READSBORO- On Town Meeting day, representative John Moran, of Wardsboro, traveled throughout Windham-Bennington 1 to present a legislative update. Moran came to Readsboro Monday night and the topic he discussed was property taxes.

Moran said he had worked hard with representatives Ann Manwaring, of Wilmington, and the late Rick Hube, of South Londonderry, to provide more transparency on property taxes. For the last year, the three representatives were crafting an amendment that would change the House rules in reviewing legislation.

House rules require any legislation impacting state revenues to pass through the Ways and Means Committee. Moran, Manwaring, and Hube added property taxes to the list and the House supported the change, 137 to 0. Moran called it a major victory for property tax payers and said it will shed a light on fiscal spending and ensure that all funds will be well spent.

Moran expressed his concerns over education spending and its effect on property taxes and local control issues. He said recent department of education proposals for school consolidation, cutbacks in funding, and the shifting of the general fund burden to property tax payers do not bode well for Vermonters. Moran vowed he will continue to fight for Windham-Bennington 1 taxpayers and property tax relief will remain his number one priority for the remainder of the legislative year.

Moran said he is following the recent developments with Readsboro Hometown Redevelopment Inc. and commended RHR for the Bullock Building renovation efforts. Moran assisted in obtaining federal grants for the building and said he will continue to assist RHR with their economic development needs.

On the General, Housing, and Military Affairs Committee, Moran said they recently held a public hearing on the National Guard troop deployment to Afghanistan. The committee took testimony on veterans who qualify for property tax exemptions, held a joint hearing with the House Judiciary Committee on the military child custody protection act, listened to budgetary concerns from the Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington, and held public hearings for numerous veterans services organizations around the state.

In Housing, Moran said the committee wrote legislation on rent-to-own mobile homes but was unsure when the bill would be introduced. Housing is working with the House Corrections and Institutions Committee on cost savings in transitional housing and Moran said that will alleviate extended incarceration and costly services with the state’s homeless population.

Under General, Moran said the committee also completed legislation that bans mandatory overtime, explored employers’ use of electronic payment of wages, initiated testimony on employer credit checks of potential employees, and examined employment breaks for those working extended periods of time.

Moran said he welcomes constituent comments and he can be reached at the Statehouse by calling (802) 828-2424, (800) 322-5616 or by e-mail at jmoran@leg.state.vt.us. Moran can also be reached at his home in Wardsboro at (802) 896-9408.