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Stowe merchants tell committee 2% local-option tax would hurt small businesses and deter visitors
Summary
Three Stowe business owners testified to the Government Operations & Military Affairs committee that a proposed 2% town-level sales tax would be regressive, reduce local and tourist spending, and could push customers to neighboring towns or online; witnesses urged alternatives such as taxes on second homes or short-term rentals.
Three Stowe merchants told the Government Operations & Military Affairs committee that a proposed 2% local-option tax in H.954 would harm small retail businesses and deter the tourists that local commerce depends on.
Megan Ocolita, owner of Northwood Gallery, said the gallery relies on tourists and on sales to Vermont artists and that raising the town tax to 2% would make Stowe feel less accessible to locals and reduce off-season sales. "Implementing an 8% tax on people who are funding our tourist-dependent economy seems counterintuitive to us," she said, arguing the town should "find another avenue to pull the…
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