[KNOTTE]

Vermont attracts the rich from other states or scum that is looking to take advantage of VT's liberal welfare program. The awful thing is that the people that work here and yet struggle to make ends meet and pay taxes cannot get any assistance when they need it. One of my friends is one of these people. She is a single mother, but is still legally married to her husband after 8 years of being separated and so they do not have a formal child support arrangement and so when he lost his job, she got no support from him for several months. She works 45-50 hours per work while raising her kids on her own with no family support (her estranged husband lives on the west coast), she drives an old car given to her from her brother and they live in a small apartment in which her bedroom is basically a closet. Yet while she was getting no child support, she could get no help and was told that if she quit her job they could help her. It's sick!

As for the school supply thing... Up until this year, my daughter went to a private school and we supplied everything right down to the tissues the kids used. She transferred to a public school this year and when I asked them for a supply list they laughed at me and told me to have her bring a book bag, they would handle the rest. In my opinion that just sets the tone to where many of the parents get the idea that they don't need to be responsible for their kid’s education at all. My daughter goes to a school with 780 children in 4 grades - the PTC meetings generally have approx 7 parents in attendance. There are more teachers there than parents. Absolutely blows my mind!

[MistyVT]

I have been born and raised a Vermonter...so I don't have any genuine out of state experience. However, I have a best friend who moved to TN last spring and is loving every minute of her homestead site change. I am college educated but am considerably under employed. Wages are low and bills are high! This includes taxes, utilities, town water and sewage bills(which I don't have) I am looking forward to one day spreading my wings and "gliding" to another state to build a life...even if it isn't lucrative...just to bring down the monthly bills. Due to my shared custody arrangement with ex...I have to deal with circumstances at this time.

[GypsySoul22]

Originally Posted by Trombley

. However, I have a best friend who moved to TN last spring and is loving every minute of her homestead site change. .

Have you ever taken a look at TN crime stats? Who is moving in there? Yes, there are far more cheaper states than VT but you also need to look at demographics.

[pucabear]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

Have you ever taken a look at TN crime stats? Who is moving in there? Yes, there are far more cheaper states than VT but you also need to look at demographics.

I live in Tennessee, after being in Vermont for 7 years. The large cities (Nashville, Memphis,Knoxville) have higher crime, which is to be expected. I would not trade Tennessee for Vermont any day of the week. I love the fact that things are convenient and taxes here are refreshing.

[68vette]

My frustration level keeps going up. Our taxes are going up again this year. We get to pay another 13% this year. The school budget alone was 8% and the superintendent was shocked that it passed the first time around. That will add almost $800 to our tax bill this coming year. People wonder how anyone can afford to live in Vermont with the incomes we make and the cost of living we have. Well, maybe I'll get that 13% raise this year to offset the taxes, heating oil, etc. My boss will understand. Won't he?

[flu189]

In the aftermath of all the increased budget increase approvals I read an interesting commentary that had the adminstrators been less cautious in their planned requests, say from a paltry 8% to 12%, they might have gotten away with getting 14% to 18% increases. Of course, there is always next year. If the writing on the wall comes true, meaning fuel for transportation/heating reaching $4.00, electric up another 10 to 15%, along with the associated consumer cost increases, and if there is no indication that the state, towns, school districts will adjust and balance themselves to their revenue supply, then we will most likely plan to downsize and prepare to leave. This would put us in a position two to three years ahead of what we assumed last year.

[Targo]

The you-know-what's going to hit the fan eventually and some towns won't get the revenue they've placed themselves in need of.

Remember "Take Vermont Back"?

Take Vermont back #2 is going to be a tax revolt of some sort before long. It just has to get to the point where people just plain can no longer afford it and it's closing in on that now.

[flu189]

Originally Posted by Targo

The you-know-what's going to hit the fan eventually and some towns won't get the revenue they've placed themselves in need of.

Remember "Take Vermont Back"?

Take Vermont back #2 is going to be a tax revolt of some sort before long. It just has to get to the point where people just plain can no longer afford it and it's closing in on that now.

Yeah, it's going to hurt when the ready cash from til will not fund existing appetites, much less allow for expansion. As consumers operating households we have to buget and be very fluid about it. Enough people are having a tough enough go of it just to make their basic obligations, not to mention the unexpected medical or household repair dilemma which always seems to happen at the worst possible time. The really sad thing is that we are always being bombarded with the advice to save and keep pumping dollars into retirement funds, which is important and should be part of your budget like paying a bill, but an ever increasing segment of the population can't even maintain their basic obligations on a month to month basis. I know we occassionaly hear about the affordability agenda from Montpelier, but it's just not being taken seriously enough. There really needs to be a moratorium on the cause of the week/month/year until the economy regains some sustained degree of vigor.

[Ulysses61]

Here's the link regarding Vermont taking 14% of your income for taxes:
http://www.taxfoundation.org/news/show/335.html

[arctichomesteader]

But I'm one of those people that believe in paying taxes eventhough it hurts.

How do you think I feel every year, we pay over 30,000 in income taxes and we have no house or savings to show for such a huge salary. While my friend who owns a business, owns 3 properties, and can send all 4 kids to private school claims they only make 30,000 a year. It really disgusts me.

Anyway, as long as my kids are getting their education, the streets are clean, the crime is low, and I have all those lovely mountains and meadows, I don't mind the taxes.

I'm quite anti-tax and anti-big govt., rather libertarian in my political leanings. Please don't move to VT and support more taxes and such. That govt.-take-care-of-me attitude is the root of most of the economic problems in this country I think. People think it's the govt.'s business to meddle in affairs and take care of them, then support more taxes. Taxes are slavery. The power to tax is the power to destroy. I don't understand why you support crippling taxes like you do. All of those things can be accomplished without high taxes. If you can't afford on a higher income what others can afford with less, you need to budget and spend more carefully. I'm leaving the state but my relatives aren't, and you simply wouldn't believe how much taxes in VT are hurting everyone I know, wages aren't enough to keep up with taxes and the rising cost of living. I'm half convinced those receiving govt. benefits, like welfare, public schools for kids, etc., shouldn't have any say or vote in these matters, and only property owners should have any say on matters regarding property taxes.