The leaders of the Vermont House Progressive caucus are calling on the legislature to sustain a potential budget veto in order to consider an alternative budget proposal.
Republican Governor Phil Scott is expected to veto the budget passed by the Democratically-controlled House and Senate. Progressive leaders say that will be an opportunity to “fund a just and humane transition plan to end the General Assistance Emergency Housing Program...”
That program, which provided hotel and motel rooms to the unhoused, is set to end on June 1st. The caucus says more than 1,600 people will be evicted and they do not have adequate support.
The Progressives say they have a budget proposal that would reallocate funding and it can be considered in a budget revision if enough legislators sustain the governor’s expected budget veto.