Chambers and business groups back careful homestead-exemption reform, urge studies on household measures and downsizing incentives

Austin Davis, representing the Lake Champlain Chamber, told the House Ways & Means Committee that his organization supports careful reform of the homestead exemption and property‑tax relief but opposes expanding property-tax classifications. He urged the committee to study household-size adjustments, net‑asset attestations, senior deferral options and downsizing incentives as near‑term improvements.

Davis argued that, rather than adding classification complexity, the Legislature should consider a uniform rate or revenue‑neutral design for any homestead-exemption change. "We think the answer is to go to a tax system with…