alternatives.

They aren't leading. It's time for them to get out of the way.
 

Memo to Legislators: Tax revenues are down - way down - because people are losing hours, they are often losing their jobs, and there is less economic activity in general going on (fewer people buying tvs, fewer people dining out, etc).

In other words, those of us out here in the "real world" (remember us?? shopkeepers, restaurant owners, etc.) are making less. Therefore, your tax collections are less. We aren't squirreling money away to be jerks. We just have less money in our pockets, period.

So please, please, please don't make MY personal situation worse. My receipts for 08 were some 15% less than 07. So I am going to, in effect, be kicked while I'm down? You are really, really, really going to raise my taxes after I had a crappy year?

The Vermont Legislature's 2009 session will NOT be featured in any new "Profiles in Courage" . . . they punted on the hard decisions all year long, then they tell us their back is against the wall and they have no choice but to raise taxes (and sorry Shumlin your "tax cut" sweetener is disgustingly transparent).

I had to cut spending to make my business operations reflect the money that was actually coming in the door. Raising my prices was not an option. Cutting operating expenses was my only option, and it was not pleasant work doing so. It would be nice to have legislators who share that Yankee sense of frugality.

Do your jobs, folks. Lobbyists and special interests be damned!!!!!!!
 

The Democrats are not leading they are just jockeying to run and beat Douglas. It is time for them to start working for all the voters.
 

Yeah right - as if Jim Douglas isn't running for re-election!

Everything Douglas does is calculated to make him look good for election purposes.

Douglas could care less about VT if he isn't the Governor.
 

Paul Poirier wants to raise every Vermont persons income tax by 1%. This would raise $107 million dollars and cost the regular Vermonter $14 a month. I would be willing to pay that if it would help keep people working.
 

Why doesn't the powers that be do what the feds are doing .... (I know this sounds crazy), hire more auditors at the Vermont Department of Tax. I'm pretty certain if more auditors were in the field they'd bring more tax dollars than the state would add to payroll. Tax auditors are money makers. The governor and legislators wouldn't need to chase down as many new sources of revenue or increase the income tax ... collect what is due. I'm pretty certain the Vermont Tax Department wasn't exempt from the administration's RIF policy and they've taken hits. Enforce the existing tax codes and don’t RIF auditors. Obama is adding 800 auditors at the IRS, may Vermont should add auditors too.
 

Vermont is owed $150 million in back taxes. I agree. Hire more collectors already!
 

"Everything Douglas does is calculated to make him look good for election purposes."

It's not that hard -- the Legislature makes him look responsible.
 

The VT GOP is just like the National GOP - the party of NO!
 

Typical Douglas - "I'm always interested in compromise - as long as you compromise to my position!"

Douglas is sucha hypocrite and he has become more and more of a conservative ideologue - altho' he won't admit it.
 

The Democrats are doing exactly the same thing. Voters do not want more taxes. People that run stores in vermont do not want more taxes on their goods. It just costs them and the state lost sales.
 

Typo...
 

Douglas is incompetent. Nothing makes him look responsible.

The only thing he's responsible for is the mess that Vermont finds itself in after six years of him at the helm.