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Curious_Leader_2093 t1_j7m98yb wrote

Reply to comment by Smeedge_Kilgannon in We Need to Do Something About STRs by Commercial_Case_7475

100%. Which is why the populace needs to be united and see this as an expectation.

I'm from a place that's ahead of VT in this way. Rich people moving in seems like a good thing at first, until local's can't afford to live or shop there. I don't want to see that happen to VT.

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Smeedge_Kilgannon t1_j7mo6n4 wrote

We used to be united. Now everyones gone so far left or right they'll never agree upon anything again. Vermont is ripe for the picking and there isn't a damn thing we can do about it.

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you_give_me_coupon t1_j7mxcwa wrote

This is why the message that uniting based on class is racist is pushed so hard. (And identity politics generally.) The wealthy people running the country and the state really, really, don't want regular working people of all stripes uniting to advance their common economic interests.

If there is ever a credible threat to AirBNBs in this state, expect countless articles and VPR "explainers" about how wanting affordable housing for regular people is actually racist. It's happened so many times before, like when Coca Cola paid the NAACP to say taxes on sugary drinks were racist.

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Commercial_Case_7475 OP t1_j7myz4w wrote

I agree 100%. It makes no damn sense to let non-residents squeeze lower working class people out of property ownership or being able to afford to live in their home town. Rich folks moving in used to be good, when there were just several summer homes, and they behaved like they were guests, not like they owned the whole place. If they don't contribute to the local economy like a real neighbor, they ought to, at the very least, pay more taxes to the town. At least we could afford more sand for our road maintenance budget, or even another dump truck.

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Curious_Leader_2093 t1_j7n3nif wrote

Our government literally gives us the power to do this, but we act like we're helpless.

This should be a simple thing for VT'ers to align with.

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huskers2468 t1_j7mfgja wrote

Is the populace united? Reddit might have a strong voice on it, but I'm not sure everyone does.

I think the best route would be to have it regionally voted on, and not state wide.

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