[seanpecor]

Originally Posted by mustmove

If you think wetlands are bad, wait until the fallout from the vernal pool surveying.

Oh that's funny! My in-laws own Stonewood Farm in Orwell (Home - Vermont Fresh Turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas) and they are visiting us in Virginia this week. I mentioned your post to him and he told me that he was recently trying to get state approval to selectively harvest their mature white pine from some of his wooded acreage (to build themselves a new home on the farm proper and allow his son to move into their farmhouse as part of their farm succession plan). It was discovered that his woodlands have not one but THREE large vernal pools and they weren't allowed to timber within 100' of the edge of any of them, and were only allowed to timber a very small fraction of white pines within 600' from them! Of course, they still expect you to pay property taxes on those vernal pools and buffers just for the right to propogate the peeper frog population

Sean

[mustmove]

As I understand it the vernal pools don't count until they are on a federal map. Several VT towns are offering 'free' vernal pool surveying, just because. Without warning landowners what happens around vernal pools once they are on the map. More theft of land by regulation. I haven't researched it myself but ME allegedly did the same thing and ended with lawsuits from landowners.

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by picante

I find it interesting that many of the folks who are posting negative thoughts on VT don't live here but live in VA, FL, etc, They seem to want to keep a connection to VT at least through this forum. That in itself says something.

I read someone elses post saying they can't afford to buy but are paying $1750 in rent and utilities! There are any number of homes you could by in the Burlington area that would be cheaper, even including your property taxes. That's without including the tax advantages of owning.

Like Vter, most folks I know have no complaints about living in VT. If you don't like living here, that's fine, its not for everyone. The individual from down south didn't like the lack of strong Christian culture or the liberal attitutes. I appreciate both, as do the people I know.

You don't like VT, you don't like it. But I have problems with folks telling others not to move here because of the lack of economic opportunity. I help people relocate to the Burlington area all the time and all can afford it, all can afford it on less than $100K/yr.

VT has one of the lowest forclosure rates in the country. As much as the housing market might be hurting, more homeowners are more secure here than in other states.

I am not in Vermont but in Phoenix, AZ where the numbers aren't nearly as good for nice living and I am surprised by this as well. I just posted the second of a study done on where "it's good to live" and Vermont topped both studies! Not many have posted on it. Vermont wasn't hit nearly as bad by the housing crisis or economy as most of the country. I guess that goes to show you, even in the least hit, it's a bad time right now.

[68vette]

WCAX just ran two news stories about the fate of our economy this next coming year. Property taxes on average in the state are going up 8+% and heating oil is up 41%. That hurts bad enough, but the real pain is the state will get less tax revenue due to people having to pay so much on taxes and heating oil alone(less money for puchasing taxable goods). I hope this doesn't mean that the state will increase taxes in the next few years to compensate for lost tax revenue.

[flu189]

Originally Posted by 68vette

WCAX just ran two news stories about the fate of our economy this next coming year. Property taxes on average in the state are going up 8+% and heating oil is up 41%. That hurts bad enough, but the real pain is the state will get less tax revenue due to people having to pay so much on taxes and heating oil alone(less money for puchasing taxable goods). I hope this doesn't mean that the state will increase taxes in the next few years to compensate for lost tax revenue.

Not good news at all. Did some follow up on the expected property tax rate increases and found that to date 194 of the 251 towns have set their rates at an average of an 8% increase. This mind you is the average so some folks will see a double digit assault. All this while the drop in student enrollments is expected to continue for the 08-09 school year from a previous ten year average of 1% annually to a new annual loss of 1.85%, 1,730 less students. Was reading a few business pieces today and a recent Knoxville Sentinal article caught my eye concerning our own beloved Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. Some may recall their recent business decision to expand and reduce their carbon footprint by opening a facility in Tennessee. Turns out their $55 million investment in Knox County is expected to create 360 jobs. Their reward will be a property tax freeze ($54k annual) for fifteen years. I guess this gives a whole new meaning to waking up and smelling the coffee.

[vter]

How much of that % do you think is due to energy costs? Don't forget that town halls/fire/police stations need heat too. And don't forget all the gas for the highway trucks, fire trucks, police cars etc. AND, hard working government employees deserve raises too as they have families to take care of too. I know in our town energy costs are a fairly large chuck of the upcoming fiscal year's budget.
Not trying to justify the increases, but sometimes I feel that people forget these things.
When your tax bills come, take a look at the municipal tax vs. school tax. I think you'll find that the "culpret" is the school portion of your tax.
I also think its time to clean house in the legislature and I know I won't be voting for my incumbent reps. Thats a whole 'nother thread though

[flu189]

Nope, sorry, the simple excuse that everyday operating expenses are going up and the 8% or whatever increase just covers that can't be rubber stamped year after year. A close look at the budgets and the percentage of allocations taking into consideration the inflationary spiral reveals that the lords of the legislature have not taken seriously fiscal restraint. There are some incredible excesses and neat and nice but not necessary items in the budgets. I would be the first one to caugh up the extra money for essential services to safeguard life and property, but take it as an extreme insult when in these times of struggling family budgets all we get is the dolts of Montpelier acknowleding the problem year after year and now pointing fingers at each other.

[vter]

Oh, I know that the 8% is not just everyday operating expenses...thats only part of it. I guess my point was that not everyone knows how government really works and that the 8% is not just "more spending". Some of it is, sure. If people are really, really concerned I'd love to see more public involvement-go to your selecboard meetings. Be involoved in the budget process. VOTE! Meet with your town manager to learn more about the budget process. It's really interesting! You'd be surprised at how few people show up at selectboard meetings throughout the state.
I am in 100% agreement with you about Montpeculiar!
I'll shut up about the subject now LOL. I hate talking politics

[tkln]

Since I'm not a full time resident, I can't vote, but I always read about the town meeting in Stowe...the school budget in Stowe goes up every year, but they get killed since a lot of their budget goes to fund other towns with lower real estate values (or something like that, I forget the specifics of how it all works). This year, they cut a lot of what they could, but the fuel costs and maintenance that's required in the aging schools made the budget go up again...they are not adding any new programs or anything either.

The town desperately needs a new fire/police station and it's been on the ballot for several years - it was finally approved this year, only now it's going to cost a lot more than it would have five years ago. The residents finally realized the need is not going to go away, but the price will only keep going up.

Stowe has also been debating adding a tax for new development...I forget what it's called exactly (I think Williston and Burlington already have it), but I don't understand why this is even a question. With all the amenities and things the town needs to pay for with all the second home owners (and yeah, I'll throw myself into that mix), why shouldn't they tax new homes that are being built??? It's a one time tax, and if you can afford to build a new home in Stowe, chances are, you can afford to help pay for the services you will use.

I think the towns do as good a job as they can with the budgets...but the state needs to really step up to the plate and do a better job. The school budget system seems to need a huge overhaul, and same with the property tax rates.

[vter]

Impact Fees