Vermont

Democrats and Progressives control both chambers of the Legislature. Republican Governor Phil Scott, now in his fifth term, governs by veto. After Republicans gained seats in 2024, Democrats lost the guaranteed votes to override him on every bill.

The result is a state where the progressive majority passes laws and the governor blocks them or forces compromises that water them down. In the last full session, lawmakers overrode six of eight vetoes. That math no longer holds.

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Vermont’s Education Property Taxes

Education property taxes have risen more than 40% in the past five years. A 38% spike hit in 2024 alone. Another 12% increase was projected for 2026.

40%+ increase in education property taxes over five years

Vermont funds schools through a statewide property tax pool. Every community’s budget decisions affect tax rates everywhere. Enrollment keeps dropping. Spending keeps rising. Small towns in Addison County are carrying more than $100,000 in unpaid education property taxes.

Governor Scott proposed $105 million in one-time money to buy down the 2026 rate increase by roughly half. He has threatened to veto the state budget unless lawmakers force school districts to consolidate. Act 73, the 2025 compromise between Scott and Democratic leaders, depends on lawmakers approving new consolidated district maps. “I will not sign a budget or an education bill or a tax bill that deviates from Act 73 or fails to fix what’s broken,” Scott said.

82% of school budgets were approved by voters in March 2026, even with the property tax outlook. Voters want their schools funded. They also cannot afford the bill.

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Vermont Does Not Have Enough Homes

Governor Scott issued Executive Order 06-25 to streamline housing development, accelerate permitting, and reduce regulatory barriers. The order also eases building energy efficiency standards, putting housing goals in direct tension with the state’s legally binding climate commitments.

The housing shortage drives up rents, pushes families out of the state, and makes post-flood recovery harder. When homes are destroyed in a flood and there is nowhere else to live, the shortage becomes a public safety problem.

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Flooding and Vermont’s Climate Superfund Law

Vermont flooded in 2019, twice in 2023, and again in 2024. Rivers that never used to overflow are overflowing regularly. Entire downtowns have been rebuilt and flooded again within twelve months.

In 2024, between two rounds of catastrophic flooding, Vermont became the first state to pass a Climate Superfund Act. The law requires oil companies to pay for climate-related damage based on their share of global emissions. Industry groups are challenging it in court. Initial briefing concluded in early 2026.

The Legislature also passed a modernized Renewable Energy Standard through the Senate, and S.138 would expand the C-PACE program to let commercial and industrial buildings finance efficiency and resilience upgrades through property assessments.

Downtown Montpelier flooded in July 2023. Businesses rebuilt through the fall, and in January 2024 the Winooski River flooded again. Some owners who had just finished repairs lost everything a second time.

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The Governor’s Veto Power After 2024

Phil Scott is one of the few Republican governors in a deep-blue state. He wins by running on fiscal moderation and affordability while the Legislature passes progressive policy. The tension between them is the defining feature of Vermont politics.

This is not a governor who signs whatever lands on his desk. Every progressive bill that passes with fewer than two-thirds support now lives or dies on whether Scott agrees. On education spending, housing regulation, and climate enforcement, his position is the ceiling.

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2026 Elections in Vermont

On November 3, Scott faces Democrat Amanda Janoo, who beat Aly Richards in the August 11 primary, 49.1% to 46.5%. The race decides whether Vermont keeps a Republican governor or elects its first Democratic governor since 2014.

If Democrats win the governor’s office, the veto dynamic flips entirely. Bills on climate enforcement, housing, education funding, and energy standards would reach a governor willing to sign them. If Scott wins a sixth term, the current standoff continues for two more years.

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What You Can Do in Vermont

1. Check your voter registration. The general election is November 3. Verify your status at mvp.vermont.gov. Vermont allows same-day registration, but checking early avoids lines and surprises.

2. Know your property tax bill. Your town clerk can show you how your education property tax rate changed this year. If you are struggling to pay, ask about the state’s property tax credit and income sensitivity programs before the filing deadline.

3. Attend your school board meeting. Consolidation decisions are coming whether the Legislature mandates them or not. Your board needs to hear from residents before any merger vote.

4. Call the governor’s office. 802-828-3333. Ask where he stands on the Climate Superfund Act and whether he will sign or veto the Legislature’s education funding approach.

5. Know your flood risk. Check your property at floodready.vermont.gov. If you are in a flood zone, confirm your insurance covers the actual cost of rebuilding. FEMA flood maps have not kept up with Vermont’s changing river behavior.