RE: Please review: 'wealth tax' op ed

From: "Mearhoff, Sarah" <Sarah.Mearhoff@vermont.gov>
To: "Shouldice, Bill" <Bill.Shouldice@vermont.gov>
Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 16:41:01 +0000
Subject: RE: Please review: 'wealth tax' op ed
Attachments: Shouldice wealth tax op ed Oct 26.docx

Not bugging at all. This doc has the source page we sent to outlets. Rebecca and I were just messaging this morning about potentially beefing it up with more sources… We cut it short in the interest of timeliness (not letting perfect be the enemy of good and fast) last week.



FYI: In addition to all the outlets I sent this to for their publication consideration last week, I also sent this to reporters at Digger, VPR, WCAX, etc. for their own background/reporting purposes.



From: Shouldice, Bill <Bill.Shouldice@vermont.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2026 12:30 PM
To: Mearhoff, Sarah <Sarah.Mearhoff@vermont.gov>
Subject: RE: Please review: 'wealth tax' op ed



Its only been a day…sorry to bug you!!



Can you send me a copy of the op-ed with my name and background on the bottom?



Also do you have a copy of the “Source” page…for those wanting to check my facts?





Bill Shouldice IV  Commissioner

Vermont Department of Taxes

133 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633-1401

802.828.3763  www.tax.vermont.gov<http://www.tax.vermont.gov/>



Our mission is to serve Vermonters by administering our tax laws fairly and efficiently to help taxpayers understand and comply with their state tax obligations.




This email may contain confidential tax information. The information is intended only for use by the individual or entity addressee. If you are not the intended recipient, you are prohibited from any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information, and any such action would subject you to civil and/or criminal prosecution under state and Federal confidentiality laws. If you received this email in error, immediately delete this email and contact us at 802-828-3763 or Bill.Shouldice@vermont.gov<mailto:Bill.Shouldice@vermont.gov> for further instructions





From: Mearhoff, Sarah <Sarah.Mearhoff@vermont.gov<mailto:Sarah.Mearhoff@vermont.gov>>
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2026 5:08 PM
To: Wheeler, Amanda <Amanda.Wheeler@vermont.gov<mailto:Amanda.Wheeler@vermont.gov>>; Maulucci, Jason <Jason.Maulucci@vermont.gov<mailto:Jason.Maulucci@vermont.gov>>; Clark, Sarah <Sarah.Clark@vermont.gov<mailto:Sarah.Clark@vermont.gov>>; Shouldice, Bill <Bill.Shouldice@vermont.gov<mailto:Bill.Shouldice@vermont.gov>>
Cc: Sameroff, Rebecca <Rebecca.Sameroff@vermont.gov<mailto:Rebecca.Sameroff@vermont.gov>>; Connizzo, Katelyn <Katelyn.Connizzo@vermont.gov<mailto:Katelyn.Connizzo@vermont.gov>>
Subject: Please review: 'wealth tax' op ed
Importance: High



Hi, all – Sending along as an attachment for your review the Department’s final draft of an op-ed debunking the “wealth tax” rhetoric that’s been circulating in the state. Please let me know if you have any edits, notes, or major concerns with us sending this to press outlets for their consideration tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.



We also have compiled and are finalizing a “source” page – a la bibliography – to send to news outlets for their fact-checking/attribution purposes.



Thank you,



Sarah Mearhoff | Principal Assistant

Office of the Commissioner | Vermont Department of Taxes

133 State Street | Montpelier, VT 05633-1401

Tel. [phone redacted]



This email may contain confidential tax information. The information is intended only for use by the individual or entity addressee. If you are not the intended recipient, you are prohibited from any disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information, and any such action would subject you to civil and/or criminal prosecution under State and Federal confidentiality laws. If you received this email in error, immediately delete this email and contact us at [phone redacted] or sarah.mearhoff@vermont.gov<mailto:sarah.mearhoff@vermont.gov> for further instructions.