Killington Secession Not Too Popular in VT

By Kevin Forrest on Wednesday, March 16, 2005.

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The town of Killington, Vermont is continuing its quest to join the Granite State.

Support for the move remains strong in Concord.

New Hampshire lawmakers recently approved a commission to study the issue.

But in order for Killington residents to get their own live free or die license plates, Vermont lawmakers have to go along with the plan.

And in Montpelier, the idea doesn't have much steam.

The Vermont Standard's Kevin Forrest reports.

Killington's move to become part of New Hampshire has been gaining steam.

Townspeople reaffirmed their support by a 3-1 margin at town meeting.

And The New Hampshire House has voted to form a commission that will work with Vermont to hammer out secession details.

But Vermont lawmakers have been less than enthusiastic.

Young - I've kind of been upset, I guess, by watching the selectboard of Killington unfold the New Hampshire flag and wave it and talk about doing it and then voting to reaffirm and so forth when in my opinion it's absurdity.

That's Rep. Mark Young. He's a Republican from the low-lying town of Orwell along Lake Champlain.

He introduced a bill last week that penalizes Killington or other towns that might withdraw from Vermont.

Most give Young's bill about as much chance of passing as Killington has of successfully seceding.

But that's okay with Young.

He's just trying to make a point.
Young - I'm trying to show the absurdity of the secession and I think folks in my emails and letters and comments are proving that.

Young's bill would sever all state support for a town trying to secede.

It would also charge the town exit fees for "stranded assets" such as schools, roads and services.

This attempt to punish Killington for trying to leave Vermont doesn't surprise its Town Manager Dave Lewis:

Lewis - It seems to be indicative of the attitude of the legislature to basically look at us as just a cash cow and not even give us the time of day to have a forum or even discussion of any of the issues, the broader issues.

Killington's major beef with Vermont is that the town feels it sends a lot to the state and gets little back.

Recent education funding formulas require Killington to send $10 million to Montpelier to share with other towns.

Vermont collects another $10 million in various taxes from Killington's visitors.

With all that money having gone to Montpelier for years, town manager Lewis believes the Killington should be able to leave with a clean tab.

Lewis - The state of Vermont 30 years ago probably contributed $100,000 to the construction of our school, if that and we've been paying tens of millions of dollars a year to the state of Vermont for education for other places and Rep. Young thinks we owe the state of Vermont money for education?

But Representative Young sees things differently.

Young - The town manager would love to tell you how many millions of dollars Killington sent to the state. Well many of those millions of dollars are sales and rooms and meals taxes. Those weren't sent from Killington to the state. They were sent from tourists and others that were in Killington and were required to pay taxes levied by the state of Vermont.

Young thinks his bill will force Killington to face the harsh realities of leaving its home state.

For example, who will now pick up the tab for state employees? retirement funds?

Young - Is New Hampshire going to take on those retirements? How's New Hampshire going to service the infrastructure, the roads and so forth, from x number of miles away. Those would all be fodder, I would think, for that commission. Although I would hope we wouldn't waste the time with the commission.

Rep. Harry Chen represents Killington and three other towns in the legislature.

Pro-secession residents accuse Chen of not working hard enough to support his constituents.

Chen says that compared to other more immediate problems, the Killington secession issue should be put in its proper perspective.

Chen - The reality is it's not going to happen. And we can spend our time trying to deal with an issue like that or we could try to spend our time on perhaps things that are more important to people like health care and things like that.

Chen says he and other lawmakers are sensitive to overtaxation issues.

But they don't think secession is the answer.

And Chen says he doesn't believe many Vermonters will be cooperative when that New Hampshire commission on Killington comes knocking.

Chen - I guess from what I gather up here in the legislature it'd be hard to imagine that there'd be an interest politically to participate in such a process.

Vermonters in general appear to have little sympathy for Killington?s plight.

Many pay property taxes as high or higher than Killington residents do.

When a copycat referendum came up in Winhall, home to the huge Stratton ski resort, residents there voted not to secede.

And Representative Young says he's encountered a surprising amount of anti-Killington sentiment.

Young - You know at one of my town meetings just recently someone asked about what I thought would happen with Killington and I explained the bill I was about to submit and unsolicited from me, I got about halfway through my discussion and there was a round of applause that had started.

But Killington remains undaunted in its quest for a resolution to its charges of unfair taxation.

Town Manager Lewis looks forward to working with both states this summer and fall to craft an agreement.

He's encouraged that the Killington secession is now part of Vermont's official legislative business.

Lewis - I mean they've already broached the issue. They've broached it in a way of unilaterally setting the terms. What we're suggesting is rather than Vermont unilaterally setting the terms, how about sitting down with New Hampshire and maybe they'll get better deal.