House Appropriations committee backs keeping Vermont Saves auto-escalation at 8% in straw poll

The House Appropriations Committee held a straw poll Friday on an amendment that would prevent a change to the Vermont Saves program’s automatic contribution-escalation cap, keeping the statutory maximum at 8% rather than increasing it to 10%. Representative Donahue introduced the amendment during the committee’s March 28, 2025, meeting; Becky Wasserman of the State Treasurer’s Office testified in opposition, saying the office supports a 10% target communicated now and phased in over several years.

The committee’s action was a nonbinding straw poll to record committee sentiment, not a final floor vote. The clerk reported the straw poll result as 10 in favor and 1 opposed; the committee referred members’ questions about policy jurisdiction to the House Government Operations Committee and suggested Treasury staff contact the Senate Government Operations Committee if the change should move forward this year.

The amendment’s sponsor, Representative Donahue, said the Appropriations Committee had…