LETTER: James Haddad announces Independent run for Vermont House seat
September 15, 2024 | By James Haddad To the Community:
I’m 66, a grampa to three little treasures, hunter, fisher and gardener, Vermonter since 1970, UVM graduate, CPA since 1983, with experience in finance and taxes, banking and electric power distribution in Vermont for 41 years.
I’m ready to serve Vermont with common sense, fiscal conservative values, and a passion for reducing government spending and taxes. I want Vermont to be affordable for my grandkids. The super majority led by legislators from Chittenden County is NOT legislating with Vermonters’ best interests at heart. These property tax, payroll tax, pseudo carbon tax, and DMV fee increases, and government spending for pet projects, are completely unsustainable.
Energy resilience requires the right mix of energy and a balanced progression towards clean energy, which is much better for Vermonters than jumping into a mix with no fossil fuels. The Clean Heat Act or Affordable Heat Act as passed is essentially a carbon tax, and will increase home heating fuel by as much as 100%. Who in their right mind codifies an opportunity for someone to file lawsuits against Vermont if we don’t meet those Global Climate Change goals? Vermont’s current energy act will only bankrupt most common folk and retirees, thanks to the Democratic and Progressive majority. The legislators who voted yes and blocked Gov. Phil Scott’s veto should be fired. I will vote no on its renewal.
Water quality is being ignored. The EPA is ready to take over the issuance of water discharge permits in the hopes of limiting the phosphorous reaching Lake Champlain. Another can kicked down the road by the super majority, Vermont should be sharply focused and cleaning up our water, especially in light of the new norms of storm volatility. We all want a green Vermont, just not green water.
Road and bridge resilience should be a top priority instead of an unaffordable heat act. We can’t change or legislate the weather, and should proactively harden our roads and bridges for the new weather reality. Green Mountain Power is already preparing to roll out a Zero Outage Initiative doing its part to keep the lights on.
The super majority also overrode Scott’s veto on the increase in property taxes claiming it “kicked the can down the road.” With H.887, the super majority kicked this unpopular can down the road. The school funding model is broken, needs to be changed, and stacking a commission for future designs, as H.887 does with educational bureaucrats, will only yield a system guaranteed to make taxes rise. Colorado used a bipartisan group to research and recommend a new funding system that apparently everyone is satisfied with. I would try to limit annual increases in property taxes to the rate of social security increases.
The super majority passed a payroll tax, created a bill to make 19% increase in corporate tax from 8.5% to 10%, tried to vote themselves a raise doubling their income which Scott vetoed. I want to see taxes lowered. Why are we not as tax efficient as New Hampshire, Tennessee, Washington?
Our legislature needs balance. Our governor needs help. When a super majority exists, the passage of bills becomes self-serving to that political party agenda. Our current super majority has ignored most Vermonters’ needs by elevating taxes and spending. Both incumbent candidates for the Washington-Chittenden district have always voted as the super majority party dictates, whether or not that helps the voters in Bolton, Buels Gore, Huntington and Waterbury. They voted yes to pass the hike in property taxes(H.887), the payroll tax (S.217), the climate change bill (S.5) and the renewable energy bill (H.289).
My goals as a representative are to reflect the needs and desires of the voters in Waterbury, Huntington, Bolton and Buels Gore.
I would help create a new education funding system, or legislation, that limits annual increases in educational spending to the rate of Social Security increases at most, helping our elders stay in the state they love.
I would balance the super majority pressures by providing a conservative voice, reaching out to them and offering alternative paradigms.
I would craft legislation with common sense and affordability regarding home heating sources and housing, and hardening our bridges and roads to withstand this new weather reality.
Vermonters income and wealth is not bottomless, the legislature must be made to recognize that and understand that workers and farmers cannot afford more tax increases.
I accept no party donations or affiliations, no political action committee or corporate donations.
James Haddad
Huntington resident James Haddad is an Independent candidate for the Washington-Chittenden Vermont House district that covers Waterbury, Bolton, Huntington and Buel’s Gore. Contact: HADDAD4VT@aol.com or 802-434-6350.