Okay, this is officially getting weird. Last week was apparently no anomaly, as reporter Louis Porter again cuts his “analysis” of the Governor’s budget ideas in a light that is deceptively favorable (here is the link). Gone, at least, is the explicit (and demonstrably untrue) statement that Douglas has proposed no tax increases, but what remains still masks reality to the point that seems beyond simply sloppy.

In his analysis of taxes, there remains no mention – none – of the tax increase Douglas is proposing to the middle class. Only a potential tax break to the upper incomes is mentioned. So while it doesn’t contain the explicit no new taxes line, it deceptively continues the same narrative, in the process simply omitting what is likely to be the most controversial (and thereby newsworthy) element of his tax proposals – an element presented as such by the free Press and AP coverage.

The Governor, of course, wants to eliminate some income sensitivity under the statewide property tax, which could hit two-income families in particular. As one analyst laid it out for me:

For example, if your report $65,000 in income, your ed prop. tax would go from to $1,170 to $1,463 (max. % rising from 1.8% to 2.25%). [note that the local inflators would make the figures different in different towns but this is before the adjustments]  That’a 25% increase for a middle class family.

If you report $80,000, your tax would go from $1,440 to $2,800 (94% increase based on an increase from 1.8% to 3.5%).

He wants to use the savings to lower the residential & non-residential rates by one cent.  Thus, the savings will accrue primarily to the wealthy (instate, second home owners, and businesses).

If you depended on the Vermont Press Bureau’s coverage, you wouldn’t even know this controversial aspect existed – at least not in the two articles I’ve seen.

In the past when we’ve seen a Vermont reporter go all Douglas advocacy, its usually led to a job change. According to Hubbub, Sabina Haskell insisted that the Brattleboro Reformer endorse Jim Douglas for Governor, and shortly thereafter she went to work for the administration (the endorsement did not repeat). When Brendan McKenna began writing fluff pieces about Martha Rainville for (again) the Rutland Herald & Times Argus, it was only a matter of months before it was anounced he was joining the Rainville election team as Communications Director.

Douglas is a lame duck, though, so its hard to imagine any jobs opening up. Maybe Dubie’s looking for a Communications Director.

In any event, this needs to stop. I encourage folks to send emails to the editors of the Rutland Herald and Times Argus and ask that coverage of the Governor’s budget be more… er… fair and balanced (will that get me sued by Fox News?).

Times Argus letters-to-the-editor: letters@timesargus.com

Rutland Herald letters-to-the-editor: letters@rutlandherald.com