March 26, 2018
Dear Editor,
As your state representative, I’m glad to have had the opportunity to speak with you at your town meetings about the issues facing the legislature and to hear your concerns. Your feedback is important to me.
In this message, I will focus on the two prevailing issues – gun violence and education finance reform – facing us upon our return to the State House.
The school shooting in Florida plus the incident at Fair Haven High School has brought the need for immediate attention to be paid to gun violence. The governor had already outlined an action plan to improve school safety and reduce gun violence.
The gun violence prevention legislation in progress includes three critical bills. H.675 would allow a judge to require weapons be turned over as a condition of an individual’s pre-trial release. S.221 would allow police to seek a court order from a judge to seize firearms for up to one year from someone deemed as an “extreme risk” to themselves or others (“red flag” bill). The third bill, H.422 would allow police to temporarily seize firearms for up to five days from the scene of an alleged domestic assault without a court order.
And just this week, the House Judiciary Committee approved bill S.55 by a vote of 6 to 5. This bill would expand background checks to private firearms sales; prohibit those under 21 from purchasing a firearm with exceptions; and ban high-capacity magazines and bump stocks. The full House chamber could take up this bill possibly as early as Friday, March 23.
The legislature has also made progress on H.911, “An Act Relating to Changes in Vermont’s Personal Income Tax and Education Finance System,” previously titled the Education Finance Reform bill. The bill passed the House this week and is now on its way to the Senate.
The intent of the bill is to reduce reliance on the property tax and depend more heavily on an income tax, which better reflects ability to pay and creates a stronger connection between school budget spending decisions and tax rates. The bill also makes a number of changes to Vermont’s personal income tax. Highlights include:
Creating a School Income Tax Surcharge using a progressive tax structure. This will raise approximately $59 million for the Education Fund and reduce the average property tax rate by $0.15.
Eliminating the General Fund transfer and substituting it with 100 percent of the sales tax and 25 percent of the meals and rooms tax.
Maintaining the non-residential property tax rate at current law.
Reducing the state income tax burden on Vermonters who are adversely impacted by the change in Federal Tax Law.
Lowering all personal income tax rates by 0.2 percent, while collapsing the top two income tax brackets, and adjusting standard deductions and personal exemptions.
Providing tax relief to Vermonters receiving Social Security benefits.
If you are interested in more detail on H.911, please feel free to email me and I will forward you an informative summary packet.
As always, I welcome any questions, opinions, thoughts, and concerns you may have on any legislative issue. You can contact me at tbock@leg.state.vt.us or tmbock@vermontel.net. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Representative Tom Bock
Andover, Baltimore, Chester, and North Springfield
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