I recall my family’s struggle with childcare years ago. Paying to be on wait lists, commuting in separate directions each morning, short notice sick days — not to mention cost. Childcare is certainly another Vermont challenge exacerbated by a small and aging population.

While the Addison Independent’s Aug. 16 article on Act 76 had an upbeat tone, I came away concerned for a couple of reasons. As a small business owner, I just saw my first payroll expense with the new .44% tax. While the several hundred dollars in new tax paid on modest payroll likely won’t put me out of business, the capacity to pay employees well is reduced. Meanwhile, subsidized incomes at 585% of the poverty line could easily exceed my business income in any given year.

Another concern is the efficiency and unintended consequences of the new legislation. While 1,000 new childcare slots are no doubt something to celebrate, the costs cited in the article suggest they are exorbitantly expensive per slot. As Vermont hopes to expand its tax base and draw businesses to the state, adding a new payroll tax could be seen as another reason why Vermont is a challenging place to do business. Which of Vermont’s many challenges could next be addressed by tapping into businesses’ payroll?

But the bigger concern I came away with is the fact that the sponsor of this bill’s own family member is now receiving these funds. While this might be a minor ethical lapse, I question to what degree my legislators are addressing the concerns of all their constituents versus their own pursuits. Our legislators are good at identifying problems without easy fixes. I hope they continue to look for ways to tackle challenges by offering incentives and reducing bureaucracy, rather than more taxing solutions.

Alyth Hescock

Middlebury