Speaker dismisses $124 million in proposed savings because Scott failed to deliver them in person
By Guy Page
Five days before the Legislature’s school funding bill vetoed by Gov. Phil Scott faces an override vote, Gov. Phil Scott’s administration this afternoon suggested several ways to reduce the estimated statewide property tax increase from 13.8% to between 4% – 6% – including cutting universal school meals.
The universal meals law was passed during the Covid era using federal pandemic relief funds. It provides meals to all students, regardless of their ability to pay. Funding the $20 million program was shifted to state taxpayers as the federal money dried up.
Agency of Education Secretary Zoie Saunders told the press at today’s virtual ‘press availability’ that the universal school meals repeal and the rest of the cafeteria list of potential savings aren’t meant as longterm, strategic reform. They’re just options that “get us within a range of sustainability….to keep Vermonters from being crushed this year.”
The proposals, shared with legislative leaders just hours earlier, would:
- Repeal Universal school meals law (saving $20 million)
- Spend estimated May-June general fund surplus ($20)
- Incorporate revised local school budget reductions ($4)
- Spend the entire Education Fund stabilization reserve ($47 million), coupled with payback plan to replenish 20% each year over the next five years.
- Remove one-time property tax credit increase now in H.887 ($20.6 million).
The Scott administration proposal was not well received by House Speaker Jill Krowinski – in part, she said, because he didn’t deliver it to her and other legislative leaders in person, a fact confirmed by his staff this afternoon:
“Today, we showed up in good faith, expecting to hear a tangible proposal from Governor Scott,” Krowinski said. “While the Governor has been vocally opposed to our plan to lower property taxes and ensure long-term solutions for how we fund and support public education, he chose not to attend the meeting. After publicly discussing the importance of this meeting for weeks, his absence undermines the collaborative spirit necessary to address the critical issues facing our state.
Krowinski dismissed the proposals as “election year politics.”
“Let me be clear, the Governor still has not provided any feasible alternative plan. The Governor proposed stripping kids of access to school meals and risked increasing tax rates even higher than those facing us today. Our bill, which the Governor vetoed, provides immediate tax relief to Vermonters and ensures access to quality education that our kids deserve. Vermonters need tax relief, and our bill does this. The Governor has stated that he wanted to work together on this issue, but the fact that he did not show up to this meeting, it is impossible to see this as nothing more than election year politics rather than a true commitment to collaboration.”
Scott’s team emphasized that the changes proposed are just short-term property tax reductions. “Requiring structural change now would be too disruptive and would not be in the best interests of the kids,” Saunders said.
What harm will be caused to Vermonters if the 13.8% tax hike takes effect, VPR reporter Pete Hirschfeld asked.
An administration spokesperson replied: “Not being able to afford rent. Increasing the homeless population. Pushing more people into poverty. Causing more people to leave the state.”