MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - House lawmakers, after closing a $70 million budget gap, said on Wednesday they are in a good position to pass a state budget bill on to the Senate.
The approximately $5.3 billion budget, passed unanimously by the House Appropriations Committee, would make cuts to the Agency of Human Services, Vermont PBS and the cold weather exemption, a program that distributes motel vouchers to homeless people, among other cuts. The budget would increase support for homeless shelters and found savings by restructuring payments for a state technology project.
Republican Gov. Phil Scott said he would have to wait and see if he will support the House budget, saying he would like to see more support for early childhood care, higher education and the National Guard.
Scott credited the House Appropriations Committee with crafting a budget that does not call for new taxes or fees, which Scott has consistently said he will not support.
“My line in the sand has been no new taxes or fees, and they have adhered to that,” Scott said. “I know it doesn’t come easily.”
House Appropriations Committee chair Kitty Toll credited a transparent process and a collaborative, no-nonsense approach for the apparent agreement between political parties on the budget.
“The work of the appropriations committee has not been political at all. We have not had the chomping at the neck of either of our caucuses,” said Toll, a Democrat, gesturing to her Republican Vice-Chair Peter Fagan, who nodded in agreement.
Hanging over the heads of Vermont political leaders is the prospect of a vastly depleted federal budget. About half of Vermont’s state budget is made up of federal funds.
Democratic House Speaker Mitzi Johnson and Senate President Pro Tem Tim Ashe have said the legislature may have to hold a special session in the fall to address a deep budget gap.
“When we think about what will be facing us in six months, we could get information that could completely upend our priorities,” Johnson said.
Johnson said she expects the budget to pass on a strong vote. The full House is expected to debate the budget Thursday.
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