“As Vermonters rally behind the Wisconsin public employees’ fight to retain their collective bargaining rights, the Vermont Republican Party is inviting the architect of much of what is playing out right now in Wisconsin to come to Vermont and spread his anti-worker, anti-middle-class message here,” said VSEA President Bob Hooper.
"More broadly, the overreach by Mr. Walker and [anti-worker politicians] elsewhere has finally revealed their true agenda to blue-collar voters who either voted for them last year or who stayed home."
"Despite public pressure and internal rumblings in the General Assembly, it appears that Sen. John Campbell, president pro tem of the Senate, and House Speaker Shap Smith have locked arms with the governor on the no new taxes pledge."
“Basically what Vermonters want is fairness — it’s as simple as that,” [Sen. Anthony] Pollina said. “This poll tells me they understand when they’re being ripped off, and that state and federal tax policies aren’t fair.”
"In 2009, Democrats in the state legislature, joined by two rural Republicans to form a 60 percent supermajority, enacted measures that would raise taxes on corporations and households earning more than $250,000 per year in order to preserve critical public services. In January 2010, after opponents forced a public referendum on the tax measures, proponents waged a resolute and ultimately successful campaign that allowed lawmakers to keep essential public services off of the chopping block."