[mustmove]

Good question. Here is the problem there isn't enough of a commercial base to tax. And it is so damn hard to do business here that's not likely to change. there are people that have said that if VT wants it's fat social programs/expensive schools then they need to allow business to happen to pay for it all.

[flu189]

People here are really being pushed to the breaking point. We are simply tapped out. My education proportion of my tax bill comes in at an astronomical 85% of the total. Then to add insult to injury after the original bill comes in the mail they send out a month later a "revised" bill adding even more to just the education part. Then we see the simply outrageous proposal in Burlington trying to float an education bond of almost a quarter of a billion dollars which includes two parking garages! Meanwhile consumer staples like energy and food continue to eliminate any potential disposable income. A vicious circle as without disposable income businesses will suffer as consumers will scale back or eliminate spending. It is true that our tax base is very limited in terms of businesses and the tax climate along with other economic indicators does not favor growth. Add the demographic shift of an ever increasing ageing population and the outlook is poor. Without serious attention and bruising the egos of the biggest cash siphons in this state we will dig ourselves into a massive fiscal trench. Montpelier needs a major shakeup and overhaul with realists who will get a handle on the situation. When I heard this week that a cost cutting measure involved cutting two hours off of staffing at the rest areas I just shook my head. Let's face it, if you are 50 pounds overweight cutting your diet by just 50 calories a day is not going to do it.

[mustmove]

flu189 the only thing to do is leave. It won't change here and the tax man has a monopoly on residents. Moving is the moral choice don't support the bastards by staying as one of their peasants.

[Alt Dach]

Part of it is that Vermont ,like anywhere else. is run by good ol' boy tactics but the
good old boys don't have access to the huge amounts of cash in other states so
they tend to dip in the pot underlings would get elsewhere.Just middle-sized fish in a
small pond. 300 K for a conservation easement her-50K for a contract there,petty
change in NY or MA say,but adds up here.

[flu189]

Originally Posted by mustmove

flu189 the only thing to do is leave. It won't change here and the tax man has a monopoly on residents. Moving is the moral choice don't support the bastards by staying as one of their peasants.

I know it will not change and being in my late 40s I really know that even when the economy comes back around my remaining years will be limited to recoup losses made even harder by a system that will demand more and more of my resources. My wife is even more motivated to get the relo ball rolling, but due to circimstances surrounding my employment (2 years to vesting), military reserve less than two years to locking in eventual pension, and the wife in two years finishing her accounting degree, we are kind of obligated out of common sense to stick it out. Quite a few of our coworkers are also making plans and choosing locales to visit and investigate for relo. Don't have the benefit of a cystal ball, but I would place good odds barring a major economic collapse we will gone within three to four years. Hey, that will be just in time for Yankee to go off line.

[mustmove]

I hear Yankee will stay despite the hot air to the contrary. Of course they will be selling power to the spot market so juice will be expensive. Look on the bright side if the Republicans win home values in VT will go up with lefties flocking to be with lefties.

[flu189]

Originally Posted by mustmove

I hear Yankee will stay despite the hot air to the contrary. Of course they will be selling power to the spot market so juice will be expensive. Look on the bright side if the Republicans win home values in VT will go up with lefties flocking to be with lefties.

LOL!! A good point on the home values, so there might be a silver lining afterall. I guess we had better keep things the way are here then.

[Alt Dach]

Originally Posted by mustmove

I hear Yankee will stay despite the hot air to the contrary. Of course they will be selling power to the spot market so juice will be expensive. Look on the bright side if the Republicans win home values in VT will go up with lefties flocking to be with lefties.

A good point but I'd say its more yuppy culture than left per se in VT,
A lot of Left leaners I know see VT as inauthenic ye-old place.
Repulics will win, one way or the other.,I doubt if the US will ever see
another Dem pres.
I was wrong once,though.

[flu189]

Sometimes, or rather more often than not, it does not matter which way the overall national elections go when it comes to certain states and local jurisdictions. Vermont of the last two decades is a classic example of that as many will argue we vote for and place figures of symbolism into office. Is it effective? Maybe yes on a very localized scale. Nationally? Not really as a good part of the nation don't take such figures very seriously.

[loveeveryone]

I Lived in Vermont all of my life and man winters are pretty but long in Vermont t