“Sue Minter must be very concerned her campaign is falling behind because she has been consistently and intentionally misleading Vermonters about Phil Scott. As her campaign continues to flounder, we expect her attacks, and the attacks by her surrogates, to become even more desperate and more dishonest,” said Scott campaign spokeswoman Brittney Wilson. “Growing the economy and making Vermont more affordable are Phil’s top priorities. If an idea makes Vermont more affordable and keeps our budget in line with what Vermonters can afford, he will support it. If it makes Vermont less affordable or taxes already overburdened Vermonters, Phil will oppose it. Period.”
But here’s the truth Minter doesn’t tell: In 2009, Phil Scott was fighting against Sue Minter’s 5-cent per gallon gas tax, and for a bill that would be revenue neutral. In fact, the Minter version had a 5-cent-per-gallon tax increase that was supported by Minter’s Appropriations Committee, reported on by Minter, and voted “yes” on by Minter. Phil Scott fought to ditch this tax increase, but ultimately had to compromise as a member of the minority.
“The major difference between now and then is this: in the Legislature Phil didn’t have a veto pen,” Wilson said. “But he will as Governor.”
Here’s what Seven Days reported:
“The real whopper in this ad is Minter’s criticism of Scott’s 2009 vote to raise the gas tax. It’s a whopper because Minter voted for the same bill — and, earlier in the legislative process, she voted to raise the gas tax even higher than Scott did.
“At the time, Minter was serving in the Vermont House and Scott in the Senate. In early April, the House voted to raise the tax on gasoline and diesel by five cents per gallon. That proposal also tied the gas tax to inflation. Minter, then a member of the House Appropriations Committee, supported the bill and stood up on the House floor to explain her vote…Asked three times Monday afternoon whether it was hypocritical for her to criticize Scott over a tax she tried to raise even higher, Minter would not say.”
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