Montpelier, Vt. - Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement:

“In January, I presented a balanced budget that made critical investments in people and communities, provided much needed tax relief for working families and the most vulnerable, and didn’t force already-overburdened Vermonters to pay even more in taxes and fees.

“In the coming weeks, I know legislators may claim their budget includes funding for a lot of my initiatives, but it’s what they added, and the price tag that comes with it, that has me concerned. The Senate budget passed today will increase spending at more than twice the rate of inflation, and that doesn’t include the hundreds of millions in new taxes and fees being contemplated in other legislation, which makes it unsustainable.

“State government has a responsibility to prioritize and separate wants from needs, just like most of us do in our own lives. Saying ‘yes’ to almost every ‘want’ is not a luxury a majority of Vermonters have, but unfortunately, it’s what the Legislature is doing.

“Growing the base General Fund budget by over 13 percent could set us up for severe fiscal challenges in future years. The Legislature’s own economist predicts a possible decline in revenue for next year (FY24), which could lead to severe future cuts to the very programs this budget supports.

“The good news is, I have shared priorities with the Legislative majority, in areas like childcare, paid family medical leave, housing, and reducing carbon emissions. I’ve put forward a way to take significant, meaningful steps in these areas, which can be scaled over time. We need to make progress in these areas in a way that is sustainable and fiscally responsible. Importantly, we can do so without imposing more financial hardship on Vermonters who are already paying too much.”