Who You Calling A Tax Raiser?

With no money to spend (they blew it last payday), and a long wish-list of things they want to buy, the troops in Montpelier are getting surly.  Legislative leaders are accusing the administration of raising taxes by stealth:

"Property tax increases are embedded in this budget," said House Speaker Gaye Symington, D-Jericho. "The budget is, in essence, a deficit budget without these tax increases."

"The words in the State of the State address do not match the budget," said Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, D-Windham, during a gathering of legislative leaders in the Speaker's office. "The governor doesn't want you to know this budget will increase your property taxes and your health insurance premiums."

Looks to us as though they have a point.  So we await their austerity budget which will, of course, include no new taxes or tax increases and a plan for reducing taxes and promoting economic growth in the future. 

And pigs will sing Carmen's aria.

Until then, business (drearily) as usual in Montpelier.