To The Editor:
As the dust settles, and the shelves of our local establishments are restocked after the recent influx of visitors, a phenomenon to be repeated regularly throughout 2026, it feels like the opportune moment to speak in support of the proposed Waitsfield Local Option Tax (LOT).
Everyone lucky enough to live in the Mad River Valley knows it’s a special place, as do the many thousands who choose us as a regular vacation destination. The unfortunate counterpoint is that Waitsfield also exemplifies many of the challenges Vermont faces; rising rent and home prices, budget shortfalls for vital infrastructure projects, and a declining labor force to name a few. Federal dollars are drying up, increasing the stress on both state and local budgets. It is up to us as a community to act, or these challenges will continue to plague us and compound in the years to come.
Levying additional taxes may feel counterintuitive to address rising costs of living. However, the only alternative available to the town is raising already-too-high property taxes (the bulk of which is the state education portion – less than one-quarter of our property taxes directly fund the town budget). A 1% LOT on transactions already taxed in Vermont (excluding many essentials) would increase annual revenue by an estimated $600,000. Only 18% of these estimated funds would be paid by Waitsfield residents, an average of $186 per household (source: MRVPD report on town website). Raising equivalent funds through property taxes would increase the municipal tax rate, costing Waitsfield homeowners much more: around $450 annually on $300K houses and $675 on $450K houses.
I write as one of the lucky ones able to call Waitsfield home, and as an owner of a Waitsfield business reliant on the support of both the local community and tourist traffic. Joining 38 other Vermont towns in adopting a LOT feels to me the clearest way to fund necessary infrastructure with minimal burden on local residents, ensuring that my employees can still afford to live in the place they work and that Waitsfield remains inviting and accessible for years to come.
Josh Turka
Waitsfield
