§ 1910c. Use of tax increment; retention period
(a) Uses of tax increments. A municipality may apply tax increments retained pursuant to this subchapter to debt
incurred within the period permitted under section 1910a of this subchapter, to related
costs, and to the direct payment of the cost of a housing infrastructure project.
A municipality may provide tax increment to a sponsor only upon receipt of an invoice
for payment of the financing, and the sponsor shall confirm to the municipality once
the tax increment has been applied to the financing. Any direct payment shall be subject
to the same public vote provisions of section 1910a of this subchapter as apply to
debt.
(b) Education property tax increment.
(1) For a housing infrastructure project that does not satisfy the affordability criterion
of section 1910 of this subchapter, up to 75 percent of the education property tax
increment may be retained for up to 20 years, beginning the first year in which debt
is incurred for the housing infrastructure project.
(2) For a housing infrastructure project that satisfies the affordability criterion of
section 1910 of this subchapter, up to 85 percent of the education property tax increment
may be retained for up to 20 years, beginning the first year in which debt is incurred
for the housing infrastructure project.
(3) Upon incurring the first debt, a municipality shall notify the Department of Taxes
and the Vermont Economic Progress Council of the beginning of the retention period
of the education property tax increment.
(c) Municipal property tax increment. Not less than 85 percent of the municipal property tax increment may be retained,
beginning the first year in which debt is incurred for the housing infrastructure
project.
(d) Excess tax increment.
(1) Of the municipal and education property tax increments received in any tax year that
exceed the amounts committed for the payment of the financing and related costs for
a housing infrastructure project, equal portions of each increment may be retained
for the following purposes:
(A) to prepay principal and interest on the financing;
(B) to place in a special tax increment financing account required pursuant to subsection
1910b(e) of this subchapter and use for future financing payments; or
(C) to use for defeasance of the financing.
(2) Any remaining portion of the excess education property tax increment shall be distributed
to the Education Fund. Any remaining portion of the excess municipal property tax
increment shall be distributed to the city, town, or village budget in the proportion
that each budget bears to the combined total of the budgets unless otherwise negotiated
by the city, town, or village.
(e) Adjustment of percentage. During the 10th year following the creation of a housing development site, the municipality
shall submit an updated tax increment financing plan to the Vermont Economic Progress
Council that shall include adjustments and updates of appropriate data and information
sufficient for the Vermont Economic Progress Council to determine, based on tax increment
financing debt actually incurred and the history of increment generated during the
first 10 years, whether the percentages approved under this section should be continued
or adjusted to a lower percentage to be retained for the remaining duration of the
retention period and still provide sufficient municipal and education increment to
service the remaining debt. (Added 2025, No. 69, § 20, eff. July 1, 2025.)