Vermonters pay property taxes of 1.66% of their home values on average, according to a new report prepared by the Tax Policy Center.  This places the state firmly in the top ten, which also includes Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Wisconsin.

At Thursday’s vigil on the Statehouse steps and joint legislative hearing on homelessness,  Vermonters who have experienced homelessness and service providers  were among the voices urging lawmakers to consider long-term solutions.  Linda Ryan, co-chair of the Governor’s Council on Pathways out of Poverty, asked the state to fund more rental subsidies, in light of declining federal support. 

The next Point-In-Time (PIT) count of Vermont’s homeless population is taking place later this month on January 29-30, 2014. The PIT count allows local communities and state policy makers to understand current problems of homelessness, target limited funding to appropriate housing and services, and track progress.