The House Human Services Committee tried its best to devise a solution for our looming, self-induced homelessness crisis. The committee consulted with Scott administration officials to put together a plan that would extend the motel voucher program through June 30 with some major changes. Eligibility would be expanded to include those in the General Assistance program plus the “adverse weather” program that kicks in when temperatures get low, but it would set a questionably realistic $75 per night cap on motel reimbursements. (Motels are currently getting an average of $132 per night.) I don’t think much of the plan, but it was an honest effort to reach consensus and keep people sheltered at least through June 30.

But now the Republicans are saying “No, thanks. We prefer the mass unsheltering.”

Human Services’ plan went to the House Appropriations Committee on Friday. At the end of the day, the committee took a straw poll in its revised version of the FY2024 Budget Adjustment Act, which included the Human Services plan. The informal, nonbinding vote was 12-0.

Fast forward to Monday afternoon, when Approps took its actual vote on the Act. And whaddyaknow, the committee’s four Republicans changed their votes. The BAA still passed by an 8-4 margin, but the Republican switcheroo meant the Act passed on a party line vote with no GOP support. And according to a report by Vermont Public, administration officials are throwing cold water on the Human Services plan.

“We think the focus should be on shifting away from our reliance on hotels for temporary shelter,” Nya Pike, a spokesperson for the Department for Children and Families, reiterated in an email Tuesday. Extending the winter weather policy through June “would do the opposite of that and increase our reliance on an expensive program that does not provide any additional resources to Vermonters experiencing homelessness,” Pike said.

She leaves out the part where approximately 1,400 Vermonters would be unsheltered by April 1 without an extension. And that number would be even higher if the administration fails to deliver on its last-ditch effort to create more than 200 temporary shelter beds from April through June.

Let’s get back to the Republicans on House Appropriations. Now, there’s nothing wrong with changing your mind after a straw poll. But when all four Republicans do the same thing? That smells of backstage maneuvering.

Although the 8-4 vote was on the entire BAA, two Republicans focused on the voucher program in explaining their changes of heart. (The other two did not speak about their votes.)

“We’re actually expanding the [voucher] program,” said Rep. Jim Harrison. “The $75 cap [on motel reimbursements] is helpful, but on balance I think we’re continuing this more than we should.”

Rep. Patrick Brennan echoed Harrison’s words and added, “My constituents, Colchester folks, are not in favor the program and they’re against extending it.”

Neither Harrison nor Brennan suggested alternative solutions, so apparently they value their principles over simple basic humanity. So, it would seem, does our governor. You know, the guy who constantly professes his commitment to protecting the most vulnerable?

Taken together, Pike’s words and the four Republicans’ uniform change of heart indicate that Republican ranks are closing against any voucher extension. I guess they’re okay with pushing the homeless toward Chris Winters’ infamous cliff.