A majority of respondents in the Vermont Public 2026 Poll supported a new annual tax on second homes, an issue dividing candidates for governor and lieutenant governor ahead of the November election.
VTDigger reported September 29 that 57% supported the idea, 28% opposed it and 15% were unsure. Support differed by political affiliation: 70% among Democratic-leaning respondents, 43% among Republican-leaning respondents and 54% among independent or minor-party respondents.
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amanda Janoo has proposed higher taxes on luxury second homes and commercial vacation rentals as part of her housing platform, according to the report. Democratic lieutenant governor nominee Molly Gray has said a second-home tax could help finance universal primary care.
Republican incumbents Gov. Phil Scott and Lt. Gov. John Rodgers have expressed caution about adding taxes. VTDigger reported that they instead pointed to restraining education costs and expanding the state's tax base to reduce property taxes for primary homeowners.
Vermont Public published its full poll results September 28. Interviews took place September 10-21 through cellphone and landline calls and text-to-web surveys. The full sample included 817 respondents, with a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points; smaller demographic samples have greater uncertainty.
The poll asked about the general idea of an annual second-home tax. That question does not settle which properties would qualify, how much owners would pay or how the state would spend the revenue, details that would shape any legislation.
Sources:
https://vtdigger.org/2026/09/29/second-home-tax-appeals-to-majority-of-vermont-poll-respondents/
https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-09-28/vermont-general-election-poll-results-2026