voter accountability

June 1st, 2007 Vermont, economics, education, taxes

Vermont has done itself a disservice in becoming the most highly taxed state in the union. One would have to be under a rock to not be aware of it, and about as smart to fail to see the consequences. Never-the-less, our legislators completely failed to address the school budget issue this session as the core problem of Vermont’s tax “problem”.

The real responsibility lies with the voter who elects these legislators. The majority of voters however fail to give serious thought to their choice of elected official simply because – for the apparent majority - the consequences are not in proportion to the result of their vote; either for their non-thinking legislator or for the increase in the local school budget that – after all – doesn’t significantly increase their personal tax burden – at least in the short term. The long term consequences require the insight of an economist like Art Woolf.

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